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What is a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)?A Material
Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is an information sheet that lists the hazards, and
safety and emergency measures related to specific products. An MSDS is required
for certain industrial products used in the workplace like paint, caulking and
cleaners. An MSDS is not required for consumer products, but may be available. What is the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)?The Workplace
Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is legislation that states the
following:
Why Would I Use a MSDS?You may want to
know if there are chemicals in consumer products that can cause adverse health
effects such as allergies or asthma.This information may be helpful if you are
interested in preventing exposure to chemicals from new products or in finding
out if existing products may be causing symptoms. This guide
describes Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and other
resources you can use to get related information. Where Can I Get a MSDS?Suppliers are
not required to provide you with an MSDS. However, you can ask them if they have
one for a commercial product that is similar to your purchase. You may also
obtain an MSDS from a data bank such as The
Canadian Centre For Occupational Health and Safety. In an emergency
situation your doctor can request an MSDS. If the product is required to have
one, the supplier is obligated to provide it to the doctor. Where Can I Get More Information?Some product
labels include a full list of ingredients. Some suppliers will provide a full
list if you ask.You can also ask the supplier's chemist for more information,
including a list of additional ingredients. Are All Ingredients Included?No. Only
specific hazardous chemicals are required on an MSDS. Some suppliers voluntarily
include additional chemicals and information. The MSDS lists
each required substance that makes up more than 1% of the product. However, if
the chemical causes cancer, respiratory sensitization, or reproductive effects,
then it must be listed if it makes up more than 0.1% How Much of A Chemical is a Problem?It is important
to consider several factors to determine if you should be concerned. For
example, the quantity, toxicity and other effects, and the potential exposures
of each chemical are important to think about. It is also important to know that
most of the information on an MSDS relates to exposure to one chemical at a
time. The information does not reflect exposure to the complex mixtures of
chemicals found in a typical home. Also, most of the information on an MSDS was
developed in relation to adult male exposures.Therefore, it may have little or
no relevance to children, women or elevated risk populations. Technical TermsThis guide uses
simple language for convenience. You may need a chemical and a medical
dictionary in order to understand a real MSDS. Listed below are some definitions
of terms you may find on an MSDS.
Guides to Reading an MSDSSeveral
organizations publish guides that are designed to help you understand an MSDS.
Listed below are some examples. The
Industrial Accident Prevention Association (IAPA) "A Users
Guide to MSDS" This is one of
the easiest guides to read. It includes many good pictures to describe technical
ideas. The
Canadian Centre For Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) A Typical MSDSYou may receive
a nine-section MSDS as required in Very little data
exists for some chemicals. However, the absence of health and environmental
effects does not mean that there are none. It means either that there is no data
on the chemical, or that the supplier did not feel it was important to include
the chemical in the MSDS. A Canadian
MSDS would have the following nine sections. Section 1: Product InformationThis section
includes:
Section 2: Hazardous IngredientsThis section
typically includes:
There may be
several names or variations for the same ingredient or chemical. Each chemical
is assigned a CAS number by the American Chemical Society. CAS numbers can help
you focus on the right chemical and not on any with a similar sounding name.
Many chemical names include numbers that must also be the same. LD50 (Lethal
Dose) or LC50 (Lethal Concentration) tests indicate how much of the chemical is
required to kill half of an animal test population. Each LD50 or LC50 result
relates to a specific animal type and exposure route. It cannot be compared to
another LD50 or LC50 unless it also refers to the same animal type and exposure
route. Whenever you try to compare information on two products, it is important
that you use equivalent information. Section 3: Chemical and Physical PropertiesThis section
includes information on the chemical and physical properties of the product.
Section 4: Fire and ExplosionThis section
describes how to prevent a fire or explosion while storing and using the
product. It also recommends how to put out a fire, if there is one. Section 5: ReactivityThis section
tells you under which conditions dangerous chemical reactions can occur. This
information explains how you can avoid dangerous mixtures and how to use
appropriate storage methods. Section 6: ToxicityThis section
includes information on acute (short term) and chronic (long term) health
effects, signs and symptoms. It tells you if the product is irritating, or can
cause sensitization, allergies, asthma, or cancer. It also tells you if the
product can interfere with normal cell and organ development (developmental and
reproductive effects), and if there are any effects that occur when this
chemical is combined with others (additive and synergistic effects). The information
in this section is based on how the product would be used in a workplace
setting. It also includes information on workplace exposure limits set by
various regulatory agencies. Each exposure is related to the route of entry,
which refers to how the chemical can enter your body. For instance, it may enter
by skin or eye contact, through the lungs (inhalation) or stomach (by
swallowing). MSDS's usually
do not include much information on some of the things consumers may be
interested in, such as neurological (nerves and the brain), hormonal, and
cognitive (learning) effects. This section may
be less relevant for residential settings where long-term exposures to low doses
and complex chemical mixes are more common. Also, since most of the information
was developed in relation to adult male exposures, it may be less relevant in
residential settings where at-risk populations such as children, the infirm and
the elderly live. Section 7: PreventionThis section
tells you if you need to wear special clothing, or use ventilation and filter
masks to protect yourself when using the product. Section 8: First AidThis section
tells you what to do in an accident or emergency situation. Section 9: PreparationThis section
tells you who wrote the MSDS, their address and telephone number, and the date
when it was written or last revised. An MSDS is valid for three years after it
is produced or last revised. Additional MSDS InformationThere may be
additional sections in an MSDS with more information on environmental effects.
For example, information may include effects on birds, plants, animals, and
micro-organisms; recommended disposal and transportation methods; regulatory
issues and miscellaneous data. Other Information Sources For Chemical IngredientsThere are many
sources of additional information, including The
Canadian Chemical Producers Association, The
Canadian Centre For Occupational Health and Safety, industry associations,
universities, environmental organizations, federal and provincial ministries,
the library and the Internet. As well, there are chemical, health and
environmental indexes in the library, on disc or on the Internet. To perform a
general search on the Internet, type in "chemical abstracts" or
"environmental abstracts". These searches will provide a list of
appropriate information sources. Both libraries and the Internet have chemical
and environmental abstracts that list most of the available information sources
under appropriate categories. If you cannot
get information on regulated or unregulated ingredients in a product, you can
look in a chemical formula text book that lists typical formulas for many
products.You can also read consumer versions that highlight both the typical
ingredients in consumer products and their health effects.These sources may be
helpful but should not be relied upon since there are many ways to make the same
product. Once you know
the chemical name and/or CAS number, you can search a chemical index. Keep in
mind that some of these agencies are not set up to serve the public and may not
be able or willing to provide full service responses. ResourcesThe following
are typical examples of chemical and chemical effects resources. Some only list
Web sites since information from these resources is primarily available through
the Internet. Art and Craft
Material Institute Chemical
Abstracts Service (CAS) Chemport EPA,
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse The
Industrial Accident Prevention Association Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency |
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