WHMIS labels and the SDS

A WHMIS label's few printed elements point to the SDS, the separate document that holds all the safety detail those elements cannot fit.

A worked example

A drum's label shows a pictogram, the word DANGER, and a short hazard statement. The step-by-step first-aid and storage instructions are not on the label at all. They are in the SDS, section by section, behind it.

The mistake people actually make

A hazard statement names the danger; a precautionary statement is the separate instruction for handling it. The product identifier names the substance; the supplier identifier names the company. Say WHMIS, never WHMIS 2015, and SDS, never MSDS.

Practice this free