Final deadline for WHMIS approaching The deadline for final compliance with all aspects of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is approaching rapidly. Employers must ensure by October 31, 1989 that all their stocks of hazardous materials are adequately labelled for workers. The WHMIS program, which was to have begun implementation by the end of October last year, is designed to provide all Canadian workers with information concerning health and safety hazards of materials used in the workplace. WHMIS is a federal law (Bill C-70) which was passed by parliament in June of 1987 as amending legislation to the Hazardous Products Act. Each province in Canada was subsequently required to pass parallel legislation to Bill C-70 and all had done so by October 31, 1988, except Quebec which later adopted WHMIS. IWA-CANADA Occupational Health and Safety Director, Verna Ledger, says that some employers in the forest industry have complied in some measure with the regulations while other operations have done little to fulfill WHMIS requirements. In early July, the Lumberworker went on a random tour of manufactur- ing operations along with Jack Ralla, Safety Director of Vancouver Local 1-217. The tour revealed indeed that some employers had put great effort towards compliance with WHMIS regula- tions, while others had hardly turned a wheel in the proper direction. A visit_to International Forest Products Limited’s, Silvertree Divi- sion in Vancouver, showed that the employer had, in conjunction with union members, done a great deal to comply with WHMIS. The company has developed its own on-site educational videotape to intro- duce workers to hazardous work areas in the sawmill. The tape explains the labelling of hazardous materials and how to use a hazard awareness chart and Material Safety Data Sheets at seven different locations in the plant. Interfor has planned a separate WHMIS Bude every pe months to analyze and improve the program. IWA sub-local Safety Chairman, John Laird, says that the program has tten off to a good start but needs iatiee follow-up, especially in educat- ing the members. Todd Buchanan, Interfor’s Mainte- nance Co-ordinator and WHMIS Supervisor, says that the company would like to see more positive feed- back from the Workers’ Compensa- tion Board when a program is work- ing well. A visit to Terminal Forest Products Ltd.’s sawmill and planing facilities on Mitchell Island, gave a clear exam- ple of an employer clearly behind on its WHMIS requirements. With more than 170 employees under its supervision, Terminal had elected to ignore the recommenda- tions of its Joint Safety Committee to get its WHMIS program going. Plant Chairman Bob Turner, says that while the company had sent only maintenance workers on an introduc- tory course to read MSDS, the label- ling of hazardous materials remained behind regulation requirements. Union Safety Chairman, Bob Evans, claimed that the company was stalling and was hesitant to spend the money and take the time to get WHMIS in place. Brother Ralla says that such employers are eventually given a com- pliance notice by W.C.B. officials, but that the long periods given for compli- ance are regarded lightly by employ- ers. “There's a real concern from many of our members that this WHMIS program will go by the boards in many operations unless the Workers’ Compensation Board gets off its ass and makes some of these employers get serious,” comments Ralla. After a visit to Tolko Industries Ltd. (Nova Lumber Division) in North Vancouver, the Local Safety Director revealed that workers on the green chain had no idea about working with hazardous chemicals. Employees were generally unaware of MSDS locations and the information was incomplete. Brother Ralla is very concerned that workers at the cedar sawmill will remain untrained and uninformed about WHMIS after October 31, 1989. The random tour of Local 1-217's operations gave a small example of the problems faced by the IWA mem- bers in getting proper education and training on hazardous materials. It appears that although the WHMIS program is a legislated right, many workers will need to fight to protect those rights. Sister Ledger points out that lan- guage and literacy barriers are also a problem with WHMIS training and proper comprehension of hazardous materials labelling and Material Safety Data Sheets. She said the prob- lem must be addressed by employers and the WC.B. At Terminal Forest Products Ltd.’s other plant, Mainland Sawmill Divi- sion, initial WHMIS training for approximately 60% of the company’s 130 employes was done in Punjabi. Plant superintendent, Lorn Baumel, says that workers were better inform- ed with an East Indian translater pre- sent. Jack Ralla commends the plant management on its sincere effort to protect workers against hazardous chemicals. IWA-CANADA is encouraging all of its local affiliates to attempt some evaluation of the WHMIS system in their jurisdictions. Sister Ledger says that an evaluation of all worksites is necessary to determine where the areas are for necessary enforcement. ipa HAZARD i SPECIFIC HAZARD —— 4 — Severe 3 — Serious 2 — Moderate 1 — Slight 0 — Minimal __ FIRE HAZARD LIQUID CARBONIC INC. — REACTITY EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE NO SMOKING SAFETY GLOVES,GLASSES,AND BOOTS, CONSULT CORRESPONDING MSDS FOR FURTHER HAZARDOUS INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS ACETYLENE COMMPRESSED GAS As part of the WHMIS program, workplace labels are to be located on all hazardous materials. r ce 90308 90 M.S.D.S. M.S.B.S e Posing by a Hazard Awareness Information Centre are International Forest Products Ltd.'s Maintenance Coordinator Todd Buchanan and IWA Safety Chairman John Laird. Interfor Silvertree Division in Vancouver has been one of the leaders in implementing a WHMIS program in Local 1-217. follows: © October 31, 1989 material stock. e June 14, 1989 e March 15, 1989 products. e January 29, 1989 © October 31, 1988 products. Deadline for WHMIS Important deadlines for the WHMIS program were established by provincial governments nationwide. Some important deadlines are as Employers must ensure that labels are supplied for all hazardous Employers must receive Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for hazardous products bought prior to March 14, 1988 from “secondary” suppliers. (“secondary” suppliers are those who create a hazardous product by combining materials, of at least one which is also hazardous and comes from another supplier). Secondary suppliers must provide labelling and MSDS for all new Employers must have MSDS for all products prior to October 31, 1988. WHMIS education must also be provided to workers. “Primary suppliers” (those who either manufacture or repackage a hazardous material) must provide labelling and MSDS for new Some concerns about the system The Workplace Hazardous Infor- mation System, Canada’s “right to known” system is designed to disclose information on hazardous materials used and produced on the job site. The system relies on compliance of suppliers (to provide accurate infor- mation) and employers (to provide proper education and training). As workers, IWA members should always be on guard for inaccurate and incom- plete information and/or a WHMIS program that is poorly co-ordinated. Although legislation does not spec- ify the amount of training necessary for each employee, the workers must be adequately educated on workplace labels, MSDS, and the proper use, handling, storage, and disposal of controlled products. Workers must also be trained in emergency response procedures in case of hazardous spills, releases or other accidental events. Unfortunately, the WHMIS legisla- tion does not spell out that the employer must keep a record that each individual has been properly trained. There are legal requirements that a WHMIS program be reviewed in con- sultation with the Joint Health and Safety Committee or a worker repre- sentative. The WHMIS training pro- gram may be delegated to the work- ers’ half of the Joint Safety Commit- tee, but the employer remains respon- sible to ensure that the training is fully provided. The labour movement interprets “consultation” to mean that safety committee members must be involved in development and delivery of WHMIS. Most often an employer does not involve the committee in the development stage. While attending WHMIS seminars and worker education programs, the employees should be paid their nor- mal wages and any.additional expen- ses by the employer. Education and training should be considered part of the working day. In handling pesticides, which are regulated under various Pest Control Products Acts, general requirements are similar to WHMIS regulations with respect to workplace labelling, establishment of emergency proce- dures, worker training, storing, and handling of the hazardous substances. If the same product comes from more than one supplier, each supplier must supply the customer with an MSDS. The employer may combine the MSDS’s, but the new combined information must contain no less infor- mation than originally supplied. LUMBERWORKER/SEPTEMBER, 1989/15