Material Safety Data Sheets

Material Safety Data Sheets, commonly called MSDSs, are important documents that contain useful information for workers performing tasks associated with chemicals and other hazardous materials. It is important to understand a workers rights to access MSDSs, and to understand the purpose of the document.

The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Canadian national and provincial regulations require use of the MSDS associated with any chemical classified as either a health hazard or a physical hazard. Right-to-know laws, which may differ slightly depending on location, require employees to have access to MSDSs that contain complete, accurate and up-to-date information.

MSDSs must contain, at a minimum, the following information regarding a specific product:

1. Chemical Identity
2. Manufacturers Contact Information
3. Hazardous Ingredients/Trade Secrets/ Exposure Limits
4. Physical/Chemical Characteristics
5. Fire and Explosion Hazard Data
6. Reactivity Data
7. Health Hazard Data
8. Precautions for Safe Handling and Care
9. Control Measures

Employees should have "ready access" to MSDSs, free of any barriers that may hinder locating, reading and understanding the MSDSs. Review of MSDSs should take place before using a hazardous material, not after it becomes a problem. Workers should be trained in what these are, where they are and how they are used.