Hazardous Materials and Fire Protection (190101c)

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering WHMIS classifications, pictograms, supplier and workplace responsibilities, chemical storage, mechanical ventilation, and fire protection equipment.

What is the primary purpose of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)?

It is a program designed to ensure that workers have all the required information to safely work with hazardous materials on the job.

When did WHMIS become law in Canada, and what international system was it aligned with during the 2015 amendments?

WHMIS became law in 1988 and was amended in 2015 to align with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

Which government bodies oversee WHMIS at the federal level and provincially in Alberta?

WHMIS is overseen federally by Health Canada and provincially by Alberta OHS.

What information flow and distribution of responsibilities is depicted in this WHMIS diagram?

Suppliers provide labels and MSDS/SDS to employers, who then provide education to students and workers to ensure they are informed.

What are the four primary responsibilities of suppliers under WHMIS?

Ensure hazardous products are appropriately classified per the Hazardous Products Regulations, label the container with a WHMIS supplier label, provide a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to the customer, and update the SDS if new information or product changes occur.

What are the main WHMIS responsibilities of employers?

Educate and train workers on product hazards and safe use, provide all available hazard information (proper labelling, workplace labels, and SDSs for site-made products), and implement control measures.

What are the primary WHMIS responsibilities of workers?

Participate in WHMIS and site-specific education and training, participate in identifying and controlling workplace hazards, and use PPE and other controls as necessary.

What are the two primary hazard groups established under WHMIS?

Physical hazards and health hazards.

According to the WHMIS classification hierarchy diagram, what are the three structural levels from top to bottom?

Hazard Group at the top level, which branches into Hazard Class, which further subdivides into Hazard Category.

What hazard classes are included under the exploding bomb pictogram, and what storage precautions must be taken?

Classes include Explosives, Self-reactive substances and mixtures, and Organic peroxides; precautions require keeping materials away from heat sources, avoiding container drops or agitation, and storing in a cool, dry, flameproof, and secured area.

What work and storage precautions are required for materials carrying the flammable hazard (flame) pictogram?

Keep materials away from indirect heat sources, open flames, and combustible materials; maintain a fire watch during and after hot work (such as soldering, welding, or brazing); and never smoke near combustible materials.

What hazard is identified by the flame over circle pictogram, and what is its main handling precaution?

Oxidizing Hazard oxidizing gasses, liquids, and solids materials must be kept away from combustible materials and ignition sources, stored in designated areas, and handled in non-smoking environments.

What precautions must be observed when handling and storing compressed gas cylinders?

Handle with care to avoid dropping or damaging valves, keep away from heat and ignition sources, check for leaks, store incompatible products separately, and secure cylinders in an upright position during use, storage, and transportation.

Which specific hazard classes fall under the corrosive hazard pictogram?

Corrosive to metal, skin corrosion/irritation, and serious eye damage/eye irritation.

How does the skull and crossbones pictogram differ from the exclamation mark pictogram regarding acute health risks?

The skull and crossbones indicates acute toxicity that is toxic or fatal, whereas the exclamation mark indicates harmful health effects that are less serious than those covered by the health hazard or fatal hazard pictograms.

What types of health conditions fall under the health hazard (human torso with starburst) pictogram?

Respiratory or skin sensitization, germ cell mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, specific target organ toxicity (single or repeated exposure), and aspiration hazards.

What does the biohazard trefoil pictogram represent, and what engineering controls are required?

It represents organisms or toxins that can cause disease in people or animals; materials must be handled in designated areas with engineering controls such as a properly ventilated isolation chamber.

Which hazard class and hazard group have not been formally adopted by Canada's WHMIS 2015, despite appearing on some labels and SDSs?

The Explosive hazard class and the Environment hazard group.

What are the three key elements that comprise WHMIS?

Worker education, product labelling, and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs).

What six elements must appear on a WHMIS supplier label, and in what languages?

Product identifier, pictogram, signal word ('Danger' or 'Warning'), hazard statement, precautionary statement, and initial supplier identifier; they must appear in both English and French.

Under what three conditions must a workplace label be applied, and what information must it contain?

A product is transferred to a new container, when the supplier label is missing or unreadable, or when a product is made and used onsite; it must contain the product name matching the SDS, safe handling precautions, and a reference to the SDS if available.

What alternate methods of product identification are permitted in the workplace if workers are adequately trained?

Colour coding, tagging, number or letter codes, shapes, and other workplace labels.

How many standardized sections are contained in an SDS under the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)?

$16$ sections laid out in the exact same standardized order on all SDSs.

What method must be used to prevent static electricity discharge when transferring fuel from bulk fuel tanks?

Bulk fuel tanks must be grounded with a cable attached to a grounding rod driven into the ground.

What container color conventions and approval certifications are required for storing gasoline and diesel fuel?

Gasoline must be stored in red containers and diesel fuel in yellow containers; both must be approved by the Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada (ULC) and/or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

What venting and location rules apply to jobsite flammable liquid storage cabinets?

If vented, they must vent outdoors through piping sealed with the same materials used to construct the cabinet; they cannot be located in stairways, exit areas, elevators, or areas providing access to an exit.

What dangerous reaction occurs if strong oxidizers (such as chlorates, nitrates, or peroxides) are mixed with flammable liquids or combustible wastes?

An explosion.

Under the Alberta OHS Code, mechanical ventilation is required if oxygen concentrations in the atmosphere fall below or exceed what thresholds?

Less than $19.5\%$ or greater than $23\%$ oxygen by volume.

What is the general rule of thumb for determining whether mechanical general ventilation in an enclosed area is adequate?

Ventilation is probably adequate if a visible fume disappears in about $30\,\text{seconds}$.

What five safety protocols must an employer implement before allowing workers to enter a confined space?

Provide a code of practice, a respirator, rescue training, continuous atmospheric monitoring with a portable gas detector, and an active safety watch.

What is the definition of 'flash point' according to the OHS code?

The lowest temperature at which a substance can vaporize and form an ignitable mixture in air.

What three elements shown in this fire triangle are required to initiate and sustain combustion?

Heat, Fuel, and Oxygen.

What fire class does this green triangle symbol represent, and what types of materials are involved?

Class A fires, involving ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber, and packing materials.

What fire class is designated by this red square symbol, and how are these fires suppressed?

Class B fires (flammable liquids and gasses like propane, acetylene, gasoline, and diesel), extinguished by smothering with dry chemical or foam agents.

What fire classification does this blue circle represent, and what property must the extinguishing agent possess?

Class C fires (involving energized electrical equipment), requiring a non-conductive extinguishing agent such as dry chemical or carbon dioxide ($\text{CO}_2$).

What fire class is indicated by this yellow star symbol, and why must water never be used on it?

combustible metals like magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, and potassium

What fire class is represented by this black square symbol, and what extinguishing agent is used?

Class K fires (combustible cooking media such as cooking oils and grease), extinguished using a wet chemical (potassium acetate base) to smother and cool.

Where on a portable fire extinguisher is the size rating (e.g., 'CLASS: 4-A,60-B,C') always located?

The size rating is always found on the Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada (ULC) label.

What base chemical is used in multi-purpose dry chemical extinguishers, and what fire classes can it suppress?

Ammonium phosphate base; it is rated to suppress Class A, Class B, and Class C fires by smothering flames.

What four-step emergency procedure is demonstrated in this sequence for operating a fire extinguisher?

The PASS technique: Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep the nozzle across the base of the fire in short bursts.