 In 1983, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, published their Hazard Communication Standard. This important standard was often referred to as the Employee Right to Know Standard because it was developed to ensure that workers had access to information and training about the hazards of the chemicals and products they were exposed to at work. One of the major requirements of OSHA's HazCom Standard was for manufacturers and distributors of hazardous products to develop and make available material safety data sheets for their products. But while the OSHA Standard mandated very specific health and safety information about the products be provided on the material safety data sheets, HazCom was a performance based standard, meaning there was no specific format that had to be utilized by the manufacturers and distributors when developing their MSDS nor were there any standardized hazard ratings or precautions. As a result, MSDSs took on all shapes and forms, in part because manufacturers and distributors use different formats as they prepare these documents. As you can imagine, that led to a lot of frustration among workers. Eventually, it was determined that the OSHA HazCom Standard, as written, was not meeting its original intent, which was to help employees know exactly what they were working with, how it could harm them, and most importantly, how to protect themselves. So in 2012, OSHA revised their Hazard Communication Standard and did away with the requirements for material safety data sheets. Now, manufacturers and distributors of hazardous chemicals and products will have to start providing a new informational document called a safety data sheet, or SDS. While the information contained on new safety data sheets is very similar to that appearing on the old MSDSs, the information will now have to follow a specific format and order. There is also a standardized hazard classification system that must be utilized on all SDSs to convey information about the physical and health-related hazards associated with that product. And the revised HazCom Standard now requires that employers train their employees on how to read and understand the new GHS safety data sheet format. So the standard change from employee right to know to employee right to understand. As part of the revision to their HazCom Standard, OSHA adopted the GHS formatting requirements for safety data sheets. GHS stands for the globally harmonized system of classification and labeling of chemicals. The GHS is a standardized system, meaning there will be consistency in the information appearing in safety data sheets. This system was developed by the United Nations, which means that, once fully adopted and implemented, safety data sheets for products from around the world will be prepared in a standardized format, which is important in our global economy. In the new format, all safety data sheets will be broken down into 16 separate sections. The sections will always have the same titles and will always appear in the same order. Now let's take a look at the information that must appear on GHS-compliant safety data sheets starting with section one. Section one on safety data sheets is titled identification. This is where you will find the name of the product as it appears on the container label and in some cases applicable synonyms or chemical classification codes used for the product. You will also find supplier information including the name of the manufacturer or distributor of the product, their address, and emergency contact number. And on some safety data sheets you may see supplemental information about the product such as the intended use for the product, directions for its use, and possibly an expiration date. All this information must match that appearing on the container label. The second section of a safety data sheet is titled hazard identification. Here you will find the GHS hazard classifications for the product including those for each health hazard and physical hazard and their individual ratings in applicable hazard categories. You will also find the appropriate signal word associated with the product. There are only two signal words that are used in the GHS system, either the word danger which indicates a relatively severe or immediate hazard or warning which indicates a less severe but still potentially harmful level of hazard. This section will also display one or several hazard statements. Statements such as these two examples give employees a quick warning about what hazards are associated with the product and differ according to the classification and categories of hazards presented by the product. Section two of the safety data sheet also displays applicable precautionary statements. These are also standardized in the GHS system and in general convey information about how to prevent or lessen exposure to the hazards of a product. And something fairly new to us here in the United States are pictograms. Pictograms are standardized icons that let workers quickly identify the types of hazards associated with the product. There are eight different pictograms for the health and safety hazards covered in the GHS system. A more detailed explanation of hazard statements, precautionary statements and pictograms is provided on our online tutorial titled GHS Labeling Requirements which is also available for free on our website. And last but not least, information about any unclassified hazards that are not covered in the GHS system such as combustible dust will be provided in this section. Section three of safety data sheets titled composition and information on ingredients identifies chemicals contained in the product. This could be a single ingredient for a pure substance or two or more ingredients if the product is a mixture or contains impurities or stabilizers that contribute to the hazards of a product. You will also find the common name and any synonyms that may be used for the product as well as the applicable chemical abstracts services or CAS number. When the product is a mixture of hazardous chemicals the safety data sheet will also list the concentration of all ingredients which are classified as hazards expressed in either percentages or ranges by weight. And for chemicals where a trade secret is claimed there will be a statement that the specific chemical identity and or its composition have been withheld as a trade secret. Section four on a safety data sheet describes the initial first aid measures that should be administered by responders to anyone who has experienced a chemical exposure. This information includes a list of aid for different routes of exposure such as contact with eyes or skin, inhalation or ingestion. Also included will be a description of the most common symptoms of overexposure including those which are acute or delayed and recommendations for immediate medical care and special treatment that may be needed in some severe cases. Section five provides the manufacturer's recommendations for fighting a fire that involves their product. Here you will find a recommendation for the most suitable type of equipment for extinguishing a fire involving the product as well as information about extinguishers that are not appropriate for use. You will also find details about specific hazards that may develop when the product is involved in a fire as well as hazardous byproducts that may be generated during the combustion of the chemical. And in some cases you may see recommendations for special protective equipment or precautions to be utilized by fire brigades or firefighters. Section six of the safety data sheet provides the manufacturer's recommendations for responding to spills, leaks or accidental releases of their product. This could include response measures for containment and cleanup methods to be used to prevent or minimize exposure for response personnel. This may include specific recommendations for protecting personnel involved in the response specific hazards such as sources of ignition or lack of ventilation. Recommended personal protective equipment to prevent personnel from being contaminated during the response and emergency procedures including instructions for evacuation of the response personnel when needed as well as others located nearby. Section seven will provide information pertinent to safe handling and conditions for safe storage of the product. The required information consists of precautions for safe handling to prevent or minimize the release of the chemical into the environment to prevent exposure or contamination for personnel handling the product and recommended hygiene practices for example prohibitions against smoking, eating or drinking in or near areas where the product is being handled. And when the product is being stored there may be a need to avoid certain incompatible materials or agents such as high heat or water that might cause the product to react. Section eight of the safety data sheet titled exposure controls and personal protection list the OSHA permissible exposure limits or PELs for the chemical or chemicals contained in the product. These mandatory limits dictate when it will be necessary to utilize controls such as ventilation systems or respiratory protection devices to protect workers from the ill effects of overexposure to the chemical. There may also be listings for voluntary threshold limit values or TLVs established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists or similar limits recommended by other groups. This section will also list appropriate engineering controls where applicable such as recommendations for exhaust ventilation systems or enclosures to contain emissions. And above most importance you will find the manufacturer's recommendations for personal protective equipment or PPE including any special requirements for providing certain types of PPE such as respirators, goggles or gloves. Section nine of the safety data sheet identifies all applicable physical and chemical properties associated with the product. While most workers may not care about this type of information safety managers and engineers may have a need to know about specific information on the product including but not limited to what does it smell like? What does it look like? At what temperature does the product freeze or boil? They may also need to know at what temperature the product emits enough vapors to catch on fire or cause an explosion. How much vapor must be present at the point of ignition to burn or cause an explosion and are the vapors heavier than air or lighter? And when dealing with corrosive products it may be necessary to know the pH of the chemical. Section ten of a safety data sheet is titled stability and reactivity. Here you will find important information identifying any other materials which may be incompatible with the product as well as any conditions to avoid during storage or handling, such as temperature extremes, shock and static discharge. There will also be information about any conditions that could cause the chemical to react or polymerize as this could cause the product to release excessive pressure or heat or create decomposition products that could be harmful to exposed workers. And when applicable this section will also provide information about stabilizers that may be needed to maintain stability of the product. Section eleven titled Toxological Information lists the known routes of exposure the chemical can use to get into your system including inhalation, ingestion and skin and eye contact. Also listed are the effects of exposure to the product which include acute and chronic effects, applicable target organ effects and a description of symptoms associated with overexposure to the product. There will also be specific measures of toxicity where applicable such as LD-50. That is the estimated amount of a substance expected to kill half of exposed test animals in a single dose. And if a chemical is listed as an actual or potential carcinogen that information will be provided in this section too. Section twelve Ecological Information Section thirteen Disposal Considerations Section fourteen Transportation Information and Section fifteen Regulatory Information All deal with requirements regulated by other entities such as the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Transportation. Therefore these sections are not regulated by OSHA but appear in the safety data sheet to be consistent with the GHS format. And finally Section sixteen of safety data sheets titled Other Information lists details such as the date the safety data sheet was prepared, if this is the original version issued or a revised version and in some cases an overview of any changes that were made during the last revision. And in some cases the manufacturer or distributor may choose to put other information about their product in this section as well as any applicable disclaimers. Employers are responsible for gathering new safety data sheets for all hazardous chemicals and products to which their employees are exposed and make sure they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees while they are in their work areas. And employers must provide training to their workers regarding the new safety data sheet format. All these things must be done by the deadlines established by OSHA in their revised hazard communication standard. Speaking of deadlines, here is an overview of some very important dates. The revised hazard communication standard which requires the use of GHS compliant safety data sheets was published on March 24th, 2012. Manufacturers and distributors of hazardous chemicals and products have until June 1st of 2015 to begin distribution of the new safety data sheets. However, many of them have already started providing safety data sheets that meet the new format or will do so long before the due date. Therefore OSHA requires employers to get a head start and begin training all their workers on how to read and understand the new safety data sheets and they have until December 1st of 2013 to get that training complete. And on a related note, employers must also update their written hazard communication programs to reflect the changes brought about by the adoption of the GHS system of labeling and hazard classification. So in review, the revised OSHA hazard communication standard, which has the goal of making sure employees understand what hazardous chemicals and products are in the workplace and how to work safely with and around those items, requires GHS compliant safety data sheets be developed and provided for all hazardous chemicals and products. These safety data sheets are standardized in format, will always be comprised of 16 sections that appear in the same order, and provide standardized warnings and precautions applicable to the product. Also employers must provide training for affected workers so they can find and understand the information that appears on safety data sheets. If you have any questions about the GHS format for safety data sheets or about the hazards of any of the products you work with, contact your employer safety representative or feel free to contact the safety professionals at OSHA training services through our website.