Chemical and Hazard Material Safety
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is charged with protecting the health of workers. Knowledge of and understanding SDS (Safety Data Sheets) is one method of protecting you as you work in the MSU-M&IE Machining or Welding Laboratories.
https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/enforcementmsdsrequirement.html
Our Machining Laboratories require an SDS for all chemicals or other potentially harmful materials brought into the shop. You have a right to know what chemicals or materials you are exposed to in your work environment, what the consequences of exposure are, and how to protect yourself from harmful effects. We need to know that it’ s safe as much as we need to know that it’s dangerous if someone is exposed to it, or it is spilled.
Therefore we require that you provide us with an SDS for any new chemical or potentially hazardous material that you intend to use, before you bring it into the shop!
The company that manufactures or sells the product is required by law to provide an SDS form at the point of sale, or a source to access one. This is usually a web page or an automated FAX number. All you have to remember to do is ASK.
You will not be allowed to bring any new chemicals or materials into the shop until the SDS has been reviewed by the appropriate entity, so plan ahead. If you are caught in the shop with new chemicals or materials that have not been approved you will lose your machine shop user rights for the reminder of the semester.
An SDS provides the following information and more:
- Most importantly it tells you how to protect yourself from exposure. For instance, do you need a respirator or just a dust mask?
- What types of gloves are most effective?
- It tells you how it can affect your health, what exposures constitute irritating or dangerous dosages, and what parts of your body are affected.
- It lists what happens if the material comes in contact with your skin, eyes, mouth (ingestion), nose and lungs (inhalation) or any other parts of your body.
- It lists how to provide first aid to an exposed person and gives an "800" phone number to call for help, (also 911 on campus).
- It provides information on flammability, reactivity, polymerization, radioactivity, and other phenomenon that may pose health risks.
- It lists environmental consequences if released into the environment, how to clean it up, and an "800" phone number to call for help, (also 911 on campus).
We do our best to keep our shop safe. If you need to view an SDS sheet for any chemical in the shop please ask and we will get you a copy of it for your viewing. All chemical spills, no matter what the material, or how minor, must immediately be reported to the shop supervisor on duty.
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