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Title: 03/04/1985 - Position on MSDS format for compliance with the Hazard Communication standard. | |
Record Type: Interpretation | Standard Number: 1910.1200 |
MARCH 4, 1985
Richard Homik, Supervisor
Occupational Safety & Hygiene
Sherritt Gordon Mines, Ltd.
Metal and Chemical Division
Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada TSL 2P2
Dear Mr. Homik:
This is in response to your letter of February 11 requesting information on the adequacy of your firm's planned MSDS format for compliance with the OSHA Hazard Communication and Labelling standard.
To begin with, the regulatory philosophy of the Reagan Administration is to provide the business community with maximum flexibility with respect to how compliance with regulatory objectives is achieved. Toward that end, OSHA is phasing out the use of the Form 20 which previously served as a format for MSDS sheets. We are not planning to prescribe any fixed format, nor are we in a position to review and approve the formats selected by the various companies required to issue MSDS's pursuant to the Hazard Communication standard.
However, the standard requires chemical manufacturers and importers to develop an MSDS for each hazardous chemical they produce (or if they are US importers) for products they import. These must be supplied, updated, and provided to purchasers in SIC codes 20-39 which comprises the manufacturing sector.
In order to assist you in reaching a decision on the final format of your firm's MSDS, I can provide you with a 12 item list drawn from the standard itself which comprises the information categories that must be reflected in the MSDS. Of course firms are free to format an MSDS any way they want, and to include additional information as well. The following categories of information must be included:
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Gary Strobel
Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary
for Occupational Safety and Health
FEBRUARY 11, 1985
Mr. Gary Strobal Dear Gary: As per our recent telephone conversation, please find enclosed a copy of our current Material Safety Data Sheet which we use for our products in Canada. Could you please review our MSDS format and let me know if it will comply with the OSHA requirements that are scheduled for November, 1985. If the format does meet the MSDS requirements, we intend to use this sheet to accompany product shipments to the U.S. I would appreciate your comments in writing if possible. My business card is enclosed if immediate contact is required. Thank you for your concerns on this matter. Yours truly, Dick Homik | Get forklift safety supplies like this training certification card from Safety Emporium. |
The official, public domain, OSHA version of this document is available at http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=19267&p_text_version=FALSE