With the introduction of MSDS or Material Safety Data Sheets, the world has become a safer place. The concept of MSDS is that every manufacturer of hazardous chemicals is responsible to ensure that MSDS preparation directions are complied with. MSDS is required to be made available to any person who is engaged with these hazardous chemicals.
MSDS preparation is mandatory for the manufacturer and the stockists, the importer and the exporter though the ultimate responsibility rests with the producer. These data sheets are expected to display all the details regarding the hazardous chemicals, their composition and the physical data such as the vapor pressure and odor besides the boiling point and the extent to which it reacts with other substances. MSDS will include the hazards due to fire and explosion or burns and the manner in which these hazards can be controlled. The protective equipment will be stipulated as well as the first aid measures and the risks to health besides the disposal instructions in respect of the hazardous chemical. Besides these details the full particulars of the producer and stockists or supplier will need to be mentioned in the MSDS.
WHMIS MSDS lays down the details pertaining to MSDS authoring software and meeting the needs of MSDS preparation. Some of the regulatory bodies for MSDS are NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the OSHA or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Environment Protection Agency or EPA. WHMIS lays down the regulatory compliance services that are MSDS authoring and label compliance besides regulatory consultancy and government submissions as well as technical translations whenever these are required. The WHMIS also details the advantages in terms of increased efficiency, time and cost savings that you can gain when you outsource chemical product compliance. These outsourcing agencies monitor changes in government regulations and are therefore in a position to act diligently on your behalf. The importance and mandatory nature of MSDS is well known. It is a good idea to entrust the task of MSDS compliance with an agency that is competent to act on your behalf in this direction.