What Is WHMIS and How Does It Apply to Cleaning?
WHMIS — the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System — is Canada's national standard for communicating information about hazardous products used in the workplace. In 2015, Canada aligned WHMIS with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), commonly referred to as WHMIS 2015.
In Ontario, WHMIS is implemented through the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations. It applies to any hazardous product present in a workplace — including cleaning chemicals brought in by an external contractor.
For warehouse cleaning, the relevant hazardous products typically include:
- Floor degreasers and stripping agents (often highly alkaline or acidic)
- Quaternary ammonium disinfectants (concentrated forms are irritants)
- Bleach and hypochlorite solutions
- Solvent-based cleaners and adhesive removers
- Ammonia-based glass cleaners
- Concentrated floor wax and sealant products
Not all cleaning products are WHMIS-regulated — products sold to consumers for personal use and used at the concentration on the consumer label may be exempt. But commercial-concentration products, which are used by professional cleaning crews, are typically covered.
Who Is Responsible for What: The Shared Obligation Model
WHMIS creates a shared responsibility structure between the cleaning contractor and the facility operator:
Cleaning Contractor Obligations
- Ensure all hazardous products brought to the worksite have current, GHS-format (16-section) SDS documents
- Ensure all containers are properly labelled with a WHMIS-compliant workplace label
- Train their own employees on the safe use of the products they use, including the specific hazards and emergency procedures
- Make SDS documents accessible to their workers during the cleaning shift
Facility Operator (Warehouse Manager) Obligations
- Ensure workers in the facility — including the cleaning crew working on your site — have access to WHMIS information about hazardous products present in the workplace
- Cooperate with the contractor's compliance requirements (allow SDS binder access, allow product storage)
- Ensure the workplace is reasonably safe for work with hazardous products (adequate ventilation, spill containment)
In practice, the facility operator's primary obligation regarding a cleaning contractor's products is to ensure the contractor is compliant — by requiring SDS documentation and proof of training — rather than directly managing the contractor's WHMIS program.
Safety Data Sheets (SDS): What to Require and How to Check Compliance
Under WHMIS 2015, SDS documents must follow the GHS 16-section format. If your cleaning contractor provides SDS documents in the old WHMIS 1988 MSDS format (9-section), those are non-compliant — the transition to WHMIS 2015 was mandatory and the grace period ended in 2018.
A compliant SDS must include all 16 sections:
Spot-checking an SDS: look for a section header that reads "Section 1: Identification" and count to Section 16. If the document has 9 sections or doesn't number sections, it's the old MSDS format and non-compliant.
GHS Labelling Requirements for Cleaning Products
Under WHMIS 2015, all containers of hazardous products in the workplace must be labelled. There are two types of labels relevant to cleaning operations:
Supplier Label (on the original product container)
Hazardous products purchased from a supplier must arrive with a supplier label that includes: product identifier, supplier information, hazard pictograms, signal word ("DANGER" or "WARNING"), hazard statements, precautionary statements, and SDS reference. If you receive a commercial cleaning product without this label, it's non-compliant from the supplier.
Workplace Label (for transferred or diluted products)
When cleaning concentrate is diluted and put in a spray bottle, that spray bottle is a new container that requires a workplace label. A workplace label must include:
- Product identity (name sufficient to identify the product and its SDS)
- Safe handling information (the main hazard and precautions in plain language)
- Reference to the SDS (a statement like "See SDS for full hazard information")
WHMIS Training Requirements for Cleaning Staff
Cleaning workers must receive WHMIS training before working with hazardous products. Under OHSA, training must cover:
- What WHMIS is and why it matters
- How to identify hazardous products (labels, pictograms)
- How to read and use SDS information
- The specific hazards of the products they use
- How to safely handle, store, and dispose of those products
- Emergency procedures for spills, exposure, and fire
Training must be specific to the worker's actual job — a cleaning technician's training should cover the specific products they use, not a generic hazmat overview. Many cleaning companies use online WHMIS training platforms for initial certification and maintain training records electronically.
What Facility Managers Should Request
You don't need to audit your cleaning contractor's training program in detail, but you should ask for:
- Confirmation that all cleaning staff assigned to your facility have current WHMIS training
- The approximate date of their most recent training
- Whether training records are available for review if required by an OHSA inspector
A cleaning company that can't answer these questions clearly should be viewed with caution — WHMIS training is a basic requirement, not an exceptional one.
PPE Requirements for Warehouse Cleaning Products
Section 8 of each product's SDS specifies the recommended PPE. For common warehouse cleaning products, typical requirements include:
| Product Type | Typical PPE Required |
|---|---|
| Floor degreaser (concentrate) | Chemical-resistant gloves, safety glasses, closed-toe footwear |
| Floor stripper (alkaline) | Chemical-resistant gloves, splash goggles, non-slip footwear, adequate ventilation |
| Bleach / hypochlorite disinfectant | Chemical-resistant gloves, eye protection, ventilation |
| Quaternary ammonium disinfectant (concentrate) | Gloves, eye protection |
| Ready-to-use spray disinfectant (diluted) | Gloves recommended; consult SDS for specific product |
Ready-to-use (RTU) products have lower PPE requirements than concentrates. A cleaning contractor who uses concentrates without the specified PPE is both non-compliant and creating liability exposure for both their company and the facility.
Spill Response and Emergency Procedures
Section 6 of the product SDS covers accidental release measures. For warehouse cleaning, the most common spill scenarios involve:
- Concentrate containers knocked over: Follow SDS Section 6. Contain the spill with absorbent material (not paper towels for corrosives), avoid flushing to drains without checking Section 13 (disposal) and local sewer bylaws, wear appropriate PPE before approaching
- Floor machine detergent spill: Lower-hazard; absorb, clean, dispose per SDS
- Mixing incompatible products: Never mix bleach with ammonia-based products or acidic products — the reaction produces chloramine or chlorine gas. SDS Section 10 (stability/reactivity) notes incompatibilities
Your cleaning contractor should have a written spill response procedure for the products they use. The facility should know who to contact if a significant spill occurs during a cleaning shift and what emergency response steps are expected.
WHMIS Documentation for an OHSA Inspection
If an Ontario OHSA inspector visits your warehouse and sees cleaning products present, they may ask for:
Having a simple WHMIS binder — one SDS per product used on site, organized alphabetically — in a consistent location satisfies the accessibility requirement and makes inspections straightforward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WHMIS apply to cleaning products used by commercial cleaning contractors in Ontario?
Yes. WHMIS 2015 (aligned with GHS) applies to any hazardous product brought into a workplace — including cleaning products brought in by a contractor. The cleaning contractor is responsible for WHMIS training for their staff and for providing Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all products they use. The facility employer (warehouse operator) has a duty to ensure workers in their facility have access to SDS information for hazardous products present on site.
What is an SDS and what must it contain under WHMIS 2015?
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a standardized document that provides hazard, safe handling, storage, and emergency response information for a hazardous product. Under WHMIS 2015, SDS documents must follow a 16-section GHS format covering: identification, hazard identification, composition/ingredients, first aid, firefighting, accidental release, handling and storage, exposure controls/PPE, physical/chemical properties, stability/reactivity, toxicological information, ecological information, disposal, transport, regulatory, and other information.
How often do cleaning staff need WHMIS training in Ontario?
WHMIS training must be provided before a worker works with or is exposed to a hazardous product. Training must be updated whenever there is a new hazard, a new product is introduced, or conditions change in a way that affects safety. There is no fixed retraining interval in Ontario law, but most employers conduct annual refresher training as a best practice. Training records should be maintained and made available to OHSA inspectors on request.
What should facility managers ask cleaning contractors about WHMIS?
Facility managers should request: (1) A list of all products the cleaning contractor brings into the facility, including the product name and manufacturer. (2) Confirmation that GHS-compliant SDS documents are available for all products. (3) Confirmation that cleaning staff have received WHMIS 2015 training. (4) Whether the contractor maintains their own SDS binder on-site during cleaning shifts. These are reasonable due diligence requests that a compliant contractor will have no difficulty fulfilling.
Are diluted cleaning solutions subject to WHMIS labelling requirements?
Yes. If a cleaning product is diluted on-site and transferred to a spray bottle or other container for workplace use, that container must be labelled with the product identity, safe handling information, and a reference to the SDS — either with a full workplace label or a simplified identifier if the product is for immediate use by the same worker who prepared it. Unlabelled spray bottles of unknown contents are a WHMIS violation.
WHMIS Compliant Cleaning for Ontario Warehouses
We maintain current SDS documentation for all products, our staff hold WHMIS 2015 certification, and we carry WSIB clearance and $5M liability insurance. Serving warehouses across the GTA — view our warehouse cleaning services or contact us for a free walkthrough quote.
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