MSDS Contents

• A Material Safety Data Sheet contains all pertinent information related to a substance or material used in the work place. It lists the procedures for handling, storing, cleaning and using the product safely. Aside from listing its contents, an MSDS also communicates physical characteristics about the product such as toxicity, fire point and melting point.
  
  

MSDS Targeted Audience

• MSDS sheets are intended for workers and emergency responders who may expose themselves to hazardous materials at work. They are used by fire fighters and hazardous clean-up crews to help identify and properly address a situation involving hazardous materials.
  
  

History

• In 1986, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) first began requiring MSDS information be made available to workers and personnel who might encounter a substance in the work place.
  
  

Format

• A standard format does not exist for the MSDS sheet in the U.S. However, OSHA recommends the standard format established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) be used in the development of all safety data sheets. The ANSI standard lists 16 sections to be included (as applicable) into every MSDS sheet published. Elements of the format include:
  
  Substance identity
  Chemical composition
  Hazard identification
  First aid measures
  Fire fighting measures
  
  

Requirements

• The Hazard Communication Standard of the U.S. code of federal regulations dictates that all chemicals be evaluated and the resulting information communicated to all workers concerning their potential hazards. The responsibility for enforcing this code rests on OSHA. The Environmental Protection Agency, as well as many state agencies, also has rules and laws that govern the use of MSDS information.