Online WHMIS Certificate in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia WHMIS Training and Certification

WHMIS in Canada is made up of a combination of federal, provincial, and territorial levels of legislation. WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System and it represents the national implementation of the federal Hazardous Products Act and the Controlled Products Regulations. Canada’s federal laws were put in place after we joined a number of countries that adopted the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).

When you hear about employers being requirement to educate workers on WHMIS, this means they are discussing the ways the provincial government has chosen to enforce the federal legislation. After interpreting the federal legislation, provincial governments drew up their own legislation and regulations as well, which helps to make it more clear whose responsibility it is to enforce the laws and so employers do not have to report to two different levels of government regarding hazardous materials laws.

The different levels of government involved may seem confusing, but what is clear is that the continuity between different workplaces, in different communities, and in different countries, helps increase the safety of workers and the general public.

And through the standards of communication set through WHMIS, safety is improved.

WHMIS includes a set standard of communication including pictographs, classifications of hazards, warnings, storage and disposal instructions, emergency protocols and labeling requirements. WHMIS course materials in Nova Scotia will be the same as any other province or territory.

Similarly, in Nova Scotia, just as with the other provinces and territories, there are also local legislations and regulations for the implementation and enforcement of WHMIS. In Nova Scotia this is covered in the Occupational Health and Safety Act and WHMIS Regulations 64/89. And under the Department of Labour and Advanced Education, Nova Scotia’s Occupational Health and Safety Division is the local WHMIS authority that implements and enforces WHMIS for the province.

As an employer in Nova Scotia, do I need to educate and train my employees on WHMIS?

The answer to this question is Yes. It is provincially legislated that employers are the ones responsible for providing education and training to employees.

In partnership with any local initiatives, such as through Occupational Health and Safety, employers need to have developed a WHMIS program that covers multiple areas regarding the safe handling, use, and storage of hazardous products.

An employer must apply all necessary precautions to ensure hazardous products are labeled, stored, handled, and used appropriately. If products are mislabeled, are imported and arrive without labels, have out dated labels, or labels are damaged (illegible), it is the employer’s responsibility to provide correct and readable labeling before products are stored or used in the workplace. If products are not labeled correctly, they must not be used or stored, unless the employer can also demonstrate they are actively in the process of seeking and affixing the correct labels.

Employers must ensure that employees receive education on what correct labels include and must be able to show that employees understand this education. Instruction is also to be provided on the various classifications of chemicals and hazardous products, the risks and warnings involved with each, and how to read and apply the information provided on Safety Data Sheets (SDSs).

An employee with a specific job function with regard to manufacturing hazardous products or using them in various production applications needs to be provided with education specific to the chemicals they are using in the job, as well as personal protection equipment and any other instruction pertinent to their individual safety and the safety of the general public.

It is also expected that the employer shall take every reasonable precaution to ensure safe storage and handling of hazardous waste.

Safety Data Sheets must be visible and available to workers in every workplace where hazardous products exist and the employer must have knowledge about how their SDSs are stored and kept up to date.

How frequently do I need to train my workers on WHMIS in Nova Scotia?

In NS, it is required that the employer review WHMIS instruction once pear year or more frequently if changes occur in the work environment or job requirements of the individual employee. It is also required that additional training is provided if updated information is released that pertains to WHMIS. The most up to date version of WHMIS is currently WHMIS 2015. The burden falls to the employer to be able to demonstrate that reasonable effort has been made to implement an annual review for their employees’ WHMIS instruction. , or that there has been reasonable effort made to discern if WHMIS has been updated within that year.

Many organizations delegate this responsibility to an appointed safety officer or to the Human Resources functions of their company to ensure that their WHMIS obligations are not overlooked.

Do I need to have a WHMIS Certificate for my employees?

Although not a legal requirement in Nova Scotia, a WHMIS certificate – or Generic WHMIS Card – is commonly requested by many organizations and is a reputable way to provide proof of WHMIS education among your employees.

A WHMIS certificate or WHMIS Card can be issued by the person or organization providing WHMIS education, training and testing for your company. It is important to select an organization with a positive reputation locally or online for providing credible and comprehensive general WHMIS instruction.

Occupational Health and Safety can request proof of WHMIS by looking at an organization’s SDS database or viewing any applicable SDSs available in the workplace. They can also check the storage situations and labels of hazardous products on site and interview employees for comprehension of WHMIS.

In the case where employees are often taken off site by their regular job requirements, it is often an effective measure of their employer’s WHMIS compliance if they carry a current WHMIS certificate in their wallet. This is an easy way of showing proof of WHMIS education if they are away from the usual job site itself.

WHMIS certificates typically include the educational organization’s name so that an investigator can verify the credibility of the training, along with the employee name, company employed at, and testing dates and scores, if applicable.

More information on WHMIS in Nova Scotia is available at the Occupational Health and Safety Division link on the Nova Scotia Government site: https://novascotia.ca/lae/ohs