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Understanding �Safety Data Sheets�

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Environmental, Health, Safety, and Risk Management

October 2022

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The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires manufacturers or distributors of hazardous materials to assess the physical and health hazards of the chemical or product

This information must be included in the Safety Data Sheet (SDS, formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheet or MSDS) which must be provided to the purchaser of the product with the initial shipment, and with the first shipment after a safety data sheet is updated

Outlined in the Hazard Communication Standard, Code of Federal Regulations (29CFR 1910.1200)*

*Updated to align with the UN Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), Revision 3, issued in the Federal Register, March 26, 2012. This rule became effective May 25, 2012.
SDSs are in use globally

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The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) provides comprehensive information for use in workplace chemical management
The SDS provides a clear description of the data used to identify the hazards
Employers shall have a safety data sheet in the workplace and readily available for each hazardous chemical that is used
The SDS should contain a minimum of 16 sections in the same order

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SDS Information: Section 1

Identification of the Substance or Mixture and of the Supplier

GHS product identifier (name or number that is on the label)
Other means of identification
Recommended use of the chemical and restrictions in use
Supplier’s details including name, address, phone number, etc.
Emergency phone number (including restrictions such as hours of operation or limits on information provided)�

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SDS Information: Section 2

Hazards Identification

GHS classification (skin corrosion, serious eye damage, target organ, etc.) of the substance/mixture and any national or regional information
GHS label elements, including precautionary and hazard statements, signal words
Pictograms (or hazard symbols) may be provided as a graphical reproduction of the symbols in black and white or the name of the symbol, e.g. “flame”, “skull and crossbones”
Other hazards which do not result in classification (e.g., dust explosion hazard, suffocation, environmental effects)

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SDS Information: Section 3

Composition/Information on Ingredients

Substance

Chemical identity
Common name, synonyms, etc.
CAS (Chemical Abstracts Service) number, EC (European Commission) number, etc. (These are unique numeric identifiers assigned to each chemical even if the chemical has many synonyms)
Impurities and stabilizing additives which are themselves classified and which contribute to the classification of the substance

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SDS Information: Section 3

Composition/Information on Ingredients (cont.)

Mixture

The chemical identity and concentration or concentration ranges of all ingredients which are hazardous within the meaning of the GHS and are present above their cutoff levels

NOTE: For information on ingredients, the competent authority (e.g. EPA or OSHA) rules for Confidential Business Information (proprietary information), take priority over the rules for product identification

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SDS Information: Section 4

First-Aid Measures

Description of necessary measures, subdivided according to the different routes of exposure, i.e., inhalation, skin and eye contact, and ingestion
Most important symptoms/effects, acute and delayed
Indication of immediate medical attention and special treatment needed, if necessary

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SDS Information: Section 5

Firefighting Measures

Suitable (and unsuitable) extinguishing media
Specific hazards arising from the chemical (e.g., nature of any hazardous combustion products)
Special protective equipment and precautions for firefighters

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SDS Information: Section 6

Accidental Release Measures

Precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures for both emergency responders and non-emergency personnel
Environmental precautions, i.e., keep away from drains, surface and ground water
Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up

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SDS Information: Section 7

Handling and Storage

Precautions for safe handling, including advice on general hygiene
Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities
The advice given in this section should be consistent with the physical and chemical properties list in Section 9

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SDS Information: Section 8

Exposure Controls/Personal Protection

Control parameters, e.g., occupational exposure limit values or biological limit values

OSHA PELs (Permissible Exposure Limits) are the law
NIOSH RELs (Recommended Exposure Limits) & ACGIH TLVs (Threshold Limit Values) are recommended

It is UAF’s policy to strive to meet the more conservative standards

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SDS Information: Section 8

Exposure Controls/Personal Protection (cont.)

Appropriate engineering controls

For example, the use of some products may require specific ventilation requirements. Here are examples of typical local exhaust systems:

Canopy Hood

Fume Hood

Snorkel

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SDS Information: Section 8

Exposure Controls/Personal Protection (cont.)

Individual protection measures, such as personal protective equipment.

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SDS Information: Section 9

Physical and Chemical Properties*

*Should be listed whether or not they apply or are not available

Appearance (physical state, color, etc.)
Odor
Odor threshold
pH
melting point/freezing point
initial boiling point and boiling range
flash point
evaporation rate
flammability (solid, gas)

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SDS Information: Section 9

Physical and Chemical Properties (cont.)

upper/lower flammability or explosive limits
vapor pressure
vapor density
relative density
solubility(ies)
partition coefficient: n-octanol/water
auto-ignition temperature
decomposition temperature

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SDS Information: Section 10

Stability and Reactivity

Chemical stability
Possibility of hazardous reactions
Conditions to avoid (e.g., static discharge, shock or vibration)
Incompatible materials
Hazardous decomposition products

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SDS Information: Section 11

Toxicological Information
Concise but complete and comprehensible description of the various toxicological (health) effects and the available data used to identify those effects, including: information on the likely routes of exposure (inhalation, ingestion, skin and eye contact);

Symptoms related to the physical, chemical and toxicological characteristics;
Delayed and immediate effects and also chronic effects from short- and long-term exposure;
Numerical measures of toxicity (such as acute toxicity estimates)

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SDS Information: Section 11

Toxicological Information (cont.)

Terms to be familiar with:

Carcinogen: A substance or agent capable of causing or producing cancer in humans or animals
Mutagen: A substance or agent capable of altering genetic material in a living organism
Teratogen: A substance or agent to which exposure to a pregnant female can result in malformations to the skeleton or soft tissue of the fetus

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SDS Information: Section 11

Toxicological Information (cont.)

Results of animal studies are most often given.

LD50 (lethal dose 50): is the dose of a substance which will cause the death of 50% of the experimental animals
LC50 (lethal concentration 50): is the concentration of the substance in air which will cause the death of 50% of the experimental animals

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SDS Information: Section 11

Toxicological Information (cont.)

LD_LO (Lethal Dose Low): The lowest dose of a substance introduced by any route other than inhalation reported to have caused death in humans or animals
LC_LO (Lethal Concentration Low): The lowest concentration of a substance in air that has been reported to have caused death in humans or animals

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SDS Information: Section 11

Toxicological Information (cont.)

TD_LO(Toxic Dose Low): The lowest dose of a substance to which humans or animals have been exposed and reported to produce a toxic effect other than cancer

Based upon LD₅₀, LC₅₀, LD_LO, LC_LO and TD_LO, an estimate of the potential effects on human health is obtained

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SDS Information: Section 12

Ecological Information

Ecotoxicity (aquatic and terrestrial, where available)
Persistence and degradability
Bioaccumulative potential
Mobility in soil
Other adverse effects

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SDS Information: Section 13

Disposal Considerations

Description of waste residues and information on their safe handling and methods of disposal, including the disposal of any contaminated packaging
Remember, hazardous waste is

regulated by the EPA, (Environmental

Protection Agency) under RCRA

(Resource Conservation Recovery

Act) regulations found in 40 CFR

parts 260-272

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SDS Information: Section 14

Transport Information

UN Number.
UN Proper shipping name.
Transport Hazard class(es).
Packing group, if applicable.
Marine pollutant (Yes/No).
Special precautions which a user needs to be aware of or needs to comply with in connection with transport or conveyance either within or outside their premises.

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SDS Information: Section 14

Transport Information (cont.)

DOT (Department of Transportation) regulations govern the transport of hazardous materials. These regulations can be found in 49 CFR parts 100 to 177.
Please contact EHSRM (474-5617

or 474-6771) if more information is

needed or if shipping hazardous

materials

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SDS Information: Section 15

Regulatory Information

Safety, health and environmental regulations specific for the product in question

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SDS Information: Section 16

Other Information

Date of SDS preparation of latest revision
Key/legend to abbreviations and acronyms used in the SDS
Key literature references and sources for data used to compile the SDS
Disclaimers
Any other information that does not fit into sections 1-15

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Understanding Safety Data Sheets

Where to go for more information:

http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ghs.html#2.2

http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_rev02/English/08e_annex4.pdf