MSDS
An "MSDS" is a "Material Safety Data Sheet". It is used by government and private-sector organizations (see below) to describe factors relating to the safety and transportation of a material. It is NOT a list of ingredients for the item being described because only potentially hazardous ingredients are listed. None of our products are considered "Hazmat" or "Hazardous Material" because we keep the concentrations below the level that would be considered hazardous.
There is an MSDS for each chemical component. The component name and "c" code are printed on the product label.
Note: A material is considered "hazardous" if, in one or more situations, it adversely affects people, property or the environment. This does not mean it is inherently "dangerous". Table salt is, under this definition, a hazardous material. If you are unsure, refer to the MSDS for conditions under which a material may be dangerous.
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United States
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requires that an MSDS be available to employees for potentially harmful substances handled in the workplace under the Hazard Communication regulation.
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Section 311 requires that an MSDS be made available to local fire departments and local and state emergency planning officials.
DOT (Department of Transportation) specifies how materials are to be packaged and transported (shipped) and how to handle spills.
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) specifies how to report spills.
ACS (The American Chemical Society) defines CAS Id (Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Identification) codes which are a unique number for each chemical.
HMIS (Hazardous Material Identification System) is a color-coded identification system maintained by OSHA.
NTP (National Toxicology Program) is an interagency program whose mission is to evaluate agents of public health concern by developing and applying tools of modern toxicology and molecular biology.
TSCA (The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976) gives EPA the ability to track the 75,000 industrial chemicals currently produced or imported into the United States. EPA screens these chemicals and can require reporting or testing of those that may pose an environmental or human-health hazard.
NIOSH (The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) is part of CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness.
MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) administers the Mine Act (The Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977), as amended by the MINER Act (ine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006) and enforces compliance with mandatory safety and health standards as a means to eliminate fatal accidents; to reduce the frequency and severity of nonfatal accidents; to minimize health hazards; and to promote improved safety and health conditions in the Nation's mines.
SAF-T-DATA is a labeling system maintained by J.T. Baker, Inc. which makes use of pictures, numbers and colors to identify hazards, describe precautionary measures and recommend storage arrangements.
CERCLA (The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act), as amended by SARA (The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act), requires ATSDR (The Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry) and the EPA to prepare a list, in order of priority, of substances that are most commonly found at facilities on the National Priorities List (NPL) and which are determined to pose the most significant potential threat to human health due to their known or suspected toxicity and potential for human exposure at these NPL sites.
ACGIH (American Conference of Industrial Hygienists) is a member-based organization that advances worker health and safety and offers books, conferences, and education and training courses.
NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) is an international nonprofit organization whose aim is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.
NPCA (National Paint & Coatings Association) - a trade organization for the paint and coatings industry that strengthens the industry's commitment to continuous improvement in health, safety, and environmental performance.
CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) enforces the CPSA (Consumer Product Safety Act) to protect against unreasonable risks of injuries associated with consumer products.
United Kingdom
CHIP (Chemicals Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations impose duties upon suppliers, and importers into the EU, of hazardous materials.
COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations govern the use of hazardous substances in the workplace in the UK and specifically require an assessment of the use of a substance. Regulation 12 requires that an employer provides employees with information, instruction and training for people exposed to hazardous substances.
Canada
Health Canada, under the Hazardous Products Act, Part II and the CPR (Controlled Products Regulations), administers WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) which requires an MSDS in the workplace.
WHMIS and MSDS requirements are also enforced by provincial Ministries or Departments of Labour.
European Union (EU)
R-phrases (Risk statements) and S-phrases (Safety Statements) are required on each label and safety data sheet for hazardous chemicals.
Germany
WHG (Wasserhaushaltsgesetz or Federal Water Management Act) and AbwAG (Abwasserabgabengesetz or Waste Water Charges Act) require that substances be evaluated for negative influence on the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of water. These are classified into numeric water hazard classes (WGK or WHC depending whether you use the German or English abbreviation).
United Nations (UN)
Some hazardous materials while in international transit require a UN-number, a standard identification of the potential hazard.
IARC (The International Agency for Research on Cancer) is part of WHO (The World Health Organization).
IMO (International Maritime Organization) promotes cooperation among governments and the shipping industry to improve maritime safety and to prevent marine pollution.
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) works for safe, secure and sustainable development of civil aviation through cooperation amongst its member States.
Australia
SUSDP (Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Drugs and Poisons), known as the Poison Schedule, standardizes the scheduling and packaging/labelling of substances throughout Australia.
