What Is An MSDS(MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET)?

What Is An MSDS?

A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is used by chemical manufacturers and importers to convey both the physical hazards (pH, flashpoint, flammability, etc.) and the health hazards (carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, etc.) of their chemicals to the end user

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 16 POINTs of MSDS TEMPLATE

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET — 16 Sections

 that are prescribed by the ANSI standard are as follows

Section 1. Chemical Product & Company Information

Section. 2. Composition/Information on Ingredients

Section. 3. Hazards Identification

Section. 4. First Aid Measures

Section. 5. Fire Fighting Measures

Section. 6. Accidental Release Measures

Section. 7. Handling and Storage

Section. 8. Exposure Controls/Personal Protection

Section. 9. Physical and Chemical Properties

Section. 10. Stability and Reactivity

Section. 11. Toxicological Information

Section. 12. Ecological Information

Section. 13. Disposal Considerations

Section. 14. Transport Information

Section. 15. Regulatory Information

Section. 16. Other Information

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1. Product and Company Identification

* Product Information

* Product identifier

* Manufacturer's name, street address, city, province, postal code and emergency telephone number

* Supplier identifier, supplier’s street address, city, province, postal code and emergency telephone number

* Product use

2. Hazards Identification

2.1 Emergency overview

There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.

2.2 Regulatory status

There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.

2.3 Potential health effects

Note: Information supporting conclusions provided in this section is found in Section 11- Toxicological Information

* Route of entry (including skin contact, skin absorption, eye contact, inhalation and ingestion)

* Effects of acute exposure to product

* Effects of chronic exposure to product

* Irritancy of the product

* Sensitization to the product

* Carcinogenicity

* Reproductive toxicity

* Teratogenicity

* Mutagenicity

* Name of toxicologically synergistic products

2.4 Potential environmental effects

There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.

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3. Composition/Information on Ingredients

* Hazardous Ingredients

Section 13(a) of the Hazardous Products Act requires chemical ingredients to be specifically listed if:

they are controlled products and are present at 1.0% or more (or 0.1% or more for teratogens, embryotoxins, carcinogens, reproductive toxins, respiratory tract sensitizers and very toxic mutagens),

they are on the WHMIS Ingredient Disclosure List, and are present at a concentration that is greater than or equal to the concentration specified on the list,

the supplier has reasonable grounds to believe that they may be harmful to any person,

OR

they have unknown toxicological properties

For each ingredient, the concentration expressed as percent weight/weight, percent volume/volume or percent weight/volume must be indicated. If the ingredient is not always present in the same concentration, concentration ranges can be used (acceptable ranges are specified in the Controlled Products Regulations).

* CAS Registry Number (for each ingredient) and product identification number

Confidential Business Information (Trade Secrets):

Where a claim for exemption to disclose an ingredient has been filed under the Canadian Hazardous Materials Information Review Act, the generic chemical identity of the ingredient must be disclosed on the MSDS along with the date the claim was filed and the registration number assigned by the Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission.

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4. First Aid Measures

4.1 First aid procedures

* Specific first aid measures

4.2 Note to physicians

There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.

5. Fire Fighting Measures

5.1 Flammable properties

* Conditions of flammability

* Flash point and method of determination

* Upper flammable limit

* Lower flammable limit

* Auto-ignition temperature

* Explosion data - sensitivity to mechanical impact

* Explosion data - sensitivity to static discharge

NOTE: ANSI Z400.2-2004 indicates that these information items are basic physical properties and belong in Section 9: Physical and Chemical Properties. This section may direct the reader to Section 9 and may repeat the flammable properties here if they are considered useful in fire fighting.

5.2 Extinguishing media

5.2.1 Suitable extinguishing media

* Means of extinction

5.2.2 Unsuitable extinguishing media

There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.

5.3 Protection of Firefighters

5.3.1 Specific hazards arising from the chemical

* Hazardous combustion products

5.3.2 Protective equipment and precautions for firefighters

There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.

6. Accidental Release Measures

* Procedures to be followed in case of a leak or spill

6.1 Personal precautions

6.2 Environmental precautions

6.3 Methods for containment

6.4 Methods for clean-up

6.5 Other information

7. Handling and Storage

7.1 Handling

* Handling procedures and equipment

7.2 Storage

* Storage requirements

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8. Exposure Controls/Personal Protection

8.1 Exposure Guidelines

* Exposure limits

8.2 Engineering Controls

* Specific engineering controls to be used

8.3 Personal protective equipment (PPE)

* Personal protective equipment to be used

8.3.1 Eye/face protection

8.3.2 Skin protection

8.3.3 Respiratory protection

8.3.4 General hygiene considerations

9. Physical and Chemical Properties

* Physical state (i.e. gas, liquid or solid)

* Odour and appearance

* Odour threshold

* Specific gravity

* Vapour pressure

* Vapour density

* Evaporation rate

* Boiling point

* Freezing point

* pH

* Coefficient of water/oil distribution

Note: Flammable properties from Section 5 may be listed here.

10. Stability and Reactivity

10.1 Chemical stability

10.2 Conditions to avoid

* Conditions under which the product is chemically unstable

10.3 Incompatible materials

* Name of any substance or class of substance with which the product is incompatible

10.4 Hazardous decomposition products

* Hazardous decomposition products

10.5 Possibility of hazardous reactions

* Conditions of reactivity

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11. Toxicological Information

Note: The information in this section supports the conclusions provided in Section 2 - Hazards Identification

* LD50 (species and route)

* LC50 (species and route)

* Effects of acute exposure to product

* Effects of chronic exposure to product

* Irritancy of product

* Sensitization to product

* Carcinogenicity

* Reproductive toxicity

* Teratogenicity

* Mutagenicity

* Name of toxicologically synergistic products

12. Ecological Information

There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.

13. Disposal Considerations

* Waste disposal

14. Transport Information

14.1 Basic shipping information

* Special shipping information

14.2 Additional information

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15. Regulatory Information

There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.

Material safety data sheets written for Canada should include a statement such as "This product has been classified in accordance with the hazard criteria of the Controlled Products Regulations and the MSDS contains all of the information required by those regulations."

It is advisable to include the WHMIS classification here as well.

16. Other Information

* Preparation Information

* Name and phone number of the group, department, or party responsible for the preparation of the MSDS

* Date of preparation of the MSDS