MSDSs
Hazard Communication Program
5.0 MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS
MSDSs are the most basic source of hazardous chemical information. An employer shall have an MSDS for each hazardous chemical used in the workplace. The MSDS summarizes the chemical's properties, the health and physical hazards, and related safety information.
5.1 Departmental Responsibilities
Departments must maintain copies of the required MSDS for each hazardous chemical in the workplace and must ensure that these copies are readily available to faculty, staff, and students during each work shift when they are in their work areas and to emergency response personnel. The term readily available means quickly and easily accessible at any time for information and emergency use. Alternate means of keeping MSDSs, such as electronic access, microfiche, and CD-ROM, are permitted as long as no barriers to immediate employee access are created by their use. MSDS databases on the Internet are not an acceptable alternative for keeping workplace MSDSs.
A department receiving an MSDS with an order shall keep a copy and send the original to ORS for the central repository. A department that does not receive an MSDS within a few days after an order arrives should check if the MSDS was sent to ORS. MSDSs received at ORS rarely include any information on who placed the order. If the MSDS identifies the individual placing the order, ORS will send a copy of the MSDS to that individual. ORS will assist a department in obtaining MSDSs. Obsolete MSDSs, which must be kept on file for 30 years, should be sent to ORS. The central repository in the ORS office serves as a long-term, hard-copy file as well as a backup source of information to University departments.
5.2 Manufacturers' and Importers' Responsibilities
The OSHA HCS requires chemical manufacturers and importers to assess the physical and health hazards associated with the chemicals they produce or repackage. This information must be supplied to employers by means of labels and MSDSs. Manufacturers, importers, and distributors must supply an MSDS with the first shipment of any hazardous chemical. They must revise an MSDS within three months after receiving any "significant new information" and supply an updated MSDS whenever changes are made.
5.3 Information Contained on MSDSs
OSHA requires that each MSDS be in English (although the employer may maintain copies in other languages as well) and contain at least the following information.
- National Toxicology Program (NTP) Annual Report on Carcinogens
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs
- OSHA list of cancer suspect agents
The chemical identity, as used on the container label, shall appear on the MSDS.
5.3.2 Physical and Chemical Characteristics
The physical and chemical characteristics of the hazardous chemical shall appear on the MSDS. Examples include vapor pressure, appearance, odor, and flash point.
The health hazards of the hazardous chemical, including signs and symptoms of exposure, and any medical conditions that are generally recognized as being aggravated by exposure to the chemical shall be listed on the MSDS. See section 3.1 for the definition of health hazard.
The physical hazards of the hazardous chemical shall be listed on the MSDS. See section 3.2 for the definition of physical hazard.
The hazardous chemical's primary route(s) of entry shall be listed on the MSDS. Chemicals may enter the body through the following routes: inhalation, ingestion, injection, and skin or eye contact.
The chemical manufacturer, importer, distributor, or employer preparing the MSDS shall include the OSHA permissible exposure limit, ACGIH Threshold Limit Value, and any other exposure limit used or recommended by the individual(s) preparing the MSDS.
The chemical manufacturer, importer, distributor, or employer preparing the MSDS shall provide information that identifies carcinogens. OSHA cites the following three sources that list known or suspected carcinogens:
5.3.8 Safe Handling and Use
The chemical manufacturer, importer, distributor, or employer preparing the MSDS shall include precautions for safe handling and use of the hazardous chemical. The MSDS shall provide information on proper protective clothing and respiratory protection. Spill control and clean-up procedures shall also be provided on the MSDS.
The MSDS shall list applicable exposure control measures for the hazardous chemical. Exposure control measures may include the use of engineering controls (e.g., localized ventilation), safe working procedures, or personal protective equipment (e.g., respirators).
5.3.10 Emergency and First Aid Procedures
The MSDS shall provide emergency and first aid information.
The MSDS shall provide the date of preparation or the date it was last revised.
The MSDS shall have the name, address and telephone number of the chemical manufacturer, importer, distributor, employer, or other responsible party who prepared it. The individual who prepared the MSDS may then be contacted, if necessary, to provide additional information on the hazardous chemical or appropriate emergency procedures.
Currently there are no OSHA regulations that standardize the format and quality of the information presented on an MSDS.
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Last Revision 05/16/2007
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