WHMIS Responsibilities
Everything you need to know about WHMIS
WHMIS — the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System — is Canada's national system for communicating the hazards of chemicals used, stored, and handled in Canadian workplaces. It sets out what suppliers, employers, and workers each need to do to keep hazardous products identified, labelled, and understood.
This overview covers the basics of WHMIS and what's expected of each party involved.
What WHMIS Covers
WHMIS applies to any hazardous product used, stored, handled, or disposed of in a Canadian workplace. It's built around three pillars:
- Hazard classification
- Categorizing products based on their physical and health hazards
- Labelling
- Ensuring hazardous products carry clear, standardized labels
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
- Detailed technical documents that provide safety and handling information for each product
WHMIS is aligned with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), the international standard for classifying and communicating chemical hazards. This alignment means Canadian workplaces use hazard symbols, label elements, and SDS formats that are consistent with those used internationally.
Supplier Responsibilities
Suppliers — manufacturers, importers, and distributors of hazardous products — are responsible for:
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Classifying products according to WHMIS hazard criteria
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Supplying compliant labels on all hazardous products
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Providing an up-to-date Safety Data Sheet for each hazardous product they sell or import
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Updating SDSs and labels when new hazard information becomes available
Employer Responsibilities
Employers who use hazardous products in the workplace must:
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Ensure all hazardous products are properly labelled
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Maintain an accessible, up-to-date SDS for every hazardous product on site
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Educate and train workers on the hazards of products they work with, and on how to read labels and SDSs
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Establish workplace-specific procedures for safe handling, use, storage, and emergency response
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Review and update training and SDSs on a regular basis
Worker Responsibilities
Workers are expected to:
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Participate in WHMIS training provided by their employer
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Understand product labels and how to access SDSs
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Follow safe handling and storage procedures for hazardous products they work with
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Report any missing, damaged, or outdated labels and SDSs to their employer
Why WHMIS Matters
WHMIS gives everyone in the supply chain — from the company that manufactures a product to the worker who handles it — a shared, standardized way to understand chemical hazards. When followed properly, it reduces the risk of workplace injury, illness, and exposure incidents, and it's a legal requirement across all Canadian jurisdictions.
This is a general overview. Requirements can vary slightly by province or territory, particularly around training frequency and enforcement. For more detail, see our guides on provincial SDS compliance requirements and the evolution of WHMIS regulations.
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