Overview

From April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) conducted a health and safety campaign which focused on WHMIS training.

In the ministry’s continuous effort to ensure worker awareness on hazardous products they work with, this risk-based campaign was designed to:

Education and outreach phase

We began by focusing on education, outreach, and awareness, in partnership with the Health and Safety Associations (HSAs), to provide training and education to employers. The goal was to help employers comply with the requirements under the OHSA and its regulations prior to focused inspections.

MLITSD occupational hygienists also referred workplace parties to our health and safety partners for compliance assistance and training as appropriate during the enforcement phase.

Enforcement phase

Beginning July 2, 2024, we conducted focused inspections of workplaces to check that employers were complying with the OHSA and its regulations. In particular, MLITSD occupational hygienists checked that employers were taking appropriate action to ensure that workers have received updated WHMIS training that was aligned with the changes in the Hazardous Products Regulations.

As a result, MLITSD occupational hygienists:

  • conducted 133 field visits with 74 support role activities
  • visited 109 workplaces
  • issued 117 orders and requirements

“Support role activities” means that a professional services staff (such as a hygienist, ergonomist or engineer) or another inspector accompanies an inspector on a field visit to provide professional support and/or expertise.

Background

WHMIS training ensures that workers understand the hazards associated with the products they work with, and that they take the necessary measures and procedures to prevent injuries and hazardous exposures. The hazard information is contained in labels and safety data sheets, and workers must be trained to understand the information. This helps ensure that workers are adequately protected against exposure to hazardous products and prevent occupational illnesses that may result from the exposures.

The federal Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) was amended in December 2022. Under this regulation, suppliers of hazardous products are required to provide safety data sheets and ensure that the containers of the products are properly labelled. The amendments in the HPR included changes in hazard classifications and additional required elements in the safety data sheets. There is a three-year transition period for suppliers to comply, during which time workplaces will begin to receive updated safety data sheets and labels for their hazardous products. In workplaces where the safety data sheets and labels have been updated, employers were required to provide updated WHMIS training to their workers.

Full report

Workplace inspection campaigns

Inspection campaigns are part of our compliance strategy. We announce to the sector, in advance, that we will be conducting a campaign. However, individual workplaces are not notified in advance. MLITSD occupational hygienists and inspectors’ findings may impact the number and level of future inspections of individual workplaces.

MLITSD occupational hygienists and inspectors may also refer employers to health and safety associations for compliance assistance and training.

Focus of the campaign

MLITSD hygienists conducted proactive inspections to ensure compliance with 1990, Regulation 860, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) in all workplaces where this regulation applies. More specifically, MLITSD hygienists determined if retraining on WHMIS was required depending on whether the hazardous products in the workplace have labels and safety data sheets that are compliant with the amended Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR).

MLITSD hygienists ensured that employers were aware of the changes in the HPR and the requirement to retrain workers on WHMIS if necessary.

MLITSD occupational hygienists took appropriate action if contraventions were found under the OHSA or its regulations. This included the issuance of orders to comply with requirements of the OHSA and regulations made under the OHSA.

Inspection activity summary

Visits to workplaces

  • 133 field visits with 74 support role activities
  • 109 workplaces visited
  • 117 orders and requirements issued under the OHSA and its regulations including:
    • 98 contraventions addressed under the OHSA and its regulations
    • 13 requirements issued and 27 contraventions addressed under the OHSA
    • 28 contraventions addressed under Reg 860: Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

Most frequent contraventions addressed

A total of 27 contraventions were addressed under the OHSA. The most frequently issued OHSA orders involved employers’ failure to:

  • ensure that the equipment, materials and protective devices provided by the employer are maintained in good condition [s. 25(1)(b)]
  • take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker [s. 25(2)(h)]
  • post a copy of the Act in the workplace and any explanatory materials prepared by the Ministry [s. 25(2)(i)]

A total of 28 contraventions were addressed under the Reg. 860. Orders were issued under the following sections (among others):

  • Employer requirement to obtain supplier safety data sheets for hazardous products in the workplace [s. 17(1)]
  • Employer to ensure workers are provided information on hazardous products in the workplace [s. 6(1)]
  • Employer to provide specific instruction to workers on the hazardous products [s. 7(1)]

Observations

The results of this campaign indicate that workplace parties need to improve compliance with respect to WHMIS training. We observed that:

  • safety data sheets are important sources of information on hazardous products, and these were not always readily available in the workplace
  • worker education through WHMIS training is important to ensure that workers are safely handling and working with hazardous products, and this training must be updated as required

Conclusion and next steps

Heightened awareness of any hazard can bring change. All workplaces parties must continue to be diligent and not allow complacency to enter their daily routines.

It is important to maintain the elements of the WHMIS program, which consists of safety data sheets, product labels, and worker education, to ensure that workers are protected when working with hazardous products. Ministry inspectors and occupational hygienists will continue to enforce the requirements of the WHMIS legislation and emphasize the importance of hazard communication.

A key to workplace health and safety in Ontario is the Internal Responsibility System (IRS) Workplace parties are encouraged to work together to identify and control all hazards.

Help for employers

Please contact our health and safety contact center for more information, resources and tools.

Contact us through our health and safety partners. We can provide information about compliance with the OHSA, including where to find information that is relevant to your workplace to assist with compliance regarding WHMIS training.

Related resources

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System – A guide to the legislation