What Does WHMIS Stand For? Meaning, Pictograms & Symbols Explained (2026 Guide)
WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) is Canada’s system for communicating information about hazardous products in the workplace. If you’ve ever seen a diamond-shaped symbol on a product container at work, that’s WHMIS in action.
This guide explains what WHMIS stands for, what WHMIS pictograms mean, how the labelling system works, what Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) contain, and what changed when WHMIS was updated to WHMIS 2015.
Looking for WHMIS training rather than general information? See our WHMIS Training Ontario course.
WHMIS Key Facts
- WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System.
- WHMIS communicates information about hazardous products used, handled, or stored in Canadian workplaces.
- The system uses labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), and worker education and training to communicate hazard information.
- WHMIS 2015 aligned Canada’s hazard communication system with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).
- WHMIS requirements apply across Canada, including Ontario.
What Does WHMIS Stand For?
WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System.
It is Canada’s hazard communication system for hazardous products in the workplace. WHMIS helps employers and workers understand the hazards associated with products and take appropriate precautions when using, handling, storing, or disposing of them.
What Does WHMIS Education Refer To?
WHMIS education refers to the information and instruction workers receive to understand hazardous products and work with them safely.
WHMIS education can include:
- Understanding WHMIS labels and hazard pictograms
- Reading and using Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
- Understanding the hazards associated with workplace products
- Safe procedures for using, handling, storing, and disposing of hazardous products
- Emergency procedures for spills, leaks, or other incidents
- Workplace-specific procedures and precautions
In Ontario, employers must ensure workers who work with or may be exposed to hazardous products receive appropriate information, instruction, and training.
What Is WHMIS 2015?
WHMIS 2015 is the updated version of Canada’s workplace hazardous product communication system that aligned WHMIS with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).
WHMIS 2015 introduced important changes to how hazardous products are classified and how their hazards are communicated, including:
- Standardized hazard pictograms
- 16-section Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
- Updated hazard classification requirements
- Standardized signal words, hazard statements, and precautionary statements
- Updated supplier and workplace labelling requirements
These changes were designed to make hazard information more consistent and easier to understand across Canadian workplaces.
WHMIS 1988 vs. WHMIS 2015
- WHMIS 1988: Used older Canada-specific hazard symbols and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs).
- WHMIS 2015: Introduced GHS-aligned hazard pictograms and standardized Safety Data Sheets.
- Labels: WHMIS 2015 introduced standardized elements such as signal words, hazard statements, and precautionary statements.
- SDSs: The older MSDS format was replaced with a standardized 16-section Safety Data Sheet.
WHMIS Pictograms and What They Mean
WHMIS 2015 uses standardized hazard pictograms to communicate specific types of hazards. The pictograms are displayed inside a red diamond-shaped border and are used together with other hazard information on product labels.
The GHS includes nine pictograms. Under WHMIS in Canada, the environment pictogram is not mandatory.
- Flame – Used for certain fire-related hazards, including flammable, self-reactive, pyrophoric, or self-heating materials.
- Flame over circle – Represents oxidizing materials.
- Gas cylinder – Represents gases under pressure.
- Corrosion – Represents hazards such as serious skin burns, serious eye damage, or corrosive effects on metals.
- Skull and crossbones – Represents acute toxicity that can cause serious poisoning or death.
- Exclamation mark – Represents certain health hazards such as skin or eye irritation, skin sensitization, or harmful acute toxicity.
- Health hazard – Represents serious health hazards such as carcinogenicity, respiratory sensitization, or reproductive toxicity.
- Biohazardous infectious materials – Represents organisms or toxins that can cause disease in humans or animals.
- Environment – Represents hazards to the aquatic environment. This pictogram is part of the GHS but is not mandatory under WHMIS in Canada.
Matching the correct pictogram to the appropriate hazard class is an important part of WHMIS education. Workers should also understand the other information provided on the product label and Safety Data Sheet rather than relying on the pictogram alone.
What Must a WHMIS Workplace Label Generally Include?
A workplace label provides important information when a hazardous product is transferred or produced for use within a workplace and the original supplier label is no longer applicable.
A workplace label generally provides:
- Product identifier – The name of the hazardous product
- Safe handling information – Information workers need to handle the product safely
- Reference to the SDS – Information directing workers to the Safety Data Sheet for additional hazard information
Workplace labels are different from supplier labels. Supplier labels have more detailed prescribed requirements and generally include the product identifier, hazard pictogram(s), signal word, hazard statement(s), precautionary statement(s), and supplier identifier.
Employers must ensure that hazardous products are properly identified and that workers have access to appropriate hazard information.
What Is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) provides detailed information about a hazardous product and how to work with it safely.
Under WHMIS 2015, SDSs use a standardized 16-section format. They provide information that helps workers and employers understand a product’s hazards, safe handling requirements, and emergency procedures.
An SDS can include information about:
- Hazard identification
- Composition and ingredients
- First-aid measures
- Fire-fighting measures
- Accidental release measures
- Safe handling and storage
- Exposure controls and personal protection
- Physical and chemical properties
- Toxicological information
- Disposal and transportation information
Workers should know where SDSs are located in their workplace and how to use the information they contain.
Who Needs to Understand WHMIS?
WHMIS education is relevant to workers who work with or may be exposed to hazardous products as part of their jobs.
This can include workers in industries such as:
- Construction and manufacturing
- Healthcare and laboratories
- Warehousing and logistics
- Cleaning and maintenance
- Automotive services
- Industrial and commercial workplaces
Supervisors and other workers who may be exposed to hazardous products or who supervise activities involving them may also need appropriate WHMIS education and training.
WHMIS Training Requirements in Ontario
Ontario employers have responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and WHMIS Regulation when hazardous products are used, handled, or stored in the workplace.
Employers must ensure that workers who are exposed or likely to be exposed to hazardous products receive appropriate information, instruction, and training. Worker education can cover topics such as labels, Safety Data Sheets, safe handling and storage, disposal procedures, and emergency procedures.
The training provided should be appropriate to the hazards and products present in the workplace. General WHMIS education does not replace workplace-specific instruction about the hazardous products, procedures, and emergency measures workers may encounter on the job.
For more information about WHMIS training options, visit our WHMIS Training Ontario course page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does WHMIS stand for?
WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. It is Canada’s system for communicating information about hazardous products in the workplace.
What does WHMIS education refer to?
WHMIS education refers to the information and instruction workers receive about hazardous products, including how to understand labels and Safety Data Sheets and how to work safely with hazardous products.
What must a WHMIS workplace label generally include?
A workplace label generally identifies the hazardous product and provides information workers need for safe handling, along with information directing them to the Safety Data Sheet for additional details. Workplace-label requirements are different from the more detailed requirements for supplier labels.
How do WHMIS pictograms match the hazard classes?
WHMIS pictograms are associated with specific hazard classes and categories. For example, the flame pictogram is used for certain fire-related hazards, while the corrosion pictogram represents hazards such as serious skin burns, serious eye damage, or corrosive effects on metals.
What is WHMIS 2015?
WHMIS 2015 is the version of Canada’s workplace hazardous product communication system that aligned WHMIS with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS). It introduced standardized pictograms, hazard statements, signal words, and 16-section Safety Data Sheets.
Does WHMIS training expire?
There is no single Canada-wide WHMIS training expiry period that applies to every workplace. Employers are responsible for ensuring workers receive appropriate WHMIS education and workplace-specific training, including when workplace hazards, products, or procedures change. Some employers may also require periodic refresher training according to their workplace policies.
Need WHMIS Training?
This guide explains the basics of WHMIS, including its meaning, pictograms, labels, and Safety Data Sheets. If you need WHMIS training for workplace purposes, you can learn more about the available options below:
WHMIS Training Ontario | WHMIS Online Course
WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System and provides a standardized way to communicate information about hazardous products in Canadian workplaces.
Understanding WHMIS means knowing how to recognize hazard pictograms, read product labels, use Safety Data Sheets, and follow workplace procedures for the safe handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous products.
For workers in Ontario, WHMIS education and workplace-specific training are important parts of protecting workers from hazardous products. If you are looking for training, explore our WHMIS Training Ontario or WHMIS Online Course.