MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS

Click here for MSDS's.

PROGRAM STATEMENT
The Right-to-Know Act requires that all agencies must make Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available to employees and students. A MSDS is written and provided by the manufacturer of the material, and it contains information on the properties of the material. and make available any MSDS otherwise acquired from manufacturers, suppliers, or importers. MSDS are kept in central building locations and at the EH&S Office.

Understanding MSDS information
Product Information:
This section lists the manufacturer's name, address and emergency phone number. It lists the chemical name, trade name, any synonyms, and the chemical abstract service number. These numbers are used for researching information on chemicals.

Product Name:
Commercial or marketing name.

Synonym:
Approved chemical name and/or synonyms.

Chemical Family:
Group of chemical with related physical and chemical properties.
Formula: Chemical formula or conventional scientific definition for a material.

CAS Number:
Number assigned to chemicals or materials by the Chemical Abstracts Service.

Hazardous lngredients Identity
This section lists the hazardous ingredients and the percentage of each in the substance. Note that some mixtures might contain several hazardous ingredients. You also see something called the T L V or Threshold Limit Value. That's the concentration of a substance believed to be safe for nearly all workers to be exposed to day after day. It's believed no harmful effects occur if your exposureisbelowtheThresholdLimitValue. Threshold Limit Values are established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists and are updated annually. Not all substances have established threshold limit values. Turpentine, for example, has a T L V of 100 parts per million. Just as a comparison one part in a million is one inch to 16 miles. Other chemicals that are more dangerous have even lower T L V's.

Physical & Chemical Characterisstic
This section of the MSDS gives you information about the physical properties of the substance and thus vital clues about how you should handle, transport and store the substance. Here you'll find things like:

Boiling Point...That's a measure of evaporation rate; low boiling point-faster evaporation...
Vapor,Pressure...also a measure of how fast the substance evaporates; higher pressure faster evaporation...
Vapor Density...is an indication of whether it sinks or rises in air. That suggests whether you'll find the fumes or vapors near the ceiling or the floor. Densities above one tend to sink to the floor.... but keep in mind that air currents can cause vapors to rise or fall.
Water Soluble...this section of the MSDS tells if the substance is water-soluble...that is, dissolves in water.
Specific Gravity...tells you whether the substance sinks or floats in water. Specific gravities higher than one will sink, lower will float...
Volatility...tells you how much will evaporate. For example, turpentine which is 98% volatile it means an open container will evaporate until only two per cent is left....It lists
Evaporation Rate...high numbers are fast, low are slower. And it tells you what the substance looks and smells like.
Other Petfinent Physical Data...information such as freezing point is given, as appropriate.

Fire & Explosion Data
This section of the MSDS gives you information on fire prevention procedures. The FlashPoint is the lowest temperature at which the material will give off vapors, which could burn. Turpentine, for example, has a flash point of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. So, you can see that on a hot summer day a spark could ignite the turpentine vapors.

This section also tells you what will extinguish a fire if the substance is burning; tells you of any special fire fighting procedure and what personal protective equipment is needed when fighting a fire.... You'll find warning of any unusual fire and explosion hazards.

Now, before we look further at the MSDS, let's look at some terms you commonly see. We can categorize chemicals in three general classes:

• corrosives/irritants;
  poisons/toxics; and
  flammables/ignitables.

Each class might contain chemicals in the form of solids, liquids or gases. You may work with chemical substances in any one or all of these classes during your workday. For example, Drano contains sodium hydroxide, a solid that is a corrosive/irritant --- and ammonia is a gas that's a corrosive/irritant.

The poison/toxic class includes the solid potassium cyanide, the liquid mercury, and the gas hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is a common constituent of sewer gas.

Flammables/ignitables include the solid metal sodium, the liquid gasoline, and the gas hydrogen.

Exposure to any of these chemicals can cause hann in a variety of ways. But exposure does not always have harmful effects. There are many factors, which determine whether you will be harmed by exposure. These factors include the concentration of the substance; your personal susceptibility to the substance; and how you come in contact with the substance. You see, our bodies can recover without adverse health effects from small bombardments of chemicals. If that were not true we would never have survived years of exposure to cigarettes and automobile exhaust.

Hazardous substances can have Acute or Chronic effects on our bodies. Acute effects are immediate reactions to short term exposure -- dizziness or intoxication is an acute reaction from alcohol consumption.

Chronic effects are adverse effects that develop slowly over a long period of time or after repeated prolonged exposure; cirrhosis of the liver is a chronic effect of alcohol consumption.

If a substance causes cancer it is said to be a Carcinogen. Many carcinogens are also Mutagens, substances that can cause a change if the genetic material in your cells and may cause birth defects in your children.

Other substances are Teratogens, which can cause damage to a fetus. Women of childbearing age and pregnant women, especially, should avoid contact with these.

We come in contact with hazardous substances in many ways. Just by breathing we can bring substances into our bodies. Irritants, like ammonia, wam us to get away from the danger, but not all hazards are lung or nasal irritants. It's also possible to breathe enough contaminated air that our bodies can absorb lethal doses of chemicals into the bloodstream without any warning.

Another common way we are exposed to hazardous substances is by skin contact. This contact may not cause any effect because of the skin barrier, or it might result in an immediate skin irritation. Or it might sensitize you and produce an allergic reaction whenever you are exposed to that substance again.

You should also know that some liquids could be absorbed directly through the skin into your bloodstream. This can happen when you use a solvent like gasoline to remove grease from your hands.

You can also swallow hazardous chemicals. This can happen when you handle chemicals then eat without thoroughly washing your hands -- as many of us often do.

Health Hazard Data
This section tells us about health effects of overexposure and suggested emergency procedures if you should incur an emergency situation.

Reactivity Data
This section of the MSDS identifies chemical reactivity data for the substance. It tells you how stable the chemical is, what dangers exist when it comes in contact with other common chemicals, what hazardous materials are produced when the substance is burned, heated or what decomposition products can be produced. This section also tells you what conditions to avoid in storing the chemical.

Spill or Leak Procedures
This section of the material safety data sheet deals with steps to be taken in case the material spills or leaks. It lists precautions for safe handling such as: avoid breathing gases or vapors, or avoid skin contact, or remove sources of ignition. This section also tells you about special methods of disposal required for spilled material.

In the event of any spill or leak, contact the safety office immediately to provide additional expert advice for clean up and disposal of hazardous materials.

Special Protection Data
This section of the MSDS describes special, personal protective equipment for people who must handle the substance. Personal protective equipment can help control or prevent exposure of your body to hazardous substances.

Respirators can filter harmful chemicals from the air you breathe. If a respirator is recommended, make sure its design is approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) or by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Many different types of respirators and cartridges are available. Proper selection of the right type of respirator cartridge is based on the specific chemical you use. Self contained breathing apparatus, more commonly known as airpacs, provide a separate air supply and can be used to protect you from high levels of all chemicals.

Gloves, boots, lab coats, coveralls and jump suits of the correct materials can control contact of chemicals with your skin. Not all gloves will protect you from all chemicals. Know what type of protective glove, footwear or clothing you should wear. Safety glasses, preferably with side shields and face shields, can protect you from flying objects.

Chemical splash goggles can protect you from chemical splashes. Note the difference between these and safety glasses that do not offer splash protection.

You should wear appropriate safety equipment and insist that co-workers do the same. Other safety devices you should know about include the emergency drench shower and the eyewash station or eyewash bottle.

Special Precautions
This section lists special precautions for handling the chemical. This includes information about the environment in which the substance should be stored. Must it be dry?, warm?, cool?, electrically grounded? or have other special controls?

Your personal safety is dependent on your knowledge of potential dangers of hazardous substances and your application of procedures to reduce those dangers. Always read labels and follow the instructions on them. If you still have questions refer to the material safety data sheet. Remember that you are only as safe as the nearest negligent worker is.