How to Read MSDS Sheets

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are important for everyone, not only for workers in industrial companies. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and state and county laws vary on MSDS requirements, but generally, businesses where workers come into contact with any type of potentially hazardous substance—even bleach or chemicals such as window cleaners—are required to keep an MSDS for that substance on file. Here is how to make sense of the information on those forms.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Identify the product. Most MSDS sheets begin with a product name and a chemical name. To avoid mislabeling, MSDS sheets must also include a physical description of the product.
2. Look for the most important information. The MSDS should explain what makes the substance dangerous. This should include items such as fire safety issues, inhalation risks or skin contact warnings.
3. Take note of safety issues. This portion of the data sheet outlines the protective measures necessary, as well as first-aid procedures and other precautions.
4. Skip over technical information. OSHA requires MSDS sheets to provide technical information such as registry, chemical composition and certain mixture percentages which aren't generally helpful to a layperson.
5. Make sure your employer is compliant. The last pieces of the MSDS contain the substance's manufacturer and possibly an emergency phone number. Your employer's name and address also must be listed on the MSDS, along with a date reflecting the latest revision of the sheet.

Tips & Warnings

• Read your employer's MSDS before dealing with any harmful chemical or substance.