Appendix H - How To Understand SDSs

Chemical manufacturers are required by law to supply "Safety Data Sheets" (OSHA Form 174 or its equivalent) upon request by their customers. These sheets have nine sections giving a variety of information about the chemical. Following is a section-by-section reproduction and explanation of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS).   

This section gives the name and address of the manufacturer and an emergency phone number where questions about toxicity and chemical hazards can be directed. Large chemical manufacturers have 24-hour hotlines manned by chemical safety professionals who can answer questions regarding spills, leaks, chemical exposure, fire hazard, etc. Other information that may be contained in Section I includes:

Trade Name: This is the manufacturer's name for the product.

Chemical Name and Synonyms: This refers to the generic or standard names for the chemical.

Chemical Family: This classification allows one to group the substance along with a class of similar substances, such as mineral dusts, acids, caustics, etc. The potential hazards of a substance can sometimes be gauged by experience with other chemicals of that hazard class.  

This section describes the percent composition of the substance, listing chemicals present in the mixture. It lists Threshold Limit Values for the different chemicals that are present. Threshold Limit values (TLV's) are values for airborne toxic materials that are used as guides in the control of health hazards. They represent concentrations to which nearly all workers (workers without special sensitivities) can be exposed to for long periods of time without harmful effect. TLV's are usually expressed as parts per million (ppm), the parts of gas or vapor in each million parts of air. TLV's are also expressed as mg/m3, the milligrams of dust or vapor per cubic meter of air.  

This section gives information about the physical characteristics of the chemical. This information can be very useful in determining how a chemical will behave in a spill situation and what appropriate steps should be taken.

Vapor Pressure: Vapor pressure (VP) can be used as a measure of how volatile a substance is…how quickly it evaporates. VP is measured in units of millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). For comparison, the VP of water (at 20o Centigrade) is 17.5 mm Hg. The VP of Vaseline (a nonvolatile substance) would be close to zero mm Hg, while the VP of diethyl ether (a very volatile substance) is 440 mm Hg.

Vapor Density: Vapor density describes whether the vapor is lighter or heavier than air. The density of air is 1.0. A density greater than 1.0 indicates a heavier vapor, a density less than 1.0 indicates a lighter vapor. Vapors heavier than air (gasoline vapor for instance) can flow along just above the ground and can collect in depressions where they may pose a fire and explosion hazard.

Specific Gravity: Specific gravity describes whether the liquid is lighter or heavier than water. Water has a specific gravity of 1.0.

Percent Volatile by Volume: Describes how much of the substance will evaporate.   

This section gives information, which is important for preventing and extinguishing fires and explosions. If a fire does occur, this information should be made available to fire fighters.

Flash Point: Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapor to ignite when a source of ignition is present. A fire or explosion hazard may exist if the substance is at or above this temperature and used in the presence of spark or flame.

Flammable Limits: In order to be flammable, a substance must be mixed with a certain amount of air (as in an automobile carburetor). A mixture that is too "lean" (not enough chemical) or too "rich" (not enough air) will not ignite. The Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) and the Upper Explosive Limit (UEL) define the range of concentration in which combustion can occur. The wider the range between the LEL and UEL, the more flammable the substance is. 

This section describes the potential health effects resulting from overexposure to the chemical and gives emergency and first aid procedures. The symptoms and effects listed are the effects of exposure at hazardous levels. Most chemicals are safe in normal use and the vast majority of workers never suffer toxic effects. However, any chemical can be toxic in high concentrations, and the precautions outlined in the MSDS should be followed.

The health hazards section often contains information on the toxicity of the substance. The data most often presented are the results of animal experiments. For example, "LD50 (mouse) = 250 mg/kg." The usual measure of toxicity is dose level expressed as weight of chemical per unit body weight of the animal-usually milligrams of chemical per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg). The LD50 describes the amount of chemical ingested or absorbed by the skin in test animals that causes death in 50% of test animals used during a toxicity test study. Another common term is LC50, which describes the amount of chemical inhaled by test animals that causes death in 50% of test animals used during a toxicity test study. The LD50 and LC50 values are then used to infer what dose is required to show a toxic effect on humans.

As a general rule of thumb, the lower the LD50 or LC50 number, the more toxic the chemical. Note there are other factors (concentration of the chemical, frequency of exposure, etc.) that contribute to the toxicity of a chemical, including other hazards the chemical may possess.

Health hazard information may also distinguish the effects of acute and chronic exposure. Acute toxicity is generally thought of as a single, short-term exposure where effects appear immediately and the effects are often reversible. Chronic toxicity is generally thought of as frequent exposures where effects may be delayed (even for years), and the effects are generally irreversible. Chronic toxicity can also result in acute exposures, with long term chronic effects.  

This section gives information on the reactivity of the chemical – with other chemicals, air, or water which is important when responding to a spill or fire. Chemical substances may be not only hazardous by themselves, but may also be hazardous when they decompose (break down into other substances) or when they react with other chemicals.

Stability: Unstable indicates that a chemical can decompose spontaneously under normal temperatures, pressures, and mechanical shocks. Rapid decomposition may be hazardous because it produces heat and may cause a fire or explosion. Stable compounds do not decompose under normal conditions.

Incompatibility: Certain chemicals should never be mixed because the mixture creates hazardous conditions. Incompatible chemicals should not be stored together where an accident could cause them to mix.

Hazardous Decomposition Products: Other chemical substances may be created when a chemical burns or decomposes.

Hazardous Polymerization: Some chemicals can undergo a type of chemical reaction (rapid polymerization) which may produce enough heat to cause containers to explode. Conditions to avoid are listed in this section.  

This section can provide specific information about how to clean up a spill of the chemical and how the chemical should be properly disposed.  

This section gives information for any special protection that needs to be taken when handling this chemical including ventilation requirements and the type of personal protective equipment that should be worn. 

This section describes other precautionary measures that may need to be taken. Some of the precautions presented are intended for large-scale users and may not be necessary for use with small quantities of the chemical. Any questions about precautions or health effects should be referred to EHS at 607-255-8200.