Groundskeepers Safety Guide

Tailored for use by workers in both Canada and the USA, this well-researched, easy to read and inexpensive handbook gives the reader detailed and practical information on all aspects of safe groundskeeping

Golf Cart Safety

Link to Complete Safety Resources. A website providing safety videos on golf cart safety and other information about workers safety.

Introduction to THE GLOBAL HARMONIZED SYSTEM (GHS) REPLACING WHIMS

WHMIS 2015 – Globally Harmonized System (GHS)

In February, 2015, Health Canada introduced the new Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR). As a result, the WHMIS Legislation in Canada will change to include what is referred to as the “Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).”

In Canada, this modified WHMIS is referred to as "WHMIS 2015". The previous Controlled Products Regulations (CPR) and the Ingredient Disclosure List have been repealed.

While WHMIS 2015 includes new criteria for hazard classification and requirements for labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS), the roles and responsibilities for everyone involved in the WHMIS system - suppliers, employers and workers, have not changed.

Also, while the format for the documents and information presented to us has changed, the information that is available to us has really not changed. It is simply provided in a different and globally standardized format. For example, the easily recognizable WHMIS symbol with a black circle will be depicted going forward by a red diamond.

GHS was initially developed by an international team of hazard communication experts through the United Nations. Their goal was to aid in standardizing the communication of workplace hazards throughout the world. The GHS system has been adopted by an increasing number of countries in recent years.

Transition Period
To provide suppliers, employers and workers adequate time to adjust to WHMIS 2015, there will be a transition period for implementing all of these new rules. This transition period rolls out from June 2015 to December 1, 2018. During this period the original WHMIS system implemented in 1988 may still be used. There is also an allowable transition period for training of workers.

Suppliers are allowed to either continue to comply with the old Hazardous Products Act and the repealed Controlled Products and Ingredient Disclosure List, or they must comply with the new HPA and the new HPR.

LOTS OF ACRONYMS!
HPA - Hazardous Products Act
CPR - Controlled Products Regulations
HPR - Hazardous Products Regulations
GHS - Globally Harmonized System
WHMIS - Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

It is important that you keep in mind that you may be seeing labels and information for hazardous materials in your workplace that relate to either the old WHMIS 1988 system or the new WHMIS 2015 system over the next several years.

The online GOLF WHMIS program is WHMIS 2015 (GHS) compliant as of May 20, 2015. Anyone trained on or after this date has been certified in the new standard. For further information on this program please visit http://golf.virtualwhmis.com or contact by phone directly at 1.877.946.4748.

Fork truck training