Understanding Material
Safety Data Sheets
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management
August 2012
1

The Federal Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) requires manufacturers or
distributors of hazardous materials to assess the
physical and health hazards of the chemical or
product

This information must be included in the Material
Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which must be
provided to the purchaser of the product with at
least the initial shipment of the chemical

Outlined in the Hazard Communication Standard,
Code of Federal Regulations (29CFR 1910.1200)
UNDERSTANDING MATERIAL
SAFETY DATA SHEETS
2

An MSDS must be obtained
and maintained for every
chemical/product used in the
workplace

The MSDSs must be
accessible to all personnel
during their work hours
UNDERSTANDING MATERIAL
SAFETY DATA SHEETS
3

The MSDS is typically
organized into
individual sections

NOTE! Not all MSDSs
are the same!
Section numbers and
contents can vary
with each MSDS
MSDS Information by Section
4

I. PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
Product Name: Commercial or marketing name
Synonym: Approved chemical name and/or
synonyms
 Chemical Family: Group of chemicals with related
physical and chemical properties
 Formula: Chemical formula, if applicable; i.e., the
conventional scientific definition for a material
 CAS Number: Number assigned to chemicals or
materials by the Chemical Abstracts Service. The
number is unique to each chemical


MSDS Information: Section I
5

I. PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION (CONT.)
 Name,
address and
phone number of the
manufacturer
 Date MSDS was written
 National Fire Protection
Association rating
 Storage Color Code
MSDS Information: Section I
6

II. COMPONENT DATA (HAZARDOUS
INGREDIENTS/IDENTITY INFO)
Describes the percent composition of the
substance, listing chemicals present in the
mixture
If it was tested as a mixture, lists chemicals
which contribute to its hazardous nature
Otherwise, lists ingredients making up more
than 1% and all carcinogens
MSDS Information: Section II
7

II. COMPONENT DATA (cont.)
The OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL).
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit
(REL)
The American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit
value (TLV) will also be listed, if appropriate
MSDS Information: Section II
8

II. COMPONENT DATA (cont.): OSHA PEL
Regulated
standard (it’s the
law!)
Usually expressed in parts per
million parts of air (ppm) or
milligrams of dust or vapor per
cubic meter of air (mg/m3)
Usually a time weighted average
(TWA) - concentration averaged
over an eight-hour day
MSDS Information: Section II
9

II. COMPONENT DATA (cont.): OSHA PEL
 STEL
listed
or short term exposure limit may be
 STEL
A
is a 15 minute TWA that should not be
exceeded
ceiling limit (C), is a concentration which
may not be exceeded at any time
 A skin notation means that skin exposure
(including mucous membranes or eyes) is
significant in contributing to the overall
exposure
MSDS Information: Section II
10

II. COMPONENT DATA (cont.): NIOSH
REL & ACGIH TLV
 Recommended
limits
 TLV’s also use TWA, STEL, C
 Often limits are lower than OSHA’s PEL
It
is UAF’s policy to strive to meet the
more conservative standards
MSDS Information: Section II
11

III. PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFE HANDLING
& STORAGE
This
section provides
information for handling and
storing a product. This
information may be
sometimes found under
section VII (REACTIVITY)
MSDS Information: Section III
12

IV. PHYSICAL DATA
Outlines
the physical
properties of the material
The
information may be used
to determine conditions for
exposure
MSDS Information: Section IV
13

IV. PHYSICAL DATA (cont.)
 The
following information is usually
included:
 Boiling
Point: temperature at which liquid
changes to vapor state
 Melting Point: temperature at which a solid
begins to change to liquid
 Vapor Pressure: a measure of how volatile a
substance is and how quickly it evaporates
MSDS Information: Section IV
14

IV. PHYSICAL DATA (cont.)
Vapor
Density (air=1): weight of a gas
or vapor compared to weight of an equal
volume of air
Specific Gravity (water=1): ratio of
volume weight of material to equal
volume weight of water
Solubility in Water: percentage of
material that will dissolve in water,
usually at ambient temperature
MSDS Information: Section IV
15

IV. PHYSICAL DATA (cont.)
Appearance/Odor: color, physical state at
room temperature, size of particles,
consistency, odor, as compared to common
substances
Odor threshold refers to the concentration
required in the air before vapors are
detected or recognized
MSDS Information: Section IV
16

IV. PHYSICAL DATA (cont.)
 Decomposition
Temperature: The
temperature at which a substance will
break down or decompose into smaller
fragments
 % Volatile by Volume: Percentage of a
liquid or solid, by volume, that evaporates
at a temperature of 70 °F
MSDS Information: Section IV
17

IV. PHYSICAL DATA (cont.)
 Evaporation
Rate: rate at
which a material will
vaporize (change from liquid
to vapor) compared to the
rate of vaporization of a
specific known material,
usually n-butyl acetate.
Expressed as a ratio
is a measure of
a fluid's resistance to flow
 Viscosity:
MSDS Information: Section IV
18

IV. PHYSICAL DATA (cont.)
 pH:
describes the acidic or basic
nature of a material. Scale
ranges from 0 (acidic) to 14
(basic/alkaline) for an aqueous
solution
 Other
Pertinent Physical Data:
information such as freezing
point is given, as appropriate
MSDS Information: Section IV
19

V. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Includes
general information
about appropriate personal
protective equipment for
handling this material
It
is vital that this
information be followed
MSDS Information: Section V
20
V. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
(cont.)
●
Eye
Protection:
recommendations are
dependent upon the irritancy,
corrosiveness, and special
handling procedures
Skin
Protection: describes
the particular types of
protective garments and
appropriate glove materials to
provide personnel protection
MSDS Information: Section V
21

V. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
(cont.)
 Respiratory
Protection:
appropriate respirators for conditions
exceeding the recommended occupational
exposure limits
 Contact
EHS&RM (474-5413 or 4746771) for information prior to the use of ANY
respiratory protection equipment
MSDS Information: Section V
22

V. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT (cont.)
 Ventilation:
The use of some
products may require specific
ventilation requirements
 General
Exhaust: A system for
exhausting air containing
contaminants from a general work
area. May be referred to as dilution
ventilation
MSDS Information: Section V
23

V. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT (cont.): Ventilation
 Local
Exhaust: A system for capturing and
exhausting contaminants from the air at the
point where the contaminants are produced
i.e., capture style hoods for welding, grinding,
sanding and operations or laboratory fume
hoods for working with hazardous chemicals
canopy hood
snorkel hood
fume hood
MSDS Information: Section V
24

VI. FIRE and EXPLOSION HAZARD DATA
 Contains
information regarding
the recommended extinguishing
media to be used in the event of
a fire involving the material
 It
may also provide information
regarding unusual fire and
explosion hazards associated with
the material
MSDS Information: Section VI
25

VI: FIRE and EXPLOSION HAZARD DATA
(cont.)
 Auto-ignition
Temperature: the
approximate temperature at which a
flammable gas-air mixture will ignite
without spark or flame
 Flashpoint:
the lowest temperature at
which a liquid gives off enough vapor to
ignite when a source of ignition is
present
MSDS Information: Section VI
26

VI. FIRE and EXPLOSION HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 Combustible:
A term used by NFPA,
DOT and OSHA to classify liquids on the
basis of a flash point range of 100 °F to
200 °F
MSDS Information: Section VI
27

VI. FIRE and EXPLOSION HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 Flammable:
 Flammable
Liquid is defined by NFPA as a
liquid with a flash point below 100 °F
 The OSHA definition is essentially
the same
 The DOT definition of flammable liquid
means it has a flash point of 141 °F or less
 The EPA identifies liquids with a flash point of
140 °F or less as flammable liquids
MSDS Information: Section VI
28

VI. FIRE and EXPLOSION HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 Flammable:
 Flammable
Solids, other than explosives, are
solids that will ignite readily or are liable to
cause fires under ordinary conditions of
transportation through friction or retained heat
from manufacturing or processing and which
burn so vigorously as to create a serious
transportation hazard (DOT Classification).
MSDS Information: Section VI
29
• VI. FIRE and EXPLOSION HAZARD
DATA (cont.)

Flammable Limits:
 LEL
(Lower Explosive Limit): Lowest fuel-to-air
concentration in which the flammable vapor will produce
a flash of fire when an ignition source is present. At
concentrations below the LEL, the mixture is too "lean"
to burn
 UEL (Upper Explosive Limit): Highest fuel-to-air
concentration in which the flammable vapor will produce
a flash of fire when an ignition source is present. At
concentrations above the UEL the mixture is too "rich"
to burn
 LEL/UEL concentrations are typically expressed as a
lower and upper percentage range in air
MSDS Information: Section VI
30
• VI. FIRE and EXPLOSION HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 Extinguishing
Media: appropriate
extinguishing agent(s) for the material
 Fire-fighting Procedures: Appropriate
equipment and methods are indicated for
limiting hazards encountered in fire situations
 Fire or Explosion Hazards: Hazards and/or
conditions which may cause fire or explosions
are defined
MSDS Information: Section VI
31

VII. REACTIVITY DATA
 Includes
information regarding the stability of
the material and any special storage or use
considerations
 Information may also be found in Section 3
Handling and Storage.
MSDS Information: Section VII
32

VII. REACTIVITY DATA (cont.)
 Stability:
 ”Unstable"
indicates that a chemical may
decompose spontaneously under normal
temperatures, pressures, and mechanical shocks
 Rapid decomposition produces heat and may
cause fire or explosion
 Conditions to avoid are listed in this section
 Incompatibility:
 Certain
chemicals, when mixed may create
hazardous conditions. Incompatible chemicals
should not be stored together.
MSDS Information: Section VII
33

VII. REACTIVITY DATA (cont.)
 Decomposition
Products: chemical
substances which may be created when the
chemical decomposes or burns
 Polymerization:
a chemical reaction in which
smaller molecular constituents combine with
themselves to form larger, long-chain
molecular structures. Rapid polymerization may
produce enough heat to cause containers to
explode
MSDS Information: Section VII
34

VIII. First Aid
 Describes
first aid procedures to be taken in
the event of an exposure
Caution
needs to be exercised so that those
applying first aid do not become exposed to the
material for which they are attempting treatment
In
the event of an exposure, call 911 to
request medical assistance
MSDS Information: Section VIII
35

IX. TOXICOLOGY & HEALTH HAZARD
DATA
 Defines
the medical signs and
symptoms that may be
encountered with normal
exposure or overexposure to
the material or its components
 Information
on the toxicity of
the substance may also be
presented
MSDS Information: Section IX
36

IX. TOXICOLOGY & HEALTH HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 Acute
Effect: An adverse effect on a human
or animal body resulting from a single
exposure with symptoms developing almost
immediately or shortly after exposure
 Chronic
Effect: An adverse effect on a human
or animal body resulting from prolonged or
repeated exposure with symptoms that develop
slowly over a long period of time
MSDS Information by Section IX
37

IX. TOXICOLOGY & HEALTH HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 Corrosive:
A liquid or solid that causes visible
destruction or irreversible alterations in human
skin tissue
 Irritation: An inflammatory response or
reaction of the eye, skin or respiratory system
 Allergic sensitization: A process whereby on
first exposure a substance causes little or no
reaction, but upon repeated exposure may
cause a marked adverse response
MSDS Information: Section IX
38

IX. TOXICOLOGY & HEALTH HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 Carcinogen:
A substance or agent capable of
causing or producing cancer in humans or
animals
 Mutagen: A substance or agent capable of
altering genetic material in a living organism
 Teratogen: A substance or agent to which
exposure to a pregnant female can result in
malformations to the skeleton or soft tissue of
the fetus
MSDS Information: Section IX
39

IX. TOXICOLOGY & HEALTH HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 Results
of animal studies are most often given.
LD50 (lethal dose 50): is the dose of a
substance which will cause the death of 50% of
the experimental animals
 LC50 (lethal concentration 50): is the
concentration of the substance in air which will
cause the death of 50% of the experimental
animals

MSDS Information: Section IX
40

IX. TOXICOLOGY & HEALTH HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 LDLO
(Lethal Dose Low): The lowest dose of
a substance introduced by any route other than
inhalation reported to have caused death in
humans or animals
 LCLO (Lethal Concentration Low): The
lowest concentration of a substance in air that
has been reported to have caused death in
humans or animals
MSDS Information: Section IX
41

IX. TOXICOLOGY & HEALTH HAZARD
DATA (cont.)
 TDLO (Toxic
Dose Low): The lowest dose of a
substance to which humans or animals have
been exposed and reported to produce a toxic
affect other than cancer.
 Based
upon LD50, LC50, LDLO, LCLO and TDLO, an
estimate of the potential effects on human
health is obtained.
MSDS Information: Section IX
42

X. TRANSPORTATION DATA
 This
section contains information pertinent to
DOT (Department of Transportation)
regulations governing the transport of
hazardous materials. These regulations can be
found in 49 CFR parts 100 to 177
 Please contact EHS&RM (474-5617 or 4746771) if more information is needed or if
shipping hazardous materials
MSDS Information: Section X
43

XI. SPILL & LEAK PROCEDURES
Outlines general procedures, precautions and
methods for cleanup of spills.
Clean-up procedures for spills and leaks of
hazardous materials are governed by a number
of regulatory agencies.
Do not put yourself or others at risk if you are
not trained or equipped to clean-up a spill.
Contact EHS&RM for assistance or to report a
spill.
MSDS Information: Section XI
44

XII. WASTE DISPOSAL DATA
Contains guidelines for the disposal of the
product or product container if it becomes a
waste.
Hazardous waste is regulated by the EPA,
(Environmental Protection Agency) under RCRA
(Resource Conservation Recovery Act)
regulations found in 40 CFR parts 260-272.
Provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the
improper storage and disposal of hazardous waste
are included in these regulations.
MSDS Information: Section XII
45

XIII. ADDITIONAL REGULATORY
INFORMATION
Contains information relevant to compliance
with other Federal or state laws such as TSCA
(Toxic Substances Control Act), FIFRA (Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act) and
others.
MSDS Information: Section XIII
46

XIV. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This section, if present, will contain
additional information regarding the
product, which was not indicated in
previous sections.
MSDS Information: Section XIV
47
• XIV. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This section, if present, will contain
additional information regarding the
product, which was not indicated in
previous sections.

XV. MAJOR REFERENCES
Lists some of the major references that
have been consulted in preparation of
the MSDS.
MSDS Information: Sections XIV & XV
48
Where to go for more information?
http://www.uaf.edu/safety/laboratory-safety/material-safety-data-shee/
Understanding Material Safety Data
Sheets
49