MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheets

What is an MSDS?   Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) provide detailed health and safety related information for specific chemicals and compounds.  In order to comply with state regulations governing employee "chemical right-to-know", all purchasers and users of chemicals MUST have copies of the applicable MSDS on file.  They must also be on file in the workplace (i.e., the location where the chemical is being used, stored etc.).

Copies of the Arkansas regulations governing employee "chemical right-to-know" and MSDSs may be obtained from the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) by calling 575-5448 or by stopping by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, located in the Facilities Management Complex.

How do I get an MSDS?

• Ask your Supervisor
  Your supervisor should have the MSDSs for any chemicals that you work with.  These should be kept in a binder that is available to employees at the work site for immediate access.  If this is a new substance, or if a replacement MSDS is needed, try one of the following options.
  
  
• The Internet
  The internet is probably the quickest and easiest way to find an MSDS for a common chemical or compound. Using your favorite search engine to search on "manufacturer + chemical name + MSDS" or "chemical name + MSDS" or "CAS number + MSDS" will turn up the correct result 99% of the time. If the search proves unsuccessful, a number of internet options remain.  Searching on "MSDS" will reveal that there are numerous MSDS providers on the internet.  Some providers charge for their service and others provide it free.  EH&S has found the free University of Vermont MSDS site to be useful and up to date for chemicals in common university use.
  
  
• The Environmental Health & Safety Office Library
  The Office of Environmental Health and Safety maintains an extensive library of MSDSs.  All students, faculty and staff are invited to search these volumes for any required MSDS. Copies can be made free of charge.  Please see the disclaimer below.
  
  
• Ask the Distributor
  Each distributor of chemicals and compounds (e.g. local vendors, suppliers, Scientific supplies, Central Supply, etc.) should be able to provide an MSDS for stock material or material ordered.  The best time to request an MSDS from a distributor is when the material is ordered.  This way the MSDS can be shipped/delivered with the order.
  
  
• Ask the Manufacturer
  It is the responsibility of the chemical manufacturers to ensure that distributors and purchasers are provided with the appropriate MSDS with their initial shipment, and with the first shipment after an MSDS is updated.  When a specific request is made, many manufacturers will willingly send an MSDS directly to the chemical user, regardless of how many shipments have been made.  If you are ordering material directly from the manufacturer, the best time to request the MSDS is when the material is ordered.
  
  
• Write your own MSDS (for unique research produced compounds or mixtures)
  The user of a chemical or compound DOES NOT have to rely upon information contained in an MSDS obtained from any of the above sources.  Users can develop their own MSDS from scratch.  In fact, any generator of "noncommercial" hazardous chemicals or compounds (but NOT hazardous waste) generated as a product of campus research or process, should develop a unique MSDS for those products.   Guidelines for writing MSDS can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations (29CFR 1910.1200(g)). Please call EH&S for further information on locally developing MSDSs.
  
  

DISCLAIMER

Environmental Health and Safety cannot confirm the accuracy or applicability of any MSDS within the EH&S library, or MSDS's obtained from any other source.  MSDS's are manufacturer specific.  An MSDS developed by one manufacturer may or may not be an appropriate substitute for the same chemical produced by a different manufacturer.  Due to the huge number of different chemicals used at the university, it is possible that some of the MSDS's in the library may not be the current revision.