There’s a lot of confusion regarding WHMIS 2015 online training and what’s required. If you are like most Canadian workers, you need to take WHMIS training at some point. Low-risk industries only require the teaching once, while others might need to obtain certification more often. Let’s clear up some misconceptions about WHMIS so you can choose the path that’s right for you or your company.

What is WHMIS?

WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. Currently, it’s Canada’s hazard communication standard. It’s been in effect since 1988 but was updated back in 2015. At that time, the WHMIS combined the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).

WHMIS 2015 incorporates the newly updated GHS-aligned plan. Training on the outdated WHMIS 1988 is insufficient and won’t be accepted.

Various components make up WHMIS. The main goal is to keep workers protected from hazardous product dangers. This outcome is accomplished by communicating the hazards and taking precautions to reduce risk.

Who Needs WHMIS Certification?

We hear this as one of the most common questions regarding this certification. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t clear-cut for everyone. You have to ask yourself a few questions to get the solution you need.

1. Do you work in Canada?
2. Will you work with or near hazard products while working?

If both of these answers are yes, you must have WHMIS training.

What surprises most people is that hazardous products reside in most Canadian workplaces. It isn’t just the heavy industry that is at risk. You might even find some a couple of feet away from your office, especially if you are near cleaning products.

It’s safe to say that most of today’s workforce requires WHMIS training. If you work among the retail or food industry, as part of an office staff, in the healthcare or dental centers, or are a contractor, it’s likely you need certification.

Why Should Employers Care?

As a company, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your workers receive WHMIS training. You want to perform a comprehensive assessment that focuses on existing hazardous products. Pay close attention to how your employees work around these products.

Thankfully, WHMIS online certification makes the process easy and convenient. You can train workers without further disruption in the workplace.

How Often Do You Need WHMIS Certification?

Most people want straight answers regarding how often certification is needed. At this time, there isn’t legislation that gives straight answers to this. The employer has the freedom to determine what’s right for their company.

The frequency that someone needs WHMIS certification depends on several factors. It includes evaluating several aspects. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Where is the information regarding the hazardous chemicals at my work?
2. What hazards are near me?
3. How can I protect myself and my coworkers from danger?
4. What should I do if I face a hazardous material emergency?

If you don’t know the answers to all of these questions, it’s time to speak with your boss and ask for WHMIS training. As an employer, you want to know that your employees have the answers to these questions as well. As due diligence, many employers in Canada choose to have the WHMIS certification performed annually to ensure additional safety.

Additionally, if you’re currently unemployed and looking for a job on a job board, having an updated WHMIS certificate can be very helpful.

Benefits of WHMIS 2015 Online Training

The most popular way to get a current WHMIS certificate is to utilize WHMIS 2015 Online Training. By implementing this plan, employers train the entire team at once to save time. This reduces operational delays and allows the workers to get their training quickly.

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of this online training.

Convenient

Clearly, the main benefit is the flexibility and convenience everyone gets to enjoy. With a conventional training method, employees must attend lengthy classroom sessions. This might require additional travel, which is a burden to some.

Online training allows everyone to train at a comfortable pace. It also adds convenience because you choose the location. With the online platform, there are no travel costs associated either. Furthermore, there’s no waiting for a class to occur. If you are starting a new job that requires the WHMIS certification, you can go online tonight for certification to take to work tomorrow.

Companies notice the benefit of convenience as well. Attending traditional classroom settings tends to be disruptive. It takes time to schedule a qualified trainer and then there’s downtime when all the employees are pulled from their jobs.

Time-Saving

Workplace hazard training is simply easier online. Students need to spend less time training than when attending a classroom setting. Traditional methods require at least four hours in the classroom. On the other hand, it shouldn’t take much longer than an hour and a half to take the online course for most people.

Money-Saving

With a classroom setting, instructors need to get paid. This increases the cost of getting a certification. Online certification reduces the need for pricey training materials and third-party instructors.

Choosing a WHMIS 2015 Online Training Provider

Once it’s clear that WHMIS certification is required, finding the right online provider is the next step. Not all online platforms are the same.

You need to make sure that all the information is compliant with today’s standards. To do this, make sure it is WHMIS 2015 and not WHMIS 1988.

You also want a training provider that has the experience, offers high-quality courses, provides helpful customer service and finishes by delivering extreme value.

What is Included with WHMIS Training?

Updated WHMIS 2015 standards require that there are safety data sheets and labels on all hazardous products in a Canadian workplace. The GHS worldwide system sets rules for how this happens. It includes rules for classification, label standards and the formatting for safety data sheets.

An online course explains the system to you and shows you how everything is implemented. Topics include:

• Overview of what WHMIS is
• Classification of workplace hazardous materials groups and classes
• Required labels
• Physical, health and safety hazards
• Safety data sheets

Once you finish your online training, you will be able to

• Understand the labels
• Recognize the symbols and understand what each means
• Identify risks from various classes
• Find out the additional information from SDSs

How Long Does it Take to Do WHMIS Online?

The WHMIS GHS courses typically take less than 90 minutes to finish online. Some people work at a faster or slower pace, but this is a general guideline.

Protecting You and Your Employees

Anyone working near hazardous materials in Canada is required to receive these certifications. There’s never been a better way to increase compliance than by utilizing WHMIS 2015 online training. Get started today to protect you and your employees from danger. If you want to learn more about WHMIS training and all of the available options, click here to view our WHMIS Training 101 Guide.