Canadian employees spend an average of 40 hours a week in the workplace. Employers are mandated to ensure that their work areas are safe from dangerous situations. Still, over 4 million Canadians suffer from workplace-related injuries every year.

It’s no surprise that most workplace-related injuries happen in the equipment operation industry and the medical field. Chemicals and other hazardous materials are prone to mishandling. That’s why employees need to receive WHMIS training online before they are allowed to deal with such products.

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, or WHMIS, is a national program designed to ensure employers’ and employees’ safety in the workplace. It helps keep both parties informed of the dangers associated with possibly harmful substances they encounter at work. Legislations that apply to WHMIS are the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Hazardous Products Act, and Controlled Products Regulations.

What is the importance of WHMIS training online?

1. Meeting government regulations
   

   Since the Canadian government is taking the safety of workers seriously, there are various types of legal penalties applicable to the businesses that are not taking safety regulations seriously. As a result, there is a high possibility of inspectors visiting your workplace especially when they have grounds to believe that you are in non-compliance with the law. You need to ensure that a comprehensive WHMIS program is in place. Prepare copies of your WHMIS certificate, safety data sheets, and labels.

2. Protecting employees
   

   As we already mentioned that most workplace accidents are likely to happen due to improper handling of hazardous substances like chemicals, it becomes important for every business to make their team members informed about the proper way of handling and labeling these substances. Education is the most crucial aspect of WHMIS training online. Professional classes help employees learn about hazard controls and personal safety, WHMIS labels and pictograms, and filling out safety data sheets.

   Additionally, workers are taught to understand the various hazard categories and their symbols to promote safer handling and exposure methods.

3. Prevention of workplace injuries
   

   It’s better to avoid dangerous situations rather than deal with injuries when they happen. Preventing improper handling can save your business from spending money and time on hospitalization and product replacement.

   Employees can obtain a WHMIS certificate from reliable training centers in Canada. These providers have engaging and informative online classes that can be completed in a short time.

Final Words

It is the responsibility of employers and business managers to provide their team members with detailed information about the proper handling and labeling of hazardous substances and chemicals in the workplace. Ensuring all the team members are familiar with the WHMIS system is the right way to prevent injuries in the workplace. The information helps businesses provide a safe and comfortable working environment for everyone.

In the current days, information and education about the WHMIS system is very important to identify hazard information. The training program helps professionals identify product hazards, and how to protect themselves during any kind of emergency situation.