A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is designed to
provide both workers and emergency personnel with the proper procedures
for handling or working with a particular substance. MSDS's include
information such as physical data (melting point freezing point, boiling
point, flash point, toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity,
storage, disposal, protective equipment, and spill/leak procedures.
This information will be needed if a spill or other accident occurs.
A company is required to have a Material Safety Data Sheet for a product
on hand when its employees are exposed over long term to the product
in a potantially hazardous manner. In other words, if you are purchasing
5 gallons of shea butter, you are not in any harm and therefore do not
need to have an MSDS sheet for the product. However, if you are purchasing
a drum of liquid paraffin wax, which is flammable, you should keep an
MSDS sheet on hand in case of a spill/leak. MSDSs are required only
if the product can be considered hazardous.
are only required for materials that are hazardous. Manufacturers/distributors
are not required to provide MSDS sheets for non-hazardous materials.
Useful information regarding MSDS sheets can be found at the following site:
As defined by OSHA Standard 1910.1200, the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, a hazardous chemical is one which is a physical hazard or
a health hazard.
Health hazard means a chemical for which there is
statistically significant evidence based on at least one study conducted
in accordance with established scientific principles that acute or
chronic health effects may occur in exposed employees. The term "health
hazard" includes chemicals which are carcinogens, toxic or highly
toxic agents, reproductive toxins, irritants, corrosives, sensitizers,
hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins, agents which act on the hematopoietic
system, and agents which damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes.
Physical hazard means a chemical for which there
is scientifically valid evidence that it is a combustible liquid,
a compressed gas, explosive, flammable, an organic peroxide, an oxidizer,
pyrophoric, unstable (reactive) or water-reactive.