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MSDS RETREIVAL Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) A Material Safety Data Sheet or MSDS is a key element of the Hazard Communication program. A MSDS is a multisection document which applies to the hazards of a specific chemical or substance. The MSDS describes all of the important chemical safety and hasard information pertaining to the chemical. Manufacturer MSDS Retrieval The manufacturer or distributor of a hazardous substances is required to provide a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for every substance which they distribute. The manufacturer is often the best source of the MSDS, since the information provided by the manufacturer is usually the most current and most accurate. Additionally, Cal/OSHA requires that MSDSs must be manufacturer specific. Manufacturer MSDSs are available through the following routes: ò Included with Chemical Shipment Often, the MSDS for the chendcal is received with the shipping papers. If so, simply collect the most recent copy and file it in your MSDS binder. ò Requesting a MSDS from the Manufacturer Information about the manufacturer should be present on the label of the substance or with the shipping papers. Call the manufacturer and request an MSDS. Many companies will fax the MSDS to you as soon as they get a request. Others prefer to mail the MSDS. If you do not receive any response from the manufacturer within 25 days after the request, contact EH&S for assistance. ò EH&S Assistance UCLA EH&S is available to help you get started in collecting the MSDSs that you require. If you are having trouble getting an MSDS from a manufacturer, do not hesitate to call EH&S for assistance. Web Based Retrieval Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are also starting to become readily available on the world wide web. This is oftentimes a convenient and quick way to retrieve MSDSs. A few words of warning: there are some MSDSs on the web that are not the most current data. You should be using the most current MSDS for the chemical and one that is specific to the manufacturer of the chemical that you use. Also, you may need to do some serious surfing to find exactly what you need. With that in mind, a good starting point for internet MSDS retrieval is the University of California MSDS link page: http://www.ucop.edu/riskmgt/ohp/msds.html Additional Web Based Information on Hazardous Substances UCLA employees and students have access to a database known as Tomes which provides additional web based information on hazardous substances. Tomes is a collection of databases comprised of toxicology and hazard communication information. Tomes information can not be used in lieu of manufacturer specific MSDSs, but Tomes can be a valuable resource to augment the MSDS information. |
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