WHMIS

What does it stand

for?

WHMIS Stands for:

•Workplace

•Hazardous

•Materials

•Information

•System

WHMIS – Why?

• WHMIS provides us with

information on the safe use,

storage, handling and disposal

of hazardous materials at

Canadian workplaces.

• WHMIS uses symbols to

indicate materials that may be

harmful to us.

The WHMIS Symbols:

What do all of these

symbols mean?

Class A: COMPRESSED

GAS

• Chemicals such as oxygen or

acetylene that are kept under

pressure in a container.

• Hairspray, any aerosol cans

Class B: FLAMMABLE AND

COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL

• Materials and chemicals that

will easily ignite.

• Rubbing alcohol, hairspray,

propane, butane lighters, bug

spray

Class C: OXIDIZING

MATERIAL• Chemicals that are usually not

combustible by themselves but they

contain oxygen which helps other

materials burn.

• Eg. Chlorine for pools, oven

cleaner, hydrogen peroxide

Class D1 – POISONOUS or

INFECTIOUS MATERIALS

• Will cause immediate poisoning,

sickness or death in a short

period of time

• Eg. Rat poison, rubbing alcohol

Class D2 – POISONOUS or

INFECTIOUS MATERIALS

• Will have long term effects on health

• Effects may not show up for years –

poisoning over time. Eg. cancer,

emphysema

• Eg. Insecticides, Herbicides,

Terpentine

Class D3 –

BIOHAZARDOUS

INFECTIOUS MATERIAL

• May contain germs or viruses that

could infect you and cause disease.

• Eg. waste from a hospital,

needles, bandages, vaccines

etc.

Class E – CORROSIVE

MATERIAL

• Such as acid which may attack

metal or skin

• Eg. ammonia, hydrochloric acid,

draino

Class F – REACTIVE

MATERIAL

• May react violently causing

explosion or sudden release of

gases. May do so when mixed with

other materials.

• Eg. Sodium, epoxy resins (strong

glue), acetylene torches (welding)

POP QUIZ

Do you remember the

symbols??

Class D1 – Poisonous

and Infectious Materials

Class A – Compressed

Gas

Class D3 – Biohazardous

and Infectious Materals

Class E – Corrosive

Material