Courtesy: Material safety data sheet [MSDS] certification services
Worker
Following training by the employer:
- Follows the safe work or preventative measures as instructed by the employer
- Knows where the sheets are located and how to find pertinent information on safe
use and first aid measures
Material Safety Data Sheet Content
A supplier material safety data sheet must provide at least nine categories or sections of
content and approximately sixty items of information distributed among those categories.
An MSDS must be reviewed at least every three years. The categories must have the
following similar headings:
I. Hazardous Ingredients
This section will include:
The chemical names and concentrations concerning the hazardous
ingredients
The LD 50 and LC50 indicate the short term toxic potential
CAS number which is useful in locating more information especially if the
product is known by numerous names\
II. Preparation Information
This section includes:
The name address and telephone number of who prepared the MSDS - The date the MSDS was prepared
- o If more than three years old, it must be updated
- III. Product Information
- This section:
- Identifies the product by the name on the supplier label
- Provides the chemical name, family and formula (including molecular weight)
- Lists the product identifiers, manufacturer and supplier names, addresses
- and emergency telephone numbers
- IV. Physical Data
- This section includes information indicating how it looks and how it will behave when it is
- used, stored, spilled and how it will react with other products indicated through:
- The state it is in e.g. liquid
- The odour and appearance of the product
- The specific gravity, vapour density, evaporation rate, boiling point and the
- freezing point
- The vapour pressure, the higher the concentration the higher the possible air
- concentration
- The odour threshold, which is the lowest airborne concentration of a chemical
- that can be perceived by smell
- The pH reflecting the corrosive or irritant nature of the product
- Fire and Explosion Hazard
- This section describes:
- The temperature and conditions that can cause the chemical to catch fire or
- explode
- o UEL (upper explosion limit) or UFL (upper flammable limit) will indicate
- the highest concentration of a substance in the air that will produce a fire
- or explosion when a source of ignition (heat, spark or flame) is present
- o LEL (lower explosion limit) or LFL (lower flammable limit) will indicate the
- lowest concentration of a substance in the air that will produce a fire or
- explosion when a source or ignition is present
- o From the LEL to the UEL, the mixture is explosive. Below the UEL the
- mixture is too lean to burn; above the LEL the mixture is too rich to burn.
- However, concentrations above the UEL are still very dangerous because
- if the concentration is lowered (by introducing fresh air), it will enter the
- explosive range
- Means of extinction including the type of fire extinguisher required
- Personal Protective Equipment required for fire fighting
- Some of the storage requirements however more of this information is found
- in the reactivity data section
- VI. Reactivity Data:
- This section describes:
- The chemical stability of the product and its reactions to light, heat, moisture,
- shock and incompatible materials
- Storage requirements based on the reactivity or instability of the product
- Incompatible products that must not be mixed or stored near each other
- The need for disposal before they become extremely reactive