PassEveryTest
English

WHMIS Practice Test 2026

WHMIS is Canada's hazard communication system for hazardous products used at work. There is no single national WHMIS exam: your employer or training provider checks what you learned in its own way. This practice covers pictograms, hazard classes, labels, safety data sheets, duties and safe storage.

  • Workplace safety
  • Canada
  • 100 questions
  • Checked October 10, 2026

Quick answer

Pass mark: No national exam. Any quiz and pass mark are set by your employer or training provider. It is run by Provincial, territorial and federal occupational health and safety regulators (employer and training rules); Health Canada (supplier label and SDS rules). Practise here for free with 100 questions, each with the answer and an explanation. Checked against official sources on October 10, 2026.

Read before you practiseStart with the WHMIS Study Guide: plain-language notes, diagrams and the numbers to remember.

  1. Question 1 of 25

    What does WHMIS stand for?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

    WHMIS is the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, Canada's national hazard communication standard.

  2. Question 2 of 25

    What are the three main ways WHMIS gives workers information about hazardous products?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Labels, safety data sheets (SDSs) and worker education and training

    WHMIS works through cautionary labels on containers, safety data sheets, and worker education and training programs.

  3. Question 3 of 25

    WHMIS 2015 is based on which international system?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)

    WHMIS adopted the GHS so that hazard classes, pictograms and safety data sheets follow one international approach.

  4. Question 4 of 25

    Which federal law and regulations set the WHMIS rules for suppliers of hazardous products?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The Hazardous Products Act and the Hazardous Products Regulations

    Health Canada administers the Hazardous Products Act and its regulations, which set labelling and SDS rules for suppliers.

  5. Question 5 of 25

    Who sets the WHMIS rules that employers in a province must follow?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The OHS law of that province or territory

    Each federal, provincial and territorial OHS agency sets WHMIS requirements for employers in its own jurisdiction.

  6. Question 6 of 25

    Under WHMIS, who is a "supplier"?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. A person who sells or imports a hazardous product in the course of business

    Suppliers are people or companies that sell or import hazardous products as part of their business.

  7. Question 7 of 25

    Amendments to the Hazardous Products Regulations came into force on December 15, 2022. When did the transition period end?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. December 14, 2025

    Health Canada set a 3-year transition period that ended on December 14, 2025.

  8. Question 8 of 25

    WHMIS 2015 sorts hazards into which two groups?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Physical hazards and health hazards

    The physical hazards group is based on properties such as flammability; the health hazards group is based on effects on the body.

  9. Question 9 of 25

    The GHS has a third hazard group that WHMIS did not adopt. Which group is it?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Environmental hazards

    WHMIS uses only the physical and health hazard groups. It did not adopt the GHS environmental hazard group.

  10. Question 10 of 25

    Within most WHMIS hazard classes, which category shows the most severe hazard?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Category 1

    Category 1 is the most severe level within its class. Category 2 is more hazardous than Category 3, with a few exceptions.

  11. Question 11 of 25

    For gases under pressure, what do the categories (compressed, liquefied, refrigerated liquefied, dissolved) describe?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. The physical state of the gas in the container

    For gases under pressure, the categories describe the physical state of the gas, not the degree of hazard.

  12. Question 12 of 25

    Which of these is a physical hazard class?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Flammable liquids

    Flammable liquids are in the physical hazards group. The other three are health hazard classes.

  13. Question 13 of 25

    Which of these is a health hazard class?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Carcinogenicity

    Carcinogenicity (the ability to cause cancer) is a health hazard class. The others are physical hazard classes.

  14. Question 14 of 25

    Which physical hazard class was added by the 2022 amendments to the Hazardous Products Regulations?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Chemicals under pressure

    The amendments added the class "chemicals under pressure". Combustible dusts and simple asphyxiants were already WHMIS 2015 classes.

  15. Question 15 of 25

    After the 2022 amendments, how are pyrophoric gases classified?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. As flammable gases, Category 1A

    The pyrophoric gases class was repealed. These gases now fall under flammable gases, Category 1A.

  16. Question 16 of 25

    What is a simple asphyxiant?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. A gas that can push oxygen out of the air and cause rapid suffocation

    Simple asphyxiants are gases that displace oxygen in the air. In a small or enclosed space this can quickly cause suffocation.

  17. Question 17 of 25

    The amended rules renamed "flammable aerosols" to "aerosols". What does the new Aerosols Category 3 cover?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Aerosol products that are not flammable

    The class was renamed Aerosols and a new Category 3 was added for non-flammable aerosol products.

  18. Question 18 of 25

    What does this WHMIS pictogram warn you about?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Products that can catch fire or burn easily

    The flame pictogram is used for flammable gases, aerosols, liquids and solids, and other products that can ignite.

  19. Question 19 of 25

    What does this WHMIS pictogram warn you about?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Oxidizing products that can cause or worsen a fire

    The flame over circle pictogram is used for oxidizing gases, liquids and solids. They give off oxygen and can make a fire more intense.

  20. Question 20 of 25

    In WHMIS, which products carry this pictogram?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Self-reactive substances and organic peroxides (Types A and B)

    Under WHMIS, the exploding bomb pictogram is used for self-reactive substances and organic peroxides of Types A and B.

  21. Question 21 of 25

    What does this WHMIS pictogram show?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Gases or chemicals stored under pressure

    The gas cylinder pictogram is used for gases under pressure and for chemicals under pressure.

  22. Question 22 of 25

    What does this WHMIS pictogram warn you about?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Products that can burn skin, damage eyes or eat away metal

    The corrosion pictogram covers skin corrosion, serious eye damage and products that are corrosive to metals.

  23. Question 23 of 25

    What does this WHMIS pictogram warn you about?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Products that can cause death or serious poisoning, even in small amounts

    The skull and crossbones is used for acute toxicity Categories 1 to 3: products that are fatal or toxic if swallowed, in contact with skin or inhaled.

  24. Question 24 of 25

    Which hazards does this WHMIS pictogram usually show?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Less severe hazards, such as skin or eye irritation

    The exclamation mark covers hazards such as skin irritation, eye irritation, skin sensitization and acute toxicity Category 4.

  25. Question 25 of 25

    What does this WHMIS pictogram warn you about?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Serious health effects, such as cancer or organ damage

    The health hazard pictogram covers carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxicants, respiratory sensitizers, target organ toxicity and aspiration hazards.

What to know before the test

  • Employers must educate and train workers on the hazards and safe use of hazardous products. Workers must take part in that training.
  • Each province or territory sets its own WHMIS education and training rules. Federally regulated workplaces follow federal rules.
  • Training is site-specific. If you change employers, your new workplace must train you on its own products and procedures.
  • Supplier labels and safety data sheets (SDSs) must be in both English and French.
  • An SDS has 16 sections. Suppliers must update an SDS within 90 days, and a label within 180 days, of learning significant new data.
  • WHMIS uses two signal words: "Danger" for more severe hazards and "Warning" for less severe hazards.
  • Amendments to the Hazardous Products Regulations came into force on December 15, 2022. The transition period ended on December 14, 2025.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official national WHMIS exam?

No. Provincial, territorial and federal OHS laws require WHMIS education and training, but there is no single national exam. Your employer or training provider may check your knowledge with a written quiz or a practical demonstration.

Does WHMIS training expire?

There is no national expiry date. Employers should review their WHMIS program at least once a year and give refresher training when products, hazards or work conditions change. Check your province or territory for any extra rules.

What are the WHMIS pictograms?

WHMIS uses eight GHS pictograms with a red diamond border (flame, flame over circle, gas cylinder, corrosion, exploding bomb, skull and crossbones, health hazard, exclamation mark) plus the biohazardous infectious materials pictogram, which has a black circle border.

When is a workplace label needed?

When a product is poured into another container, when a hazardous product is made and used in the workplace, or when the supplier label is lost or cannot be read.

Do I need new WHMIS training if I change jobs?

Yes, at least the site-specific part. General WHMIS education may carry over, but each workplace must train you on its own products, procedures and emergencies.

Sources

Related tests