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FAQs for WHMIS
WHMIS Education and Training
- Who provides WHMIS education and training to workers?
- Can employers educate and train their own workers in WHMIS?
- What are the hazards of the product you are using?
- How do you protect yourself?
- What should you do in case of emergency or spill?
- Where do you get more information on this product?
- How often do workers need WHMIS refresher training?
- Do we obtain a WHMIS certificate from WorkSafeBC?
It is the employer's responsibility to ensure workers are adequately educated and trained. If the employer cannot provide the required education and training, consultant(s) can be employed by the employer to provide it. Education covers the information about the product, while training must include how to safely use the product - i.e., include actual work procedures.
Yes. Worker education and training is a performance-based regulation. Adequacy of education and training is determined by the workers' ability to correctly answer the following four questions for all controlled products they use (or work in close proximity to):
There is a requirement (OHS Regulation Part 5) that the WHMIS program be reviewed annually. Annual refresher training is only required if the review shows that workers are not well aware of the information needed to answer the four questions in the question above.
No. WorkSafeBC does not issue WHMIS certificates, and certificates are not required.
Some employers with a very mobile workforce (e.g. construction) sponsor a course and issue WHMIS cards, in order to identify to a succession of similar employers that the individual worker has been through an effective education course. This saves each new employer having to send the same employee to a similar course (possibly every couple of weeks) at a great waste of time and money.
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