Workplaces that deal with hazardous chemicals can face accidents if the correct steps aren’t taken.
If you work with cleaners, fuels, gases, or other chemicals, safety should be part of your business model. It is important to protect your people, maintain productivity, and follow the law.
In this article, you’ll learn what chemical safety covers, the current rules, and how to reduce risk without slowing work.
What “chemical safety” means for your business
Chemical safety means planning, handling, storing, and disposing of chemicals to protect workers, communities, and the environment across the full lifecycle from production to use and disposal.
Under WHMIS, supplier duties are set by the Hazardous Products Act (HPA) and Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR).
A substance can be hazardous, yet the risk depends on how much, how long, and through which route people are exposed. That framing underpins decisions about controls and PPE.
Across Canada, occupational exposure limits (OELs) are set in jurisdictional OHS law; for example, Ontario’s Regulation 833 uses the province’s table first, then ACGIH TLVs where a substance is not listed. CanLII
Effect of chemical safety on workers, business uptime & cost control
1) Prevent injuries and fatalities
Nationally, accepted fatality claims have recently exceeded 1,000 per year across compensation boards; independent researchers reported 1,056 accepted fatalities in 2023 based on AWCBC data, highlighting the stakes for prevention. In the federal jurisdiction alone, employers reported 71 fatal injuries among 41,668 total injuries in 2023. thesafetymag.com Canada.ca
2) Lower total cost of risk
Incidents trigger evacuations, investigations and rework. Systematic controls rooted in WHMIS and provincial OHS rules, effective local exhaust ventilation (LEV), and safe storage per fire codes reduce downtime and cost.
3) Stronger morale and productivity
CCOHS’ hierarchy of controls emphasises elimination, substitution and engineering controls ahead of administrative measures and PPE as the final option where residual risk remains. Getting controls right builds confidence and stability on the shop floor.
What makes a chemical safety program effective
1) Build and maintain a live chemical inventory and SDS library
- Keep a real-time inventory by location and container
- link each item to a current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) that follows the 16-section GHS format accepted under the HPR
- track responsible owners.
- Keep a centralized, digital SDS system with version control and mobile access.
SDSs must be readily available to workers and updated when significant new data arises.
2) Labelling that workers can act on fast
- Apply WHMIS supplier labels with product identifiers, signal words, hazard and precautionary statements, pictograms and supplier details.
- Labels must be in English and French (one bilingual label or two separate labels).
- Relabel decanted and secondary containers so information is visible at the point of use.
3) Apply the Hierarchy of Controls before PPE
Follow the hierarchy: eliminate or substitute, apply engineering controls (e.g., LEV or enclosure), use administrative measures, then PPE as the last line. This is how you achieve adequate control across tasks and reduce exposure, aligning with jurisdictional OHS expectations.
4) Storage and segregation that prevent reactions and fires
Segregate incompatibles (acids/bases, oxidisers/organics), minimise flammables in workrooms, and use certified cabinets and rooms per the National Fire Code and local fire codes. For example, cabinet standards reference ULC/ORD-C1275 and typically cap contents at 500 L; some jurisdictions impose lower caps or additional spacing rules.
5) Training Your Team on Chemical Hazards
Train workers on hazards, labels, SDSs and task-specific procedures. WHMIS education and training is required wherever hazardous products are present and should be refreshed when chemicals, processes or hazard information change. Pair classroom learning with drills to lock in response steps.
6) Exposure monitoring and medical surveillance when required
Measure personal exposure to demonstrate control against your jurisdiction’s OELs, using biological monitoring where appropriate. In Ontario, employers must first control exposure without relying on respirators and apply TLVs where the Ontario table does not list a substance. Keep records to show due diligence.
7) Emergency planning, spill response, and reporting
Tie site-specific spill response to SDS guidance. Where thresholds apply, align prevention and emergency planning with Environmental Emergency Regulations, 2019 (E2 Regulations) under CEPA, which require notices, environmental emergency plans and annual exercises for listed substances above thresholds. Test plans and involve local responders.
8) Continuous improvement: audits, near-misses, and metrics
Review near-misses, incident investigations and sampling data. Track leading indicators such as SDS updates completed, training completion, LEV inspections, and closed corrective actions to show progress and ROI within your WHMIS program.
Rules you must track in 2024–2025
HPR amendments and the transition period. Amendments aligning with GHS Rev. 7 (plus select Rev. 8 elements) are in force, with a transition ending 14 December 2025. During transition, labels and SDSs must comply wholly with either the former or amended HPR.
Variances and alignment with the U.S. HCS. Health Canada notes differences between the HPR and OSHA’s HCS, including timelines and some labelling provisions; watch for guidance as the two systems continue coordination.
Exposure limits and what goes on your SDS. SDS Section 8 lists control parameters, including OELs and biological limits from credible sources; verify your province’s OELs and keep workplace controls consistent with those limits.
Environmental emergency planning. The E2 Regulations apply to fixed facilities above schedule thresholds for 200+ substances and require planning, exercises and reporting to reduce the frequency and severity of releases.
Final thoughts
The importance of chemical safety is practical: fewer injuries, fewer shutdowns, and easier audits. Build from your inventory and SDSs, label clearly, design controls that reduce exposure, and keep training short and frequent. Align your program with WHMIS/HPR timelines, monitor against OELs, and apply E2 Regulations where relevant while continuing prevention work. Managing many sites or thousands of SDSs can be time consuming; a dedicated SDS management platform helps teams act faster during routine work and emergencies.
FAQs
1) What recent classification and labelling changes should we check?
Review the HPR amendments now in force and the transition that ends 14 December 2025; ensure supplier labels and SDSs meet the amended requirements or the former HPR in full.
2) Do we still need PPE if we install local exhaust ventilation?
Often yes. LEV reduces airborne exposure but may not address splash or skin contact. Use PPE as the final layer after elimination, substitution and engineering/administrative controls.
3) Which exposure limits should we follow on task assessments?
Use your jurisdiction’s OELs; where applicable, provinces may adopt or reference ACGIH TLVs. Ontario’s Reg. 833 details how to apply provincial limits and when TLVs fill gaps.
4) How do the E2 Regulations influence emergency planning?
If you store listed substances above thresholds, you must notify, plan, implement and exercise an environmental emergency plan and report incidents through ECCC’s system.
5) What’s a simple way to show ROI from chemical safety?
Track leading indicators (SDS updates, training completion, exposure trends, time-to-close actions) and map them to compensation and downtime impacts reported in your jurisdiction to demonstrate avoided losses.