Appendix E. Material Safety Data Sheet Information
Colgate University and other employers must obtain Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) on all hazardous products, according to OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard. The MSDS is the backbone of our Hazard Communication Program as it is the primary means of documenting and passing along chemicals hazard information to the product users.
MSDSs are produced by the manufacturer or importer of hazardous products. MSDSs are not required for non-hazardous products, although many manufacturers provide MSDSs for their nonhazardous products and chemicals, with a statement saying the product is nonhazardous. The manufacturer must provide distributors and other customers with MSDSs, upon first purchase of a hazardous product, and if the MSDS changes. Distributors of hazardous chemicals must automatically provide MSDSs to commercial customers, including colleges and universities.
An MSDS must include several categories of information, but there is no "standard" MSDS format that must be used. OSHA provides an optional form for MSDSs (OSHA 174), but most manufacturers use a computer designed form of there own. This is all right, as long as the MSDS contains all of the required information. Blank spaces are not permitted. If any items are not applicable, or if no information is available, the space must be marked to indicate this.
MSDSs can be difficult to understand. This appendix attempts to explain the terms and language used in MSDSs and to provide reference information to aid in understanding. If a MSDS is deficient in any way, contact the manufacturer for clarification.
The following includes what should be contained in the various sections of a MSDS.
Identity
The identity of the product should be the same name as found on the product label.
Section I
The MSDS must have the name, address, and telephone number of the chemical manufacturer, importer, employer or other responsible party preparing the MSDS who can give further information on the product hazards and emergency procedures. It must also give the date of preparation of the most recent version. An MSDS may include the signature of the preparer and additional product identifiers such as chemical class, commonly used trade names, and chemicals synonyms.
Section II - Hazardous Ingredients/Identity Information
This section must include the chemical and common names of hazardous ingredients. For mixtures that have been tested as a whole, only the ingredients found to be hazardous must be listed.
If the mixture has not been tested, all toxic ingredients at a concentration of more than 1% must be listed, and all carcinogenic ingredients at concentrations over 0.1% must be listed. Materials are considered hazardous if they are listed in OSHA's Z list, 29 CFR 1910, Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances, (see Appendix B); if the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has assigned a Threshold Limit Value (TLV) to the material (see Appendix C), or if it has been found to be toxic, carcinogenic, irritating, sensitizing or damaging to certain body organs. The MSDS does not have to list the percentage concentration of each ingredient.
This section must also have the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), the ACGIH Threshold Limit Value (TLV) or any other exposure limit used by the manufacturer. Exposure limits are estimates of the maximum amount of a substance in the air that most workers can breathe regularly without experiencing adverse health effects. Limits are usually expressed in milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3 ) or parts per million (ppm). The lower the exposure limit, the more hazardous the substance.
The one exception to listing the chemical names or common names of hazardous ingredients, according to OSHA, is if the manufacturers claims and is able to document it is a trade secret. In this case, they must state on the MSDS that the identity of the ingredients is a trade secret.
Section III - Physical/Chemical Characteristics
This section should include information on boiling point, melting point, vapor pressure, vapor density, solubility in water, specific gravity, percent volatile, evaporation rate, appearance, and odor. Sometimes the pH is included for aqueous solutions.
Section IV - Fire and Explosion Hazard Data
This section has information on the flammability of the product, on types of fire extinguishers needed, and on other special precautions. This data is important when planning for emergencies.
Section V - Reactivity Data
This section tells you about the product's compatibility with other chemicals, and special conditions to avoid. The stability of the product indicates whether the product can decompose and what conditions can do this. The incompatibility section tells you what chemicals can react with the product. This section is very important in determining what materials you should not store near this product. Hazardous decomposition products tells you what hazardous chemicals can be produced when the product is heated or burned. The hazardous polymerization section tells you whether the product can polymerize, and what conditions can cause this.
Section VI - Health Hazard Data
This section should tell you the routes (skin contact, inhalation, ingestion) by which the product can enter the body, the symptoms of overexposure, acute and chronic health effects, emergency first aid measures, and carcinogenicity. If the product, or chemicals in the product, has been found to be a carcinogen or probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IRAC), by OSHA, or is listed in the National Toxicology Program's (NTP) Annual Report on Carcinogens, then the MSDS must state so. The MSDS should also list medical conditions which could be aggravated by exposure to the product.
Section VII - Precautions for Safe Handling and Use This section covers such topics as spill control, waste disposal, storage and handling precautions, and other special precautions such as personal protective equipment needed for spills, special training, or equipment. Unfortunately, the section on waste disposal often just says dispose of according to local, state and federal regulations.
Section VIII - Control Measures
This section should give you a lot of information about respirators, ventilation, and other personal protective equipment, but often doesn't. The respirator recommendations should state what type of cartridge should be used. The ventilation section should tell you whether general mechanical ventilation (dilution ventilation) is sufficient, or if local exhaust ventilation is recommended, and if so, what type. This section should also list other recommended personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggles, and protective clothing. Unfortunately most MSDSs do not tell you what type of glove to use.