Free WHMIS Practice Test

Answer: B. A workplace label with the product identifier, safe handling information and a reference to the SDS

The decanted product will not be used immediately and will pass to other workers, so it needs a workplace label. The immediate-use exemption only applies when the product is used right away (in Ontario, for example, all used immediately or only by the person who filled it during that shift); a copied supplier label is not required for decanted containers.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Labels (workplace labels)

Answer: C. A reference to the safety data sheet, if one is available

Workplace labels must show the product identifier, safe handling information and a reference to the SDS where available. The hatched border was a WHMIS 1988 requirement and is no longer required; ingredient lists are not a workplace label element.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Labels

Answer: A. English and French

Supplier labels must be bilingual (English and French) under the Hazardous Products Regulations. Choosing one official language is not allowed for supplier labels, regardless of province.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Labels (supplier labels)

Answer: D. A list of all hazardous ingredients

Under current WHMIS, disclosure of hazardous ingredients on the label is no longer required; ingredients appear on the SDS (Section 3). The signal word, supplier identifier and precautionary statements are all required supplier label elements.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Labels

Answer: B. "Danger" indicates a more severe hazard than "Warning"

WHMIS uses two signal words: "Danger" for more severe hazards and "Warning" for less severe hazards. They are not interchangeable, and "Danger" is used across many hazard classes, not just biohazards.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Labels (signal word)

Answer: C. Do not use it; set it aside and report it to your supervisor so a proper label and SDS are obtained

A hazardous product must not be used until it is properly labelled and the SDS is available; the employer must obtain the information. Guessing or relabelling with another product's label creates false hazard information.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Labels; Ontario: WHMIS and the employer

Answer: A. Replace it with a new supplier label or a workplace label

When a supplier label becomes illegible or is removed in the workplace, the employer must replace it with either a supplier label or a workplace label. Leaving an unreadable label is not acceptable, and discarding or returning the product is not required.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Labels

Answer: C. Oxidizing gases, liquids or solids

Flame over circle is used for oxidizers, which can cause or intensify fire by supplying oxygen. Flammable liquids and self-heating substances use the plain flame pictogram.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Pictograms

Answer: B. It can cause death or toxicity with short exposure to small amounts (acute toxicity)

Skull and crossbones is used for the more severe acute toxicity categories. Long-term effects like cancer use the health hazard pictogram, and skin irritation uses the exclamation mark.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Pictograms

Answer: D. Health hazard

The health hazard pictogram covers serious longer-term effects such as carcinogenicity, germ cell mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity and respiratory sensitization. Skull and crossbones is for acute toxicity, not cancer.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Pictograms

Answer: A. Biohazardous infectious materials

The Biohazardous Infectious Materials class is unique to Canada, so its pictogram has a round border. The environment pictogram is a GHS symbol; it is optional in WHMIS but still uses the diamond border.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Pictograms

Answer: C. No pictogram, but a signal word and hazard statement

Combustible dusts (and simple asphyxiants) have no assigned pictogram, but the signal word and hazard statements are still required. Assuming the flame pictogram is a common mistake.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Pictograms (hazards with no symbol)

Answer: B. Gas cylinder

Gases under pressure use the gas cylinder pictogram. A non-flammable, non-oxidizing compressed gas such as nitrogen would not carry the flame or flame-over-circle pictograms.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Pictograms

Answer: C. Skin corrosion, serious eye damage or corrosive to metals

The corrosion pictogram covers skin corrosion, serious eye damage and substances corrosive to metals. Respiratory sensitization uses the health hazard pictogram and acute toxicity Category 4 uses the exclamation mark.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Pictograms

Answer: B. It is the GHS environment pictogram, which suppliers may use but which WHMIS does not require

Environmental hazard classification is not mandatory in Canada, but suppliers may show environmental hazards, including the environment pictogram. It is not a required WHMIS pictogram and does not indicate health hazards.

Check it: CCOHS: WHMIS – Pictograms

Answer: D. Section 8 – Exposure controls/personal protection

Section 8 covers exposure limits, engineering controls and personal protective equipment. Section 7 covers safe handling and storage practices but is not where PPE is specified.

Check it: HPR Schedule 1, item 8; CCOHS: WHMIS – SDS

Answer: A. Section 4 – First-aid measures

Section 4 gives first-aid measures by route of exposure, including eye contact. Section 6 deals with spills (accidental releases), not treating an exposed person.

Check it: HPR Schedule 1, item 4; CCOHS: WHMIS – SDS

Answer: B. Section 6 – Accidental release measures

Section 6 covers personal precautions, protective equipment, emergency procedures and methods for containment and clean-up of a spill. Section 13 deals with disposal of the product and packaging, not responding to the release itself.

Check it: HPR Schedule 1, item 6; CCOHS: WHMIS – SDS

Answer: C. Section 9 – Physical and chemical properties

Section 9 lists physical and chemical properties such as appearance, odour, pH and flash point. Section 1 identifies the product and supplier but does not list properties.

Check it: HPR Schedule 1, item 9; CCOHS: WHMIS – SDS

Answer: D. Section 16 – Other information

Every SDS must give the date of its latest revision in Section 16 – Other Information. Section 1 contains the product identifier and supplier details, not the revision date.

Check it: HPR Schedule 1, item 16; CCOHS: WHMIS – SDS

Answer: A. Section 2 – Hazard identification

Section 2 contains the hazard classification and the label elements (signal word, pictograms, hazard and precautionary statements). Section 11 gives detailed toxicological data but not the label element summary.

Check it: HPR Schedule 1, item 2; CCOHS: WHMIS – SDS

Answer: B. The supplier (manufacturer, importer or distributor)

Under the Hazardous Products Act and Regulations, suppliers must classify their hazardous products and provide compliant labels and SDSs. Employers must make sure products are labelled and SDSs are available, but they do not classify products they buy.

Check it: Health Canada: WHMIS; Hazardous Products Act and Regulations

Answer: C. Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act and its WHMIS regulation

Employer and worker duties are set by OHS law in each jurisdiction; in Ontario that is the OHSA and the WHMIS regulation (R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 860). The Hazardous Products Regulations govern suppliers, not employer training.

Check it: Ontario: WHMIS and the employer

Answer: D. Participating in WHMIS training and using the information to protect themselves and others

Workers must take part in WHMIS education and training and apply what they learn to work safely, including reporting missing or damaged labels. Classification and SDS authoring are supplier duties; CBI claims are filed by suppliers or employers.

Check it: Health Canada: WHMIS; CCOHS: WHMIS – General

Answer: A. Chemicals Under Pressure

The 2022 amendments added the Chemicals Under Pressure class (liquids or solids pressurised with a gas). Combustible dusts, simple asphyxiants and biohazardous infectious materials were already WHMIS classes before 2022.

Check it: Health Canada: Amended Hazardous Products Regulations; SOR/2022-272

Answer: B. It was renamed "Aerosols" and a non-flammable Category 3 was added

The amendments renamed the class "Aerosols" and added Category 3 for non-flammable aerosols. Aerosols remain a physical hazard class and were not merged into Gases Under Pressure.

Check it: Health Canada: Amended Hazardous Products Regulations; SOR/2022-272

Answer: C. In Flammable Gases, Category 1A

The separate Pyrophoric Gases class was repealed; pyrophoric gases (and chemically unstable gases) now fall under Flammable Gases Category 1A. Category 2 is the less hazardous flammable gas category.

Check it: Health Canada: Amended Hazardous Products Regulations; SOR/2022-272

Answer: D. Its classification, labels and SDSs must comply with the amended regulations

During the transition, suppliers could follow either the former or the amended regulations (but not a mix). Since the period ended on December 14, 2025, only the amended requirements apply.

Check it: Health Canada: Amended Hazardous Products Regulations

Answer: A. The supplier filed a confidential business information claim to protect the ingredient's identity

Suppliers can file CBI claims with Health Canada under the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act; the protected information is replaced by a reference such as the claim registry number. The hazard information must still be disclosed, so the ingredient is not necessarily non-hazardous.

Check it: Health Canada: Exemptions for confidential business information; CCOHS: WHMIS – CBI

Answer: C. Workplace-specific training on the hazardous products and procedures at the new site

B.C.'s OHS Regulation requires both WHMIS education and workplace-specific training on the products and procedures at that workplace. General courses do not cover a new site's products, and WorkSafeBC does not provide WHMIS exams or certification.

Check it: WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation ss. 5.6–5.7; WorkSafeBC: WHMIS