Material Safety Data Sheets, MSDS

example MSDS of Acetone A MSDS is a document that describes the chemical and physical properties of a material and provides advice on safe handling and use of the material. Under Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation, employers must obtain an MSDS for all hazardous substances and/or Dangerous Goods supplied to or used in the workplace, and ensure they are available to all employees. Australian MSDS must be prepared in accordance with NOHSC: 2011(2003). Imported materials often have a supplied MSDS that does not comply with the Australian requirement. Getex can assist by preparing a locally acceptable MSDS.

The information required to be shown on an MSDS is

Identification of the material and the supplier
Hazards identification
Composition/information on ingredients
First aid measures
Fire fighting measures
Accidental release measures
Handling and Storage
Exposure controls/personal protection
Physical and chemical properties
Stability and reactivity
Toxicological information
Ecological information
Disposal considerations
Transport information
Regulatory information
Other information

MSDS must be supplied for any material classified as a hazardous substance or Dangerous Goods except Class 1 Explosives, Class 6.2 Infectious Substances, Class 7 Radioactive Material and C1 combustible liquids that are not hazardous substances, Where MSDS are not required they are still a good way of providing hazard information.

There are many rules about the format of the MSDS, eg how the pages should be numbered through presentation of emergency phone numbers, the use of CAS numbers, acceptable ways of showing information on proportion of ingredients, how to give methods and materials for containment and clean up, what heath effects and likely routes of exposure should be given, what transport information is required, to the naming of the sections and how these section headers should be presented,

The presentation of a list of ingredients and their proportions is usually a sensitive subject as suppliers do not want to give away their trade secrets and formulas. In many cases proportions can be listed as lying within a range
eg Graphite 5-10%, or <10%; and ingredients can be given as more general terms such as Organic fibre or Inert filler, however care has to be taken in what information must be given as opposed to information that can be given more generally.

The preparation of MSDS is skilled work for a qualified and experienced professional. This expertise is here at Getex where we have consultants with several degrees in Chemistry, experience in industry and Government, expertise in preparation of MSDS, and a lifetime career of experience in hazardous materials.

WHAT ARE ASCC AND NOHSC?

NOHSC was the National Occupational Heath and Safety Commission. This body published Guidance Notes for various processes. These Notes still bear the name NOHSC followed by a number.

ASCC is the Australian Safety and Compensation Council which has in general assumed the work of the NOHSC. HSIS is published on line by the ASCC.

HAZARDOUS AND DANGEROUS, WHAT DO THESE WORDS MEAN?

There are a lot of words used in relation to Hazardous materials and the like, but what do these words mean?

Hazardous

A hazardous substance is one which is listed by HSIS, or has been so classified in accordance with NOHSC: 1008. That is, only certain materials are or can be so classified.

Dangerous

Dangerous Goods are those so designated under the ADG, Australian Dangerous Goods, Code. These fall into Classes eg acids or explosives or flammable liquids.

Flammable Liquid

A flammable liquid is one which is capable of being ignited and burning in air and whose flash point is not more than 60.5o closed-cup or 65.6o open-cup.

LEL

The Lower Explosive Limit is the lower limit of the range of concentration of a flammable vapour in air at which a flame can be propagated or an explosion occur, if a source of ignition is present, expressed as a percentage of the volume of vapour in air.

Hazard

This is the intrinsic capacity associated with a material or process capable of causing harm.

Risk

This is the likelihood that a material or process will cause harm in the circumstances of its use.

HSIS

The Hazardous Substances Information System found at http://hsis.ascc.gov.au/Default.aspx

CAS Number

This is a unique number assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Corrosive

A Corrosive substance has a pH of 2.0 or less or a pH greater than 11.5.

ppm

Parts per million. 1 ppm (w/v) in water = 1 mg/L.
1 ppm (w/w) in solids = 1 mg/Kg

HOW ELSE CAN GETEX ASSIST YOU?

In addition to the preparation of MSDS, Getex can assist in interpreting MSDS that have been supplied to you, eg what type of storage conditions should be applied, what spill clean up equipment should be on hand, what employee training should be given, what compliance monitoring program should be followed.

Often, what should be done depends not just on one MSDS, but on the combination of materials being used, see for example, our Information Sheet on VOC Mixtures. We can help with complex problems.

Contact GETEX for assistance with MSDS

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02 9889 2488