Material Safety Data Sheets

Material Safety Data Sheets are essential to using and handling toxic substances safely and preventing potentially hazardous incidents, as this article explains ...

Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDS are invaluable tools that are designed to assist workers and emergency personnel in handling potentially toxic substances. In many occupations, people are required to work with substances on a regular basis that can be hazardous if not handled correctly. Material Safety Data Sheets contain information regarding what type of protective gear should be worn when handling the substance, the health effects of prolonged exposure, first aid, level of toxicity, and spill clean up and disposal procedures. Physical characteristics such as the boiling point, melting point, flash point, and reactivity with other substances is also listed on the Material Safety Data Sheets. This is all essential information that is compiled by the manufacturer of the substance which must be made available to those persons who work with it on a regular basis. Companies are required to keep and make accessible Material Safety Data Sheets for every toxic substance used in their facilities by their employees.

So you’re probably wondering if any of this applies to the average person who may use potentially toxic substances infrequently and how much of a risk is involved. It is true that the level of exposure would not be as great for someone who only uses a substance such as, paint or paint thinner, once or twice a year as opposed to someone who uses it on a prolonged daily basis. This does not mean however, that an infrequent user should not use precautions when handling toxic substances. Material Safety Data Sheets are available for over 2 million different chemicals and are widely available on the internet. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself using Material Safety Data Sheets for any type of toxic substance in your home and/or workplace. Paint may seem harmless but if exposure continues in an unventilated room, serious reactions can occur. Pick a nice day to paint so that you can open the windows and circulate the fumes outside. Have a fan going to circulate the air as well will reduce the concentration in the room.

Other common toxic substances we may take for granted are paint thinner, gasoline, acetone, and other household chemicals. The Household Products Database at www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov has a number of Material Safety Data Sheets available for common household products. Caution should be used with any toxic substances whether at work or at home. Information on finding Material Safety Data Sheets for toxic substances used in the workplace can be found on the web at www.msds.com or www.msdsonline.com, as well as at other MSDS vendor sites. Knowledge of information contained with Material Safety Data Sheets is essential to using and handling toxic substances safely and preventing potentially hazardous incidents from occurring.

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