OHS practices - Hazardous substances

MSDS

OHS legislation requires the manufacturers or suppliers of workplace substances to provide Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).

The MSDS is usually supplied with their first delivery of the hazardous substance. MSDS provide relevant information on hazardous chemicals and substances.

All MSDS are produced in a standard format and are divided into six major sections.

1. Introduction - company name, address, telephone number
2. Identification - product name, associated numbers and codes, physical and chemical descriptions
3. Health hazard information - health effects, first aid recommendations for various entry routes, advice to doctor.
4. Precautions for use - exposure limits, engineering controls, personal protection – including personal protective equipment (PPE ), level of flammability
5. Safe handling information - control of spills and safe disposal, fire explosion hazard information, other information
6. Toxicological data - toxicity information

MSDS are designed to provide information to doctors, engineers, OHS representatives, managers, emergency service persons, employers and employees.

The most important sections the employee must be familiar with are:

• identification
• health hazard information
• precautions for use
• safe handling information.