Claims for Exemption

The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) requires that chemical suppliers provide employers with information on the hazards of materials produced or used in Canadian workplaces. This is accomplished through product labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Employers may use this information when they prepare workplace MSDS and labels, and provide worker training.

A product's MSDS must fully disclose all hazardous ingredients in the product, its toxicological properties, any safety precautions workers need to take when using the product and the first aid treatment required in the case of exposure.

When a supplier or employer wants to be exempt from having to disclose confidential business information, such as the chemical identity of one or more trade-secret hazardous ingredients, they must file a claim for exemption with Health Canada.

A  Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA) registration number, issued by Health Canada, is required to be shown on the MSDS and for certain claims, on the label, for that product to be sold on the Canadian market.