​About the Répertoire

Its mandate

The Répertoire toxicologique of the CNESST provides information on chemical or biological products used in the workplace. This information allows its clientele to identify the health and safety risks associated with the products that they use, thereby promoting the implementation of appropriate prevention methods.

The Répertoire toxicologique also provides specific information concerning the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and offers occupational health and safety practitioners specialized support for their interventions.

Its clientele

Its services are offered to Quebec employers, workers, health and safety committees, joint sector-based associations, employer associations and trade unions, participants in the occupational health and safety network, and CNESST and IRSST personnel.

Its services

The Répertoire toxicologique gives clients access to a databank on chemical and biological products. It contains information, under different themes, presented in both popularized and specialized format. In this way, users can access information on over 9,500 products. This information includes, for example, the physical characteristics of a product, its toxic or specific effects such as cancer, the protective measures to take and the applicable occupational health and safety regulations in Québec.

The personnel of the Répertoire toxicologique prepares and makes available, through its Web site, various information or reference documents to meet specific workplace needs. These documents deal with various themes such as toxicology or occupational asthma, as well as aspects related to WHMIS. Their purpose is to promote the understanding and rapid identification of dangers in the workplace, to provide information tools during interventions and to encourage the community to take responsibility for prevention.

To respond to the various requests for information and to provide information on the commercial products used in Québec, a consultation service is also available. The personnel offer information concerning the safe use of products. If necessary, the personnel will need the data sheet for the product used, as well as its conditions of use in the workplace.

Access to services

The information available on the Web site is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be easily printed. In addition to the product data sheets, the various documents prepared by the personnel are also accessible. We invite our clients to visit this site, as the available information is updated on a regular basis. Users can communicate with the personnel by email, telephone, fax or mail. Our offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a break between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., from Monday to Friday inclusively, except for statutory holidays.

Its team, its operation

The Répertoire toxicologique is operated by a multidisciplinary scientific team specialized in chemistry, toxicology and workplace hygiene, allowing it to provide a wide range of occupational health and safety information.

The personnel access numerous information sources such as general or specialized documentation, specific databases and articles published in scientific journals. The team compiles and analyzes scientific documentation, determines the health and safety risks posed by products and recommends certain prevention measures. This information appears mainly in the data sheets / safety data sheets or the publications available on the Répertoire toxicologique’s site.

Requests for information are processed in order of priority. Therefore, those concerning accidents, work suspensions and refusals to work are given priority. Those related to the For a Safe Maternity Experience program are usually processed within 24 hours. Other requests are dealt with as quickly as possible, and a response can be expected within a few days.

(February 2015)