WHMIS Implementation in the Workplace 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under WHMIS, where must Safety Data Sheets (SDS) be kept in the workplace?
- Only in the HR office
- In a location readily accessible to workers during their shifts (Correct answer)
- Locked in the supervisor's desk
- Stored offsite at a central database only
Correct answer: In a location readily accessible to workers during their shifts
SDS must be readily accessible to workers at all times during their work shifts, typically near the work area where controlled products are used.
Question 2: How long must an employer retain an SDS for a controlled product that is no longer in use at the workplace?
- 1 year after last use
- 30 years after last use (Correct answer)
- 5 years after last use
- Until the supplier updates it
Correct answer: 30 years after last use
Employers must retain SDS for 30 years after a controlled product is no longer in use, due to long-latency occupational diseases.
Question 3: A supplier updates an SDS with new hazard information. What obligation does this create for the employer?
- No action is required unless an incident occurs
- The employer must update training and workplace procedures to reflect the new information (Correct answer)
- The employer must return all existing product stock
- The employer must notify OSHA within 24 hours
Correct answer: The employer must update training and workplace procedures to reflect the new information
When new hazard information is received, employers must update their training programs and ensure workers are informed of the new hazards.
Question 4: Which section of a GHS-aligned SDS specifically covers first aid measures for exposure to a controlled product?
- Section 2
- Section 4 (Correct answer)
- Section 8
- Section 11
Correct answer: Section 4
Section 4 of an SDS under the GHS format is dedicated to first aid measures for various routes of exposure.
Question 5: An SDS states that a chemical has a flash point of 23°C. What does this indicate about the product?
- It is non-flammable
- It is flammable and poses a fire hazard at room temperature (Correct answer)
- It is only hazardous when heated above 100°C
- It requires refrigerated storage only
Correct answer: It is flammable and poses a fire hazard at room temperature
A flash point of 23°C means the chemical can ignite at temperatures commonly encountered in the workplace, classifying it as flammable.
Question 6: Under WHMIS, which of the following is NOT required on a supplier label?
- Product identifier
- WHMIS hazard symbols
- Worker's name who last used the product (Correct answer)
- Supplier name and address
Correct answer: Worker's name who last used the product
Supplier labels must include the product identifier, hazard symbols, risk and precautionary statements, and supplier information — not individual worker names.
Question 7: What must an employer do if a controlled product is transferred into an unlabeled container for immediate use by the worker who performed the transfer?
- Apply a full supplier label
- No label is required if the worker uses it immediately and the container stays with that worker during the shift (Correct answer)
- Apply a workplace label with all 16 SDS sections summarized
- Report the transfer to the safety officer
Correct answer: No label is required if the worker uses it immediately and the container stays with that worker during the shift
WHMIS allows an exemption from labeling when a worker personally transfers a product into a container for their own immediate use during the same work shift.
WHMIS Implementation in the Workplace 3
Under WHMIS, where must Safety Data Sheets (SDS) be kept in the workplace?