Update to the Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR)

WHMIS update

It was in Gazette II of January 4, 2023, that the Regulations Amending the Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) came into force. The main objective is to harmonize the Regulation with the 7th revised edition of the GHS.

Key changes to the HPR, including WHMIS, include:

- The class of Flammable gases category 1 has been subdivided into subcategories and now includes pyrophoric gases and chemically unstable gases. The categories are now: 1A, 1B, 1A chemically unstable A, 1A chemically unstable B and 1A pyrophoric. Since pyrophoric gases and chemically unstable gases have been included in the class of flammable gases, their definitions have also been amended in the regulations.

- “Flammable aerosols” have become the hazard class “aerosols.” This hazard class now has a third category of non-flammable aerosols. Also, when a product is classified as “Aerosol,” it is no longer necessary to classify it as “Gases under pressure.”

- A new class of physical hazard was adopted that of “Chemicals Under Pressure” which comes from the 8th edition of the GHS. This new class has 3 categories. Several parts of the regulations have been amended to include the criteria governing this new class.

- The classification criteria for oxidizing solids have been modified to reflect the new test procedure.

- In Section 9 of the SDS, the mandatory physical and chemical properties have been changed. There is the addition of colour, flammability and particle characteristic. There is also the removal of the odour threshold and the rate of evaporation.

- Several definitions have been modified or added to align with those of the 7th revised edition of the GHS.

- Several provisions have been amended to clarify, add precision or correct them to better reflect the original intent.

A transition period of 3 years was granted to companies to update their SDS and labels.

Call our expert in you need any help 450 906-6999