Cheat Sheet; Understanding The MSDS and Your Obligations In The Workplace To Employees



Learn Management Articles on management-info.biz. Cheat Sheet; Understanding The MSDS and Your Obligations In The Workplace To Employees article will help answer your questions on Management Articles.We at management-info.biz specialize in Management Articles. Management Articles at management-info.biz provides the most up to date news and articles. If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

MSDS SHEETS

MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheets. MSDS sheets contain nine sections. These sections are:

I. General Information

II. Ingredients

III. Physical Data

IV. Fire and Explosion Hazard Data

V. Health Hazard Information

VI. Reactivity Data

VII. Spill, Leak and Disposal Procedures VIII. Special Handling Information

IX. User’s Responsibility

At the top of each sheet is a square on end. It looks like a diamond shape. It is broken into four squares inside this diamond shape. The squares mean:

Top Square (Fire)

Left Square (Toxic)

Right Square (Reaction)

Bottom Square (Special)

In each square there is a number from zero to four. The numbers equal:

Four = Extreme

Three = High

Two = Moderate

One = Slight

Zero = Insignificant

This indicates how safe or volatile the product is. It also gives you an indication of whether the fumes are dangerous, if it is flammable, if it will react adversely with other chemical or if it is radioactive or biologically unsafe.

Section I, the general information section, contains information such as:

Who prepared the MSDS Sheet

The product’s trade name and type of chemical

Which chemical family the product belongs to

Basic formula

Name and address of manufacturer

DOT shipping classification

DOT Hazard classification

Section II contains ingredients. Generally only hazardous ingredients will be listed. It will normally be in chart form:

Name of component

CAS number

Percentage of hazardous chemicals

Concentration in parts per million

Section III contains physical data, things that you probably learned in chemistry class:

Boiling point
Vapor pressure
Vapor density
Solubility in water
Odor
Appearance and color
Gravity in terms of water
Percentage which is or could be volatile
Reactivity, if any, in water
Ph Level

Section IV contains fire and explosion data such as:

Flash point What will extinguish it if it catches fire Flammable limits Any special fire fighting procedures Any unusual hazards regarding fire and explosion

Section V contains health hazard information and what happens when:

Product vapor is inhaled

Product comes in contact with skin, eyes, etc.

Product is swallowed

It tells you what symptoms to expect and what should be done including any first aid or emergency procedures.

Section VI contains information regarding the product’s reactivity with other elements and common compounds. It discusses conditions to avoid, the product’s stability or instability and it’s decomposition.

Section VII contains information regarding spill response procedures including any special state, federal or local laws to be met.

Section VIII contains information regarding special handling. It is basically a catch-all section for anything not covered by other sections. Items such as:

Respiratory Protection

Eye Protection

Gloves

Ventilation

Engineering Controls

are not uncommon in this section. Sometimes you will find equipment discussed here. Special equipment that the manufacturer recommends for CYA purposes in case something goes wrong.

Section IX contains information regarding the user’s responsibility. It is a disclaimer section that manufacturers generally use to avoid law suits. Usually they pass the buck by saying people using this product should maintain a safe work place at all times and have in written form a safety manual for employees, workers and independent contractors.

Following all these sections is a blown out of proportion disclaimer usually written in plain English by an attorney releasing the product manufacturer from any responsibility what so ever and further more disavows the manufacturers from any mistakes in the MSDS sheet therein. MSDS sheets must be kept on the truck at all times for all the chemicals you use. We suggest you keep these sheets in out in the open in a binder with clear plastic sheets covering each page to insure that you are in compliance with your obligation to the OSHA “Right to Know Rules”.



Pc Pandora. - Ultimate surveillance software. Records all web sites visted, all keystrokes typed, all incoming and outgoing e-mails.
Living By Zen (Timeless Truths) - Discover The 2,000 Year Old Zen Secret Of Staying Calm, Balanced And Positive No Matter What Is going On In Your Life.


Article Index: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81


More Articles:


1. The Significance of the Mundane By Robert Abbott
This article begins with a tip of the hat to a scholarly publication called the Journal of Mundane Behavior. Unlike other publications, which herald important issues, this one trumpets everyday, but rarely noticed, behaviors. It sees what the rest of us overlook because that stuff is so, well, mundane (my dictionary defines 'mundane' as being ordinary or common).For example, I just read an article in the Journal about beards and shaving, one that interests me because I've had a beard for almos…

2. The Use of Goals - Friend or Foe?
As a society we are achievement driven, recognized for our tangible contributions to the world. The examples of this are everywhere: At school we are praised for doing well at tests and reading to certain levels. At work we are rewarded for achieving specific objectives. On the sporting field our athletes are heralded for their victories. Public organisations are required to share their goals with the world. The penalties for failing to achieve them are collapsing share prices and reduced invest…

3. Cultural Awareness - an HR Perspective By N. A. Johnson
The use of cultural awareness training has increased rapidly in the majority of global companies over the last decade.My experience working in global companies in which effective cross-cultural functioning was critical, involved the devotion of considerable time and energies to ensuring that cultural training needs were identified and accommodated as necessary.This commitment to bridging cultural gaps represents a perceptible shift in attitudes amongst British company global thinking. This is …

4. Creativity and Innovation Management – Psychological Reward By Kal Bishop
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development …