SDSs and MSDSs

Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are product data sheets prepared by the manufacturer or importer of a hazardous material. They describes the product, its hazards, and safe handling and response procedures.

MSDSs are the older format data sheets. They have been聽replaced by the new SDSs required by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration's 2012 External link., which incorporated many of the GHS recommendations into U.S. law.

By law, an聽SDS for each chemical used in a workplace must be available at that location. An SDS also must accompany the first shipment of a hazardous chemical.

SDSs have a very specific format and have 16 sections:

  1. Identification
  2. Hazard(s) identification
  3. Composition/information on ingredients
  4. First-aid measures
  5. Fire-fighting measures
  6. Accidental release measures
  7. Handling and storage
  8. Exposure controls/personal protection
  9. Physical and chemical properties
  10. Stability and reactivity
  11. Toxicological information
  12. Ecological information
  13. Disposal considerations
  14. Transport information
  15. Regulatory information
  16. Other information

Using an SDS (or MSDS) During an Incident

Note:聽MSDSs have limitations! Common problems include vague or difficult language, errors, and missing information. MSDSs prepared by different manufacturers or importers for the same chemical may contain different鈥攅ven conflicting鈥攊nformation. More info on MSDS limitationsMore info on MSDS limitations

MSDS Limitations

Many responders use multiple information sources to research chemicals, not just an MSDSMaterial Safety Data Sheet. Older style product data sheet prepared by the manufacturer or marketer of a hazardous material; describes product, its hazards, and safe handling and response procedures. These have been replaced by Safety Data Sheets. See also SDS. alone.

One basis for their decision is a 1999 EPAU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov). alert to emergency responders recommending against using MSDSs as their sole source of chemical information.

The alert was issued after two incidents in which faulty MSDSs were implicated in the deaths of responders. In one case, an MSDS lacked information about the explosionA chemical or physical process in which the rate at which energy is being generated exceeds its ability to escape to its surrounding environment. The hazards of an explosion can include a shock wave (especially near the point of explosion) and projectiles generated by the shock wave. hazards of a stored pesticide that exploded violently. In another incident, an MSDS recommended applying water spray to a water-reactiveCan react vigorously when mixed with water or steam or when spilled into water; the reaction may generate hazardous gas or overpressurize a container. material.

In a 1995 study, researchers reviewed 150 MSDSs. About one in 10 of these MSDSs misidentified the dangerous materials, about two-thirds had missing or wrong information about health effects, more than half provided wrong information about exposure levels, and about a quarter recommended wrong first aid measures. Only one in 10 included satisfactory information.

References:

  • Kolp, P., P. Williams, and R. Burtan. 1995. "Assessment of the Accuracy of Material Safety Data Sheets." American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 56 (2):178-183.
  • U.S. EPA. 1999. "External link.." (PDF).

When you respond to an incident involving a hazardous substance, check other information sources about that chemical:

  • Primary Points of Contact: Check with the shipper and/or consigneePerson (or business) to whom a shipment is sent. if appropriate, as well as the 24-hour point of contact for the substance.
  • CAMEO 365bet娱乐: Search for substances in the database by name, UN/NA numberUnited Nations-North American number. (Also UN number or DOT number.) Four-digit number identifying an individual chemical or group of chemicals with similar characteristics. Required on shipping papers; often shown on placards. The four-digit number is often preceded by UN (such as UN1219)., or other identifiersNames, identification numbers, and other information used to identify a chemical.. Compare the CAMEO 365bet娱乐' description of the listed material against physical clues you find on scene.
  • Emergency Response Guidebook. You can look up chemicals by name or UN/NA number in the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) or in CAMEO 365bet娱乐 (where the ERG information is displayed on the UN/NA datasheets).
  • CHEMTREC
  • Other online chemical factsheets, databases, and guides

Online Resources

  • External link.聽- Defines and discusses many terms typically found on SDSs and聽MSDSs.
  • External link.聽- Overview of SDSs.