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OCTOBER 24, 2006
When you start at a new jobsite, do you look to
see what chemicals are being used in your work area? Do you know
where management keeps their Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)?
Do you know what the four colors on a chemical label mean?
In 1988, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) required facilities storing or using hazardous chemicals
to comply with the Hazard Communication Standard. This standard
requires employers to provide employees with an MSDS for
every hazardous chemical present onsite, and to train those employees
to properly recognize the hazards of the chemicals and to handle
them safely.
MSDSs normally provide information on the physical/chemical
characteristics and first aid procedures. This information is
valuable for employees to safely work
with the chemical. However, the content for MSDSs on emergency response
procedures, fire, and reactive hazards may be insufficient for local
responder use in
an emergency situation. Vagueness,
technical jargon, understandability, product vs. process concerns,
and missing information on an MSDS may increase the risk to emergency
responders.
MSDSs are provided by manufacturers, importers and/or
distributors. MSDS chemical hazard information can vary substantially
depending on the provider.
Sometimes this discrepancy is due to
different testing procedures. However, whoever prepared the MSDS
is responsible for assuring the accuracy of the hazard information.
This illustrates how different sources can provide varied and conflicting
information.
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Information from the OSHA requires that MSDSs Include:
# Chemical identity (product by chemical and common
names);
# Chemical and common names of all hazardous ingredients;
# Physical and chemical characteristics (such as vapor pressure,
flash, boiling or freezing points);
# Fire and explosion hazards;
# Reactivity hazards (how will the
chemical react with other chemicals,
air, or water);
# Health hazards (acute and chronic,
symptoms of exposure);
# Precautions for safe handling; and
# Control measures.
The MSDS also must include the name and
telephone number of the individual who can provide additional information
on appropriate emergency procedures. Offices can provide more information
on training.
This training will form a foundation to better understand chemical
information.
Sufficient and correct information regarding chemicals in an accidental
release may make the difference between a successful emergency response
and a potential disaster for local responders and the community
they are protecting.
Safety and disaster response is an
important issue to everyone on our
MCNB staff. It is often the case that
minority workers have the least
access to training resources. In future
issues, we will highlight local
programs that are committed to
offering quality low or no-cost
training on safety, response, and
prevention.
A Standard Chemical Label
Colors
• Blue: Health hazard
• Red: Fire hazard
• Yellow: Reactivity hazard
• White: Other hazard information
Degree of danger
• 4: Extreme hazard
• 3: Serious hazard
• 2: Moderate hazard
• 1: Slight hazard
• 0: Minimal or no hazard
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