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FAQs for WHMIS
Scope
- Do controlled products covered by WHMIS need to be registered? Does WorkSafeBC approve products?
- Do I need to test my product to prepare the label and the MSDS?
- If I am importing a controlled product into Canada, what should I do to meet the WHMIS requirements?
There is no requirement to register controlled products covered by WHMIS. WorkSafeBC enforces both federal and provincial WHMIS legislation for WHMIS but there is no form of approval for controlled products.
Product testing is not required. Suppliers of controlled products must use test data or other information of which the supplier is aware or ought reasonably to be aware to prepare the supplier label and the MSDS.
When importing only for own use, an employer is considered to be a supplier. The employer must ensure that an MSDS meeting Canadian requirements and supplier label are acquired at the time of (or prior to) sale or importation of a controlled product. (See WHMIS Responsibilities section.) The 16-section MSDSs from both the United States and the European Community are often acceptable in Canada but in almost all other cases, the foreign MSDS will not cover all the disclosure items required by HPA.
If importing for sale into workplaces in Canada, the (Canadian) importer is responsible for preparing WHMIS-compliant MSDSs and affixing WHMIS supplier labels to all containers of the product. For detailed information, see The Supplier's Guide to WHMIS. (Available from Publications, Videos, and Forms Distribution.)
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