Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) lists the ingredients in a hazardous product, the hazards to safety and health, and the precautions to follow when using the product. Under the Hazard Communication Standard written by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers who use, store, or manufacture hazardous materials are required to make Material Safety Data Sheets available to all employees who potentially could be exposed to the material.

A business should have MSDS on hand for every chemical that is used in the business and ensure that employees read, understand and comply with the safety information. This will reduce business liability should an accident occur involving chemicals.

University Extension has developed a guide sheet to help explain the various sections of a MSDS.

If your business does not have MSDS on the premises for all chemicals that are used in the workplace, you can request these from your suppliers and also can download most information MSDS On-Line, which links to databases of thousands of product MSDS.