Dear all,

I wanted to ask about the components that one needs to specify in an MSDS (in particular, the following section).

In the one of the manuals of our Department of Occupational Safety and Health, it is stated,

"The Chemical Safety Data Sheet shall contain the following information"

and under item `2`, it is stated,

"the compostion of the ingredients that clearly identifies the hazardous chemical for the purpose of conducting a hazard evaluation"

In one of the MSDS`s that we received, I observed that they provide information such as the percentage in weight of components like resin, pigment, additive and oxygenated hydrocarbon, but no other data. I would like to know whether this is really the information that we must have. How can I find out exactly what information is required and what is not?

I hope that someone can help.

Thanks and Regards,
Hock Siew

P.S. I hope that this is the correct place for this thread; if it is not, I hope that someone can direct me to the correct section.

In the one of the manuals of our Department of Occupational Safety and Health, it is stated,

"The Chemical Safety Data Sheet shall contain the following information"

You can download a copy of 'Guidelines for the formulation of a chemical safety data sheet' from the department of occupational safety and health website. You will note that there is a 15 point requirement similar to that practice in many other countries.

The one you mentioned does not qualify as a 'msds'.

You can download a copy of 'Guidelines for the formulation of a chemical safety data sheet' from the department of occupational safety and health website. You will note that there is a 15 point requirement similar to that practice in many other countries.

The one you mentioned does not qualify as a 'msds'.

Dear Harry,

Thanks for the reply.

I do have an outline of the 15 points which you mentioned (although I really need to get a full copy of the guidelines). At the moment, my main concern is point number `2` (as mentioned above). As you said, the document we received does not seem to fulfill the requirements of an MSDS. As I understand, the list of the ingredients in the chemical should be specified according to their CAS registry numbers (which is not what they are doing).

Should they specify the contents according to the CAS registry number only? Does it only need to have the CAS registry number and nothing else?

Thanks and regards,
Hock Siew

The CAS (chemical abstracts service) number is important because the number is unique for each chemical. It facilitates identification especially to the experts.

In practice and when dealing with H&S issues, don't you think the other information are more important or pertinent - first aid, toxicity, fire fighting, accidental release, protection and the others among the 15 items?

In practice and when dealing with H&S issues, don't you think the other information are more important or pertinent - first aid, toxicity, fire fighting, accidental release, protection and the others among the 15 items?

Certainly. But it`s much easier to see whether what they`ve written on these points (e.g first aid, toxicity, etc) are adequate and able to address what we need. Not so much for the ingredients. Especially when they use general terms, like "additive". That could mean any of a host of different types of additives.

Thanks and regards,
Hock Siew

............... Especially when they use general terms, like "additive". That could mean any of a host of different types of additives...................

If you are referring to the copy you mentioned, it certainly is not an MSDS. Not enough details and what you should do is to demand for a proper copy from them. Their chemist should be able to help.

I understand your problem - especially if it comes from a small local manufacturer.

Hi !

Information about REACH european regulation : european safety data sheet (SDS) are drafted in 16 points + exposure scenarios (ES*) in annex for dangerous substances.
* New requirement introduced by REACH (gradually from 2010), which will be doubtless interesting for E and H&S officers .

In this "Guidance for downstream users" ECHA guide :
http://guidance.echa.europa.eu/docs/guidance_document/du_en.htm?time=1258097244

- See European SDS reading advises regarding user in table 9, p 40.
- See SDS "ES annex" model in table A2, appendix 2, p 138-139 (with examples in following pages);

Bye.

If you are referring to the copy you mentioned, it certainly is not an MSDS. Not enough details and what you should do is to demand for a proper copy from them. Their chemist should be able to help.


I agree. I don`t consider this to be an MSDS.


I understand your problem - especially if it comes from a small local manufacturer.

I believe this may be the case with many small manufacturers. I`m not sure whether this manufacturer even has a requirement internally for their product to have an MSDS. They only supplied us the MSDS when we requested for it.

Following from this, I do have another question. They are a paint manufacturer. They sent us an MSDS for each colour of the paint. I am not sure whether we require a seperate MSDS for each colour. But I can`t be sure - what they sent us did not really have what an MSDS should have to begin with. Anyone have any comment on this?

Thanks and regards,
Hock Siew

My understanding is there will be an MSDS for each type of paint but not for each color.

My understanding is there will be an MSDS for each type of paint but not for each color.

Dear Harry,

I would have thought so too. However, are there any guidelines anywhere that specifically covers this point? Without that, it might still be open to debate.

Thanks again,
Hock Siew

Without that, it might still be open to debate

There is really nothing to debate because when paint or coatings are developed, they will arrived at a particular formula for that type. To obtain different colors, they just add coloring agents/oxide to the base formula. The MSDS is given out based on the basic formula.