What The !@#$%^&* Is A MSDS?

How to Read and Interpret a Material Safety Data Sheet!

Objective
to concisely inform you about the hazards of materials you work with so that you can protect yourself and respond to an emergency acts as a crystal ball - if you study it, you will see the future

Purpose
the materials physical properties or fastacting health effects that make it dangerous to handle the level of protective gear you need the first aid treatment to be provided when you are exposed to a hazard the preplanning needed for safely handling spills, fires, and day-to-day operations

A Material is Considered Hazardous If- specifically listed in the law, 29CFR Part 1910, Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances (the Z list) assigned a Threshold Limit Value (TLV) by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, Inc (ACGIH)

 determined to be cancer causing, corrosive, toxic, an irritant, a sensitizer, or has damaging effects on specific body organs

The MSDS Format

must be in English have a heading cover 16 different informational categories

Heading
name and address of the manufacturer telephone numbers
transportation emergency number nontransportation information and emergency numbers

Categories of Information
1. Chemical Production Information product name product code chemical family chemical name synonyms formula

Chemical Product Information

Categories
2. Composition/Information on Ingredients
ingredient name CAS number exposure limits concentration (%) names of hazardous ingredients

Composition/Information on Ingredients

Categories
3. Hazards Identification
emergency overview,i.e.,Danger! Toxic potential health effects routes of entry human effects & symptoms of overexposure acute effects of overexposure chronic effects of overexposure carcinogenicity medical conditions aggravated by exposure

Hazards Identification

Categories
4. First Aid Measures
first aid for eyes first aid for skin first aid for inhalation first aid for ingestion note to physician

First Aid Measures

Categories
5. Fire Fighting Measures
flash point flammable limits
upper explosive limit (UEL)(%) lower explosive limit (LEL)(%)

extinguishing media special fire fighting procedures

Fire Fighting Measures

Categories
6. Accidental Release Measures
spill or leak procedures

Categories
7. Handling and Storage
storage temperature (min/max) shelf life special sensitivity handling/storage precautions

Handling and Storage

Categories
8. Personal Protection
eye protection requirements skin protection requirements ventilation requirements respirator requirements medical surveillance additional protective measures

PPE

PPE

Categories
9. Physical and Chemical Properties
physical form color odor odor threshold molecular weight boiling point melting/freezing point solubility in water

specific gravity bulk density % volatile by volume vapor pressure vapor density

Physical and Chemical Properties

Categories
10. Stability and Reactivity
stability hazardous polymerization incompatibilities instability conditions decomposition products

Stability and Reactivity

Categories
11. Toxicological Information
Acute Toxicity
oral LD50 dermal LD50 inhalation LC50 eye effects skin effects sensitization

Subchronic Toxicity Chronic Toxicity

Carcinogenicity Mutagenicity Developmental Toxicity Reproduction Neurotoxicity

Toxicological Information

Categories
12. Ecological Information

13. Disposal Information

Categories
14. Transportation Information
technical shipping name freight class package product label DOT (Domestic Surface)
proper shipping name UN/UA number packing group DOT product RQ lbs. (kgs) hazard label(s)

 hazard placard(s)

IMO / IMDG Code (Ocean)

proper shipping name hazard class division number UN number packing group hazard(s) hazard placard(s)

ICAO / IATA (Air)

proper shipping name

 hazard class division number UN number subsidiary risk packing group hazard label(s) radioactivity passenger air - max. qty passenger packing instructions cargo air - max. qty cargo passenger packing instructions

Categories
15. Regulatory Information
OSHA status TSCA status CERLA Reportable Quantity
SARA Title III
Section 302 Extremely Hazardous Substances Section 311/312 Hazard Categories Section313

RCRA Status

Regulatory Information

Categories
16. Other Information
NFPA 704M Ratings Reason for Issue Prepared by: Approved by: Title: Approval Date: Supersedes Date MSDA number

Other Information

Disclaimers
no warranties, expressed or implied

MSDS
is an OSHA document not an EPA document not part of the labeling unless received at the time of purchase

READ THE LABEL! Read The Label!

UNDERSTAND THE LABEL

FOLLOW THE LABEL

Their Legacy is the Land. May they Find it as Beautiful and as Bountiful as their Forbearers Did

Mary L. Grodner, Ph.D.

Pesticide Coordinator LSU AgCenter 225/578-2180 phone 225/578-7829 fax mgrodner@agctr.lsu.edu www.agctr.lsu.edu