OTTAWA, Ontario - The Canadian Paint and Coatings Association (CPCA) announced a partnership with ICC Compliance Center (ICC) to offer training to its members on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).

ICC is a provider of hazmat compliance solutions for regulatory transportation and workplace safety. The partnership will provide CPCA members with discounted rates on ICC’s in-person training classes across Canada for GHS Supervisor Manager and GHS Classification, as well as a web portal on CPCA’s website for easy access to ICC’s online courses on GHS and other topics.

“We are pleased to be working in partnership with ICC to offer our members easy access to advanced GHS training,” said Gary LeRoux, CPCA President. “CPCA is committed to ensuring that our members are able to find the training their employees need for successful implementation of the new GHS regulations in Canada.”

GHS will be implemented by Canada in the first part of 2015, and this alignment will bring major changes to the existing Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), such as the Hazardous Products Act and Controlled Products Regulations. The Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) will replace the Controlled Products Regulations. The proposed HPR was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I in August 2014 and is expected to come into force in Canada Gazette, Part II sometime in the winter of 2015.

Health Canada's goal is to have the Canada GHS-WHMIS in force no later than June 1, 2015 and likely several months before the effective date. This means suppliers may begin to use and follow the new requirements for labels and SDSs for hazardous products sold, distributed or imported into Canada as soon as the final HPR is published in Canada Gazette Part II. A transition period is fully expected after June 1, 2015, but the dates have not been announced at this time. CPCA and other associations have asked for a two-year transition period.

Provincial and territorial WHMIS regulations will also require updating (exact timelines to be determined). Employers will be expected to have updated their WHMIS program and training to include the alignment with GHS at that time.

To register for ICC’s in-person GHS training and receive a 15% discount, CPCA’s members will be provided with a special code available by contacting the association. The 2015 dates for in-person training classes are available now. For a complete list of ICC’s GHS online courses for members and non-members, go to www.canpaint.com/ghs-training/ or www.thecompliancecenter.com/training-courses/ghs/.