subject: Importance Of Msds Services A Brief [print this page] What is MSDS? What is MSDS?
MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet. The MSDS process incorporates: -
MSDS is a document relating to a chemical substance
MSDS covers the chemical composition of the product, its name and essential physical properties, which include its boiling point, vapor pressure, reactivity and odor
It defines the hazards including fire and exposure and safety measures including
protective gear associated with the chemical substance
It includes the toxicity and whether carcinogenic
It covers the precautions and care to be taken for the storage, handling and transportation of the substance
The procedure to be taken in cases of spillage and leakage should be defined
Why is MSDS Important?
All personnel involved in the production, handling and storage of chemical substances should be aware of the pertinent MSDS. It becomes mandatory that when hazardous chemical substances are being transported, the vehicles carry the relevant MSDS. In case of any accident involving the vehicle, the MSDS would help the emergency and rescue services to deal with the situation effectively. This is equally applicable in the working environment, which includes production, testing, packing and storage sections. In this environment MSDS should be prominently displayed at all times.
Regulatory Bodies and MSDS Authoring:
Some of the regulatory bodies are : -
Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH
Environment Protection Agency or EPA
There are a number of agencies, which offer MSDS authoring services for Safety Data Sheets in the USA, Canada, Mexico and other countries. These agencies are professionally competent and fully conversant with the regulatory provisions and MSDS authoring.
Finally, MSDS is the product of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and labeling of chemical substances, the initiative for which was taken at the United Nations. A uniform standard of approach would also permit trading in chemicals.
