Cleaning supplies will be more readily accessible to workplaces thanks to new interim policy
Currently in Canada, certain cleaning products that are used in the workplace are regulated under the Hazardous Products Act (HPA).
However, Health Canada recognizes that the current pandemic has created a high and urgent demand for cleaning products necessary to help workplaces fight COVID-19. It has decided to put into place an interim policy (applicable only during the pandemic) to facilitate access to these products.
This would cover products coming into Canada from the US which are not fully compliant with current regulatory requirements (products not labelled in English and French for example).
Importers will nevertheless have to provide correct labelling on their website in both English and French via a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) so that it can be viewed by employees and employers. This label should also include pictograms if applicable. Furthermore, importers should make efforts where possible to distribute bilingual or French-language labelled products to regions of Canada where French is more widely spoken.
Before importing products under this interim policy, importers are required to fill out a form and email it to [email protected].
Health Canada recommends that workers and employers remain vigilant about the use of all hazardous products and properly educate and inform themselves before using them as well as making sure to purchase cleaning products intended for use in the workplace.
