An MSDS provides essential safety information about chemicals, including identification, hazards, safe handling and storage, emergency response, and disposal. It has 8 sections detailing the product, ingredients, physical properties, fire risks, reactivity, health effects, proper usage, and special precautions. Employers must make MSDSs available for all hazardous chemicals and workers must be trained to understand them, in compliance with OSHA regulations. The MSDS communicates everything needed to work safely with chemicals.

1. Understanding Material Safety
Data Sheets (MSDS)
Ralph Quiazon 03/04/11

2. What’s it for?
• A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is
designed to tell you everything you need to
know about a chemical and how to use it
safely

3. Why Keep It Around?
• Occupational Safety & Health Administration
(OSHA) …yea, it’s a Federal Agency
– Hazardous Communication Standard
• Every hazardous material (listed on the chemical
hazard inventory) must have a corresponding MSDS
provided by the chemical supplier (at least on first
shipment)
– Laboratory Standard
• MSDS sheets must be kept on hand and be accessible
to personnel during work hours

4. The Eight Main Sections
1. Product Identification
2. Hazardous Ingredients
3. Physical Attributes
4. Fire & Explosion Hazard Data
5. Reactivity
6. Health Hazards
7. Usage, Handling, Storage & Disposal
8. Special Protection & Precautions

5. Product Identification
• Product name
• Other known names
• Date MSDS is prepares
• Name & address of manufacturer
• Emergency phone number
• Chemical family
• Chemical formula
• CAS#

6. Hazardous Ingredients
• Percent composition
• Chemicals present
• Exposure limits/threshold

7. Physical Attributes
• Pertinent properties
– Boiling/melting point
– Specific gravity
– Appearance/odor
– Evaporation Rate
– Etc…

8. Fire & Explosion Hazard Data
• Flashpoint
• Flammable/Combustible
• Explosive limits
• Fire extinguishing
procedures
• Conditions which may
cause fire or explosion

9. Reactivity
• Conditions to cause instability
• Incompatibility with other chemicals
• Hazardous material created during
decomposition or phase change

10. Health Hazards
• Dangers or symptoms caused by exposure
• Dangers for people with medical conditions
• Emergency & first aid procedures

11. Usage, Handling, Storage, & Disposal
• Cleanup of spills (small & large)
• Appropriate Waste Disposal
• Handling of chemical
• Proper storage

12. Special Protection, Precautions
• Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) that
should be used
• Other equipment that
may be needed
• Ventilation
• Signs that should be
posted