Getex prepares Material Safety Data Sheets
Material Safety Data Sheets
An MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is a document that describes the chemical and physical properties of a material and provides advice on safe handling and use of the material.
Under Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation, employers must obtain an MSDS for all hazardous substances and/or Dangerous Goods supplied to or used in the workplace, and ensure they are available to all employees.
Australian MSDS must be prepared in accordance with NOHSC: 2011(2003). Imported materials often have a supplied MSDS that does not comply with the Australian requirement.
Getex can assist by preparing a locally acceptable MSDS:
MSDS must be supplied for any material classified as a hazardous substance or dangerous goods except Class 1 explosives; Class 6.2 infectious substances; Class 7 radioactive material and C1 combustible liquids that are not hazardous substances, where MSDS are not required they are still a good way of providing hazard information.
There are many rules about the format of the MSDS, eg the use of CAS numbers, acceptable ways of showing information on proportion of ingredients, how to give methods and materials for containment and clean up, what heath effects and likely routes of exposure should be given, what transport information is required, to the naming of the sections and how these section headers should be presented.
In addition to the preparation of MSDS, Getex can assist in interpreting MSDS that have been supplied to you, e.g. what employee training should be given and what compliance monitoring program should be followed.
Often, what should be done depends not just on one MSDS, but on the combination of materials being used.
9-Jul-2007