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WHMIS Test Answers and Hints

These are 20 sample questions and WHMIS test answers and hints that you are free to use as an additional resource as you prepare for WHMIS training in your workplace.

This sample test includes true or false sample questions, definitions, multiple-choice, and pictogram (symbols) questions.

Remember, online practice tests are not a replacement for real training done by real licensed professionals. If you need help getting the training you need to keep you and your workers safe, feel free to reach out to us at ACUTE to sign up for a full-fledged workplace safety training course.

Tip: Grab a notebook and a pencil. Jot down the questions and try to answer them before looking at the hints/answers!

Answer: WHMIS stands for “Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System,” which is a standard system of workplace safety guidelines defined by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). (Source)

Answer: True. In Canada, WHMIS is more than just a training course or set of suggestions – it is the law. WHMIS first became law in 1998. (Source)

Answer: Workers have multiple duties under WHMIS, including:

  • Participating in WHMIS education and training programs,
  • Taking necessary steps to protect themselves and their co-workers, and
  • participating in identifying and controlling hazards

(Source)

Answer: GHS stands for Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.

Canada has aligned WHMIS with the GHS, which is an international system for classifying chemicals and communicating about hazardous materials. (Source)

Answer: “A signal word is a prompt that alerts you about the degree or level of hazard of the product.”

Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) will mention any applicable signal words if the material they’re covering warrants them. (Source)

Answer: “There are only two signal words used: ‘Danger’ or ‘Warning’. ‘Danger’ is used for high-risk hazards, while ‘Warning’ is used for less severe hazards.”

“Some hazard classes or categories do not have a signal word assigned to them.” (Source)

Answer: Before the GHS, there were two hazard groups, Physical Hazards and Health Hazards, but in 2002 when the GHS was adopted, that number changed to three.

Remember, a hazard group is a way of grouping classes of materials by the properties they have, and what they affect. (Source)

Answer: In 2002, the GHS also added Environmental Hazards to the list of hazard groups. (Source)

There are also some Explosive Hazard Classes, but those aren’t covered by the CCOHS.

Answer: Currently there are 19 different Hazard Classes within the Physical Hazards Group.

Each of these classes defines a different category of material that can be physically dangerous to workers in a specific way, for example: gases under pressure, combustible dusts, or flammable liquids. (Source)

Answer: Officially, fumes are “very small, airborne, solid particles formed by the cooling of a hot vapour. For example, a hot zinc vapour may form when zinc-coated steel is welded. The vapour then condenses to form fine zinc fume as soon as it contacts the cool surrounding air. Fumes are smaller than dusts and are more easily breathed into the lungs.” (Source)

Answer: Products that are listed as causing eye irritation “produce changes in the eye after exposure of the eye to a substance or mixture which are fully reversible within an observation period of 21 days after exposure. Effects could include redness, itching or swelling.” (Source)

Answer: The term “hazard” is simply any product with a “potential for harmful effects. The hazards of a product are evaluated by examining the properties of the product, such as toxicity, flammability and chemical reactivity.” (Source)

WHMIS Test Answers and Hints – Symbols

This section relates to WHMIS Pictograms.

Answer: The “exploding bomb” symbol stands for self-reactive substances and mixtures and organic peroxides. (Source)

Answer: The “flame” symbol stands for aerosols, flammable materials, self-reactive substances, and fire hazards in general. (Source)

Answer: The “flame over circle” symbol stands for oxidizing gases, liquids, or solids. (Source)

Answer: The “gas cylinder” symbol stands for gases or chemicals under pressure. (Source)

Answer: The “skull and crossbones” symbol stands for products with acute toxicity, whether that’s oral, dermal, or through inhalation. (Source)

Answer: The “exclamation mark” symbol not only indicates products that are acutely toxic, but also anything that can irritate one’s eyes, skin, or organs. (Source)

Answer: Perhaps unsurprisingly, the “biohazardous infectious materials” symbol stands for things that are biohazardous infectious materials, which could be something like a virus, fungi, human fluids, or animal tissue. (Source)

Answer: The “corrosion” symbol stands materials that can corrode metals, human skin, or damage human eyes. (Source)

flame
skull_and_crossbones

Do You Work with Hazardous Substances?

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HAZWOPER training is essential for anyone who is exposed to hazardous substances or who is engaged in tasks such like: clean-up, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.

Need Real WHMIS Training Today?

Searching for online WHMIS tests, answers, and hints can only take you so far. Remember, WHMIS training is mandatory for any worker who works with or is potentially exposed to hazardous products in the workplace.

If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of the WHMIS system, contact the experienced trainers at ACUTE today!

    Training With ACUTE

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    • Open Door Instructor-Student Partnership – ACUTE’s training services emphasize client participation. Our staff want to build a relationship with clients and serve as a touchstone for advice anytime moving forward.
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    • 100 Years Combined Experience – ACUTE provides comprehensive health and safety training, on-site safety services, and consulting services. With over 100 years of combined experience, our company staff offer more than theoretical or abstract ideas. ACUTE offers solutions.
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