Fast facts
| Required by law? | Yes, if hazardous products are presentR.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860, ss. 6 and 7 (1) |
|---|---|
| Approved provider required? | NoR.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860, s. 7 (2) |
| Does it expire? | None in Ontario lawR.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860 |
| Can it be verified? | No public registryR.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860 |
| How long is the training? | Not prescribedR.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860, s. 7 |
| Also called | Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, hazardous products training |
| Applies to | Workplaces generally |
Last verified August 23, 2026 against the sources listed at the bottom of this page.
Is WHMIS training required by law in Ontario?
Yes, if hazardous products are present. An employer must inform every worker who works with, or may be exposed to, a hazardous product about the hazard information the employer has or ought to have, and must instruct them on six prescribed subjects.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860, ss. 6 and 7 (1)
Does the training provider have to be government-approved?
No. Ontario does not approve WHMIS training providers or programs. Anyone competent can deliver it, including the employer, provided the instruction covers the prescribed subjects and is specific to the workplace.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860, s. 7 (2)
Does WHMIS training expire in Ontario?
None in Ontario law. Neither Regulation 860 nor the Act sets any expiry date, renewal period or validity term for WHMIS training. A three-year WHMIS card is a training provider's own policy, not a legal requirement.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860
Refresher
There is no refresher course in Ontario law. There is an annual review duty under s. 42 (3) of the Act, carried out with the joint health and safety committee, which looks at both the training and how familiar the worker actually is with it.
How long is the training itself?
Not prescribed. Ontario sets no minimum course length for WHMIS. It sets the subjects that must be covered and the outcome that must be achieved.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860, s. 7
What has to be covered
- What must be on a label, and the purpose and significance of that information
- What must be on a safety data sheet, and the purpose and significance of that information
- Procedures for safe use, storage, handling and disposal of a hazardous product
- Procedures for a hazardous product contained or transferred in a pipe, piping system including valves, process vessel, reaction vessel, tank car, tank truck, ore car, conveyor belt or similar conveyance
- Procedures to follow when fugitive emissions are present
- Procedures to follow in an emergency involving a hazardous product
How an employer proves it
No public registry. There is no government WHMIS registry and no ministry-issued record. Verification is the employer's own record keeping.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860
What the employer has to keep
- No specific record is prescribed by Regulation 860, but the employer must be able to show the instruction was given and reviewed
What people get wrong about WHMIS training
The real requirement is annual, not three-yearly
The Act requires an employer to review the training and instruction given to a worker, and the worker's familiarity with it, in consultation with the joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative, at least annually. That is a more frequent duty than the three-year card most vendors sell, not a less frequent one. Buying a new card every three years does not satisfy it.
Occupational Health and Safety Act, s. 42 (3)
And more often when something changes
The review must happen more frequently than annually if the employer determines it is necessary on the advice of the committee or representative, or if there is a change in circumstances that may affect a worker's health or safety. A new product, a new process or a new job assignment is such a change.
Occupational Health and Safety Act, s. 42 (4)
Generic online WHMIS does not finish the job
The regulation requires the program of worker education to be developed and implemented for that employer's workplace and to be related to the other training and prevention programs there. A generic course covering pictograms and safety data sheets in the abstract does not cover the products actually in the building.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860, s. 7 (2)
The test is whether workers can use it, not whether they sat through it
The employer must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the instruction results in workers being able to use the information to protect their own health and safety. A completion certificate is evidence, not compliance.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860, s. 7 (3)
The training must be built with the committee
Instruction and training on hazardous materials must be developed and implemented in consultation with the joint health and safety committee or the health and safety representative. It is not something the employer designs alone.
Occupational Health and Safety Act, s. 42 (2)
Basic awareness training already includes a WHMIS component
The mandatory worker awareness program must cover the requirements of Regulation 860 with respect to information and instruction on hazardous products. That is an overview, not a substitute for workplace-specific WHMIS instruction.
O. Reg. 297/13, s. 1 (3), para. 6
Related safety training requirements
Official sources
Every statement above was read from the source itself rather than a summary of it. Where Ontario law is silent, this page says so instead of repeating industry practice as if it were a legal requirement.
This is an independent summary of public information, not legal advice, and requirements change. Confirm the current requirement with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development before acting on it.