Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is designed to provide both workers and emergency personnel with the proper procedures for handling or working with a particular substance. MSDS's include information such as physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point, ect) toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, protective equipments, and spill/leak procedures.

Your Rights

1. Workplace is required to have Material Safety Data Sheets available for every single hazardous chemical or substance you use or encounter as a part of your job.

2. These must be readily available for employee review at all times you are in the workplace! In other words, they cannot be locked in an office or filing cabinet to which you do not have access.

If you do not know where the MSDSs for your area are kept, find out!

The following video is a supplement to the training session.

MSDS in Quicktime Movie

Sections of an MSDS and Their Significance

What Information is Provided on an MSDS?

• Company Information
• Hazardous Ingredients
• Physical Data
• Fire and Explosion Hazard Data
• Health Hazard Data
• Reactivity(Instability) Data
• Spill or Leak Procedures
• Special Protection Information
• Special Precautions

OSHA specifies the information to be included on an MSDS, but does not prescribe the precise format for an MSDS. A non-mandatory MSDS form that meets the Hazard Communication Standard requirements has been issued and can be used as is or expanded as needed. The MSDS must be in English and must include at least the following information:

Section I. Chemical Identity

• The chemical and common name(s) must be provided for single chemical substances.
• An identity on the MSDS must be cross-referenced to the identity found on the label.

Trade name: Acetone
Synonyms: Dimethylformaldehyde, dimethyl ketone, 2-propanone, pyroacetic acid, pyroacetic ether
Comany Identification: Fischer Scientific, 1 Reagent Lane, Fairlawn, NJ 07410
Emergency Number: 201-796-7100
For CHEMTREC assistance, call 800-424-9300

• Chemical and common names of all ingredients determined to be health hazards and comprising less than 1 percent (0.1 percent for carcinogens) of the mixture must also be listed if they can still exceed an established Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) or Threshold Limit Value (TLV) or present a health risk to exposed employees in these concentrations.

• Permissible exposure level (PEL) tells how much (the concentration) of an air contaminant a worker can be exposed to for 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, over a working lifetime of 30 years without suffering adverse health effects

• Threshold limit value (TLV) is a term used to express how much of a substance in the air nearly everyone can be exposed to day after day, without adverse effects. The TLV is expressed in three ways:
  • TLV-TWA = the allowable time-weighted average concentration for a normal 8 hour workday or 40 hour work week.
  • TLV-STEL = the Short-Time Exposure Limit, or maximum concentration for a continuous 15 minute exposure period. The most allowed are four such periods in a workday, with at least 60 minutes between exposure periods, as long as the TLV-TWA is not exceeded.
  • TLV-C - the Ceiling limit of the amount of concentration that should not be exceeded, even for brief periods.

Acetone (CAS# 67-64-1)
Chemical Name: 2-propanone
Percentage: 99%
EINECS Number: 200-662-2

Section III. Health Hazards

• The acute and chronic health hazards, together with signs and symptoms of exposure, are be listed. Any medical conditions that are aggravated by exposure to the compound are included. The specific types of chemical health hazards defined in the standard include carcinogens, corrosives, toxins, irritants, sensitizers, mutagens, teratogens, and effects on target organs.

• The physical and chemical characteristics of the hazardous substance include the general appearance and odor, freezing/melting points, boiling points, vapor density, vapor pressure, specific gravity, solubility, and volatility.

• The route of entry section describes the primary pathway by which the chemical enters the body. There are three principal routes of entry: inhalation, skin, and ingestion.

• If the compound is listed as a carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) by OSHA, the National Toxicology Program (NTP), or the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), this information must be indicated on the MSDS.

Section IV. First Aid Measures

• If accidental overexposure is suspected, this section will provide treatment advice for the eyes, skin, inhalation, and ingestion. In addition it will provide advice to the attending physician as well as medical conditions likey to be aggravated by the exposure.

Eyes: Flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes......
Skin: Flush skin with plenty of soap and water for at least 15 minutes .......
Ingestion: If victim is conscious and alert, give 2-4 cups of milk or water.......
Inhalation: Get medical aid immediately. Remove from exposure to fresh air.....
Note to Physician: Treat symptomatically and supportively. No specific antidote exists.

Section V. Fire Fighting Measures

• The compound's potential for fire an explosion must be described. Also, the fire hazards of the chemical and the conditions under which it could ignite or explode must be identified. Recommended extinguishing agents and fire-fighting methods must be described.

Section VI. Accidental Release Measures

• Outlines the procedures to be followed in case of accidental release of the chemical, including methods to be used to clean up spills. Note that these measures are unlikely to be sufficiently detailed if the chemical is particularly hazardous, and local procedures should be drawn up to supplement whatis given in the MSDS sheet. in case of a leak or a spill and methods for cleaning up that can be done by a trained individual. The more serious hazardous spills should be handled by professionals.

Section VII. Precautions for Safe Handling and Use

• The standard requires the preparer to describe the precautions for safe handling and use. These include recommended industrial hygiene practices, precautions to be taken during repair and maintenance of equipment, and procedures for cleaning up spills and leaks. Some manufacturers also use this section to include useful information not specifically required by the standard, such as EPA waste disposal methods and state and local requirements.

Storage: Requirements to be met by storerooms and receptacles: Store in a cool location. Store away from oxidizing agents ......

Section VIII. Control Measures

• Additional information about design of technical systems: Properly operating chemical fume hood designed for hazardous chemicals and having an average face velocity of at least 100 feet per minute. Components with limit values that require monitoring at the workplace: Benzene mg/m3 ml/m3 ACGIH TLV short term 1.6 0.5 ACGIH TLV long term 8 2.5 B VME 1,6 0,5 ..............

Personal protective equipment General protective and hygienic measures The usual precautionary measures for handling chemicals should be followed. Keep away from foodstuffs, beverages and feed. Remove all soiled and contaminated clothing immediately................ Wash hands before breaks and at the end of work. Breathing equipment:...........
Protection of hands: Impervious gloves
Eye protection: Safety glasses, Full face protection ..........

Example of a MSDS for Hexane

 Quiz for the Hexane MSDS