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What Is the Meaning of MSDS?

Employee safety is paramount in most industries, especially those that use or manufacture hazardous substances. To this end, many safety programs and systems are in place to educate workers and protect them from exposure to such materials. One such system is the MSDS.

  1. Definition

    • A material safety data sheet, or MSDS, is a document that provides information regarding the possible health effects of exposure to specific chemicals or dangerous substances. It also provides instructions on safe handling of these substances.

    Information Included

    • MSDS documents contain 16 sections of information. Product information, composition, hazard identification, first-aid measures, fire-fighting measures, accidental release measures and much more are all found on an MSDS, which has far more inclusive information than most manufacturer labels.

    OSHA

    • MSDS documents are mandated by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and are required for all U.S. businesses that handle potentially hazardous chemicals.

    International Usage

    • MSDS documents are used around the world, albeit usually in slightly different forms. In Canada, MSDS documents are distributed by the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, or WHMIS. In Europe, the MSDS is known as the CSDS (Chemical Safety Data Sheet).

    Regulations

    • Employers are required to keep an MSDS that is no more than three years old for any qualifying product used in the workplace and must readily provide the MSDS to workers who are exposed to the products. Employers must also provide native-language translations of the MSDS for any worker who cannot fully understand the English document.

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