Whmis training, or, workplace hazardous materials information training, is important for all employers and employees. The purpose of this type of training is to educate employers and employees about the hazards of certain products and chemicals that are found in the workplace, and how to properly handle them.

It is important for whmis training to be ongoing, not only to ensure that all workers are educated and safe, but to ensure that the training is fresh at all times. It is ultimately the responsibility of the employer to provide their workers with the tools to work safely at all times, and a large part of this comes from ensuring they are familiar with the safety and health hazards around them.

Specific training in whmis is regulated through health and safety jurisdictions, and should be implemented to comply with local regulatory bodies. Whmis training can vary depending on the nature of the workplace, it can also differ from place to place, and it is important that training specific to the type of workplace is provided.

Even though the training can differ from locale to locale, the ultimate goal is to ensure that workplaces are safe. Training is generally provided in two parts. The first part is education. This teaches workers to identify and know about the labels on hazardous products and how to read them. Learning to easily identify the different symbols, colors, numbers and abbreviations on the labels ensures that workers will know when there is a hazard and how to know what the hazard is.

The second part of the training process is equally important. Its focus is to ensure proper handling of the materials. It also teaches the use and disposal of the product, and how to react in the case of an emergency or spill. Knowing how to identify the hazard on the label and how to safely handle and use the product can help avoid serious consequences that can arise from misusing, mishandling or improperly disposing of the chemical.

Whmis training also provides workplaces with knowledge about relabeling products when they have been put into a container that does not have the proper labeling. It should include a labeling system that ensures all products have a label in place so that there is no mistaking what the container has inside it. There are some types of products that cannot be moved from their original containers, and this must also be taught. Knowing the importance of ensuring that any products that can pose a hazard are properly and appropriately labeled is a large part of the training process, and can help ensure the safety of any work environment.

Ensuring that all employees and employers are familiar with the whmis system and know how to implement it can help decrease injuries in the workplace. A safe environment is important for everyone, and knowing how to properly handle situations that involve chemicals is very important.

Workers and employers educated in the whmis system should be able to identify hazard information at all times. They should be able to identify product hazards, and how to protect themselves and others from them, and should be familiar with what to do in the case of an emergency.

Author Bio: Act First Safety provides safety training, industrial safety products and consulting to Canadian businesses.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: WHMIS training, WHMIS training online, workplace violence, safety training, business, safety, family