How Compliant is Your MSDS Software with GHS and Reach?

Worldwide, in the chemical industry, there are international regulations and standards that must be followed by every country dealing with hazardous materials. GHS and REACH are among those things that a country dealing with hazardous materials needs to comply with. Another thing that a country needs to think about is how to author their Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDS and it is important that country specific regulations be implemented. Companies will find that the management and handling of hazardous materials can be easy with the use material safety data sheets.

What is a material safety data sheet? These section 16 legal documents that are required by certain authorities and they describe the many things about a certain hazardous chemical or substance. The substance's physical and chemical properties, toxicity data, ecotoxicological data, storage and handling guidelines, disposal guidelines, and other information about the substance's articles and other components can all be found in the material safety data sheet. The material safety data sheet is basically important in order to comply with internal standards, laws, and regulations as well as to mitigate the risks associated with the handling of hazardous and chemical materials.

The material safety data sheet should include all information on the substance. This data should include: the product's chemical identity, the substance's physical and chemical properties, health hazard information, information on safety aids and their needs, information on the manufacturer, over exposure symptoms, immediate action in the event of an accident, and information on fire and explosion hazards.

The reading and interpretation of a material safety data sheet can prove to be tricky at times. At the start, the use of the MSDS was only intended for chemical engineers and safety professionals. Eventually, anyone who would come into contact with hazardous chemicals or materials was eventually required to use a material safety data sheet. Different manufacturers will have their own sets of material safety data sheets but the information and chapter segmentations must be the same and should adhere to international standards and regulations. Depending on the manufacturer, however, the formats may differ.

The EU felt the need to be more cautious and implement better regulations and safety precautions for the handling of hazardous chemical and materials and thus considered GHS training. As a result, REACH was formed. Parallel to REACH is the GHS or the globally harmonized system of classification which was developed by the UN. Because of the introduction of these systems of classification, the creation of the MSDS has proven to be a bit more challenging these days. See GHS training resources.