HAMILTON, ON (June 4, 2008) –The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has developed software to help writers produce high quality, accurate, WHMIS-compliant Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs).
In Canada, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) requires that manufacturers and suppliers provide MSDSs with information to help workers know about product hazards and how to work safely with them. CCOHS developed CANWrite, an MSDS writing software to help support Canadian businesses that need to produce MSDSs for their products. The software is intended to improve the quality and usability of MSDSs in workplaces and improve the safe use of chemicals.
CANWrite addresses many of the challenges faced by MSDS writers. Standardized phrases are provided to help author the MSDS – with the bonus feature that French versions of these phrases will be generated “on the fly”.
Other features of the software include:
- Detailed WHMIS classification worksheet;
- Phrases for important, often overlooked hazards (e.g. combustible dusts);
- Logic-driven phrases to help provide consistent and comprehensive hazard control advice;
- Clear language phrases to support workplace use and understanding;
- Access to additional credible chemical hazard and regulatory databases including CCOHS' CHEMINFO as well as other resources, such as regulatory and advisory lists for carcinogens and occupational exposure limits.
"We know that many manufacturers and suppliers lack the expertise to write quality MSDSs and prepare proper safety guidance on chemical hazards. With CANWrite we want to support Canadian businesses - especially small to medium enterprises - and apply CCOHS' chemical expertise and resources," commented Dr. P.K. Abeytunga, CCOHS Vice President and Director General. "We want to equip people with the tools and resources they need to work safely with chemicals."
Future releases of CANWrite will incorporate requirements of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) in time to help Canadian chemical manufacturers and suppliers implement any changes to MSDSs that GHS may create.
More information about CANWrite is available on the CCOHS Website.