Handling Hazardous Materials: A Workplace Safety Guide for BC Workers

Hazardous materials are present in virtually every industry in British Columbia, from industrial chemicals in manufacturing plants to cleaning solvents in office buildings. Workers who handle, store, or work near these substances face serious health risks if they are not properly trained. Understanding how to identify hazardous materials, interpret safety information, and respond to chemical emergencies is not optional; it is a legal requirement under both federal and provincial regulations.

WHMIS 2015: Canada's Hazardous Materials Communication System

The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, commonly known as WHMIS, is Canada's national system for communicating information about hazardous products used in the workplace. WHMIS 2015 represents the most current version, which aligns Canadian standards with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). This alignment ensures that Canadian workers and employers use the same hazard communication language recognized internationally.

Under WHMIS 2015, three key elements work together to inform and protect workers:

• Labels: Every hazardous product must carry either a supplier label or a workplace label that identifies the product, its hazards, precautionary measures, and first aid instructions.
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS): These standardized 16-section documents provide comprehensive information about a hazardous product, including its properties, health effects, handling procedures, and emergency measures.
• Worker education and training: Employers must ensure that every worker who may be exposed to a hazardous product receives both general WHMIS education and site-specific training on the particular products in their workplace.

Understanding the GHS Classification System

The GHS classifies hazardous products into two broad categories: physical hazards and health hazards. Each category contains multiple classes, and each class uses a specific pictogram to communicate the nature of the hazard at a glance. Workers in BC must be able to recognize all GHS pictograms and understand what they signify:

• Flame: Flammable gases, liquids, solids, and aerosols
• Flame over circle: Oxidizing substances that can intensify fire
• Gas cylinder: Gases under pressure
• Corrosion: Substances that cause skin corrosion or serious eye damage
• Skull and crossbones: Acute toxicity hazards that can cause death or serious illness
• Exclamation mark: Health hazards such as skin irritation, eye irritation, or narcotic effects
• Health hazard: Serious chronic health effects including carcinogenicity, respiratory sensitization, and reproductive toxicity
• Environment: Hazards to the aquatic environment
• Exploding bomb: Explosive substances and mixtures

How to Read a Safety Data Sheet

Safety Data Sheets are the most detailed source of information about any hazardous product in the workplace. Every SDS follows the same standardized 16-section format, making it easier for workers to find the information they need quickly, even for unfamiliar products. The sections most critical for day-to-day safety include:

Section 2: Hazards Identification

This section provides the GHS classification of the product, lists all applicable pictograms and signal words (Danger or Warning), and includes hazard statements that describe the nature and severity of the risk.

Section 4: First Aid Measures

Detailed instructions for responding to exposure through inhalation, skin contact, eye contact, and ingestion. This section is critical for first aid attendants and should be reviewed before working with any new chemical product.

Section 7: Handling and Storage

Provides guidance on safe handling practices, including required ventilation, temperature controls, and incompatible materials that must be stored separately.

Section 8: Exposure Controls and Personal Protection

Lists occupational exposure limits and specifies the personal protective equipment required when working with the product.

Personal Protective Equipment for Hazardous Materials

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last line of defence against chemical exposure, but it is a critical one. The specific PPE required depends on the hazardous materials present and the nature of the work being performed. Common PPE for hazardous materials handling includes:

• Chemical-resistant gloves: Different glove materials protect against different chemicals. Nitrile, neoprene, butyl rubber, and polyvinyl alcohol gloves each have distinct chemical resistance profiles.
• Safety goggles or face shields: Required whenever there is a risk of splashes, sprays, or vapours reaching the eyes.
• Respiratory protection: Ranges from disposable N95 masks for particulate hazards to full-face respirators with chemical cartridges for vapour exposure.
• Chemical-resistant aprons or suits: Required when handling corrosive, toxic, or heavily concentrated substances.
• Safety footwear: Chemical-resistant boots protect against spills and splashes on the lower body.

Employers are responsible for providing appropriate PPE at no cost to the worker, ensuring it fits properly, and training workers on its correct use, maintenance, and limitations.

Spill Response Procedures

Even with the best preventive measures, chemical spills can occur. Every workplace that uses hazardous materials must have a documented spill response plan, and workers must be trained to execute it. The general steps for responding to a chemical spill include:

1. Assess the situation: Identify the spilled material if possible and evaluate the immediate risk to people in the area. Do not attempt to clean up a spill involving unknown chemicals without proper identification.
2. Alert others: Notify coworkers in the immediate area and activate alarms if the spill presents an inhalation or fire hazard.
3. Protect yourself: Don appropriate PPE before approaching the spill. Refer to the Safety Data Sheet for the specific product.
4. Contain the spill: Use absorbent materials, spill berms, or drain covers to prevent the material from spreading, entering drains, or reaching waterways.
5. Clean up: Follow the procedures outlined in the SDS, using appropriate neutralizing agents or absorbents. Collect all contaminated materials for proper disposal.
6. Report and document: All spills must be reported to the supervisor and documented. Significant spills may require reporting to WorkSafeBC and environmental authorities.

Storage and Labelling Requirements

Proper storage of hazardous materials is essential for preventing accidents. BC workplaces must comply with storage requirements that include keeping incompatible materials separated, maintaining proper ventilation in storage areas, controlling temperature and humidity where required, and ensuring all containers are properly labelled. Workplace labels must include the product identifier, safe handling precautions, and a reference to the available SDS.

Employer Training Obligations Under WorkSafeBC

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, BC employers have a clear obligation to ensure that every worker who may be exposed to a hazardous product receives WHMIS education and training. This training must be provided before the worker begins working with or near the product, and it must be updated whenever new hazardous products are introduced or conditions change. Employers must also maintain records demonstrating that training has been completed.

First Aid for Chemical Exposure

When chemical exposure occurs, immediate and appropriate first aid can prevent a minor incident from becoming a serious injury. Key first aid responses include flushing contaminated eyes with clean water for at least 15 to 20 minutes, removing contaminated clothing and washing affected skin with soap and water, moving the person to fresh air in cases of inhalation exposure, and never inducing vomiting for ingestion cases unless specifically directed by poison control or the SDS. Having trained first aid attendants on site, particularly those with OFA Level 2 or Level 3 certification, ensures that chemical exposures are managed competently from the first moments of the incident.

Get Trained with Mainland Safety Training

Mainland Safety Training in Surrey, BC, offers WHMIS 2015 training, occupational first aid courses (OFA Level 1, 2, and 3), and additional safety programs that prepare workers and employers to handle hazardous materials safely and in full compliance with WorkSafeBC regulations.