Chemical Safety Program : From WHIPs to Waste

Chemical safety permits are replacing the former Workplace Hazard Informational Placard (WHIP) process and will include a sign to entrances of work spaces or laboratories that contain hazards, based on a comprehensive risk assessment.

The accurate and descriptive notice of the hazards prior to entering will better serve first-responders and those not familiar to the space.

Similar to biosafety permits, the chemical safety permits will be administered through the Environmental Health and Safety Assistant (EHSA) database. 

The Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHSO) will review applications and generate a new sign to indicate the hazards from all risk programs, such as radiologicals, biologicals and chemicals. The new signs will include specific tops for the work space with pictograms from the 2015 Workplace Materials Hazardous Information System (WHMIS). 

Examples of the old (left) and new (right) signs/hazard notices:

More information regarding the new WHIPs and the chemical safety permitting process can be found on our webpage or contact the chemical safety program at chemsafe [at] umanitoba [dot] ca.  

Find more information on the new chemical safety permitting process on the EHS webpage or contact the chemical safety program at chemsafe [at] umanitoba [dot] ca.  

Updated Workplace Materials Hazardous Information System (WHMIS) Training

As of December 1, 2018, the WHMIS training comprises the 2015 system only. Previous training combined the previous 1988 and 2015 systems. Those trained in the combined 1988/2015 do not need to redo their training, as they are already in compliance.  

Hazardous Waste

The Hazardous Waste Program at the University of Manitoba applies to both the Fort Garry and the Bannatyne Campuses. This is a free service and encompasses the generation, collection and disposal of the hazardous material.

Hazardous Waste accepted by the program includes:

• chemical waste: solvents – non-halogenated, halogenated, oil;
• solid reagents;
• mercury: elemental and contaminated debris;
• contaminated material: spill-cleanup waste, pipette tips, etc.;
• sharps: syringes, needles, laboratory glass – which all have to be autoclaved and placed in puncture proof containers.

Bannatyne campus

Hazardous material can be dropped off twice a month if accompanied with the Hazardous Waste form.

• When:  2nd and 4th Thursday of the month between 11am-12pm (printable schedule for 2019 can be found here)
• Where: 074 Brodie Centre

Please schedule a pickup in the case of a large volume of waste for disposal, instead of dropping off.

Fort Garry campus

Fill out a Hazardous Waste form & submit to hazwaste [at] umanitoba [dot] ca to schedule a pick-up.

For further assistance or questions regarding the disposal of hazardous waste, contact us at hazwaste [at] umanitoba [dot] ca

Vanessa I. Pinto