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 The MSDS (International Format): A Brief Summary Of Canadian Requirements
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The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) promotes a safe and healthy working environment by providing information and advice about occupational health and safety. Each publication produced by CCOHS undergoes several stages of review. As part of this review, representatives from government, employers, and labour are requested to comment on draft copies of CCOHS documents for technical accuracy and readability. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy and completeness of the information, it is understood that CCOHS makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of such information and assumes no liability for any damages or loss suffered as a result of any inaccuracy or incompleteness therein. CCOHS encourages the widest possible distribution of this material. While this publication is protected by copyright, permission for non-commercial copying may be provided by calling 1-800-668-4284. This document is designed for technical users or writers of international format MSDSs who want to understand Canadian requirements. All of the subheadings (information items) required under the controlled products regulations are listed below. They have been numbered and arranged under the 16 headings of the international format MSDS. Mandatory subheadings are marked with an asterisk. It should be noted that alternative arrangements of the subheadings are certainly possible and would be acceptable under Canadian WHMIS. Cette publication est offerte en français sous le titre : La FTSS : Un bref résumé des exigences canadiennes The MSDS (International Format): A Brief Summary Of Canadian Requirements is also available in print for $15.00 or as part of a bundle.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1. Product and Company Identification 2. Hazards Identification 3. Composition/Information on Ingredients 4. First Aid Measures 5. Fire Fighting Measures 6. Accidental Release Measures 7. Handling and Storage 8. Exposure Controls/Personal Protection 9. Physical and Chemical Properties 10. Stability and Reactivity 11. Toxicological Information 12. Ecological Information 13. Disposal Considerations 14. Transport Information 15. Regulatory Information 16. Other Information Useful Sources of Additional Information IntroductionAlthough the terms "Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)" and "Safety Data Sheet (SDS)" are used internationally, different jurisdictions have different content requirements. For example, a MSDS prepared in accordance with the United States OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), does not necessarily comply with regulatory requirements in other jurisdictions. An internationally-harmonized 16-heading MSDS format has been developed. This "international format" is proposed as the standard order by the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), which is intended to be adopted as a worldwide system, and is documented in ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Standard Z400.1-2004. Use of this format meets U.S. OSHA requirements (as long as all required information is included). In Canada, regulatory authorities have agreed to allow the use of the 16-heading format, provided that all of the MSDS information required under the Controlled Products Regulations is included and that a statement on the MSDS indicates that (1) the product was classified in accordance with the hazard criteria of the Canadian Controlled Products Regulations and (2) the MSDS contains all the information required by those regulations. The acceptance of the international MSDS format by regulatory bodies makes it possible to incorporate the information requirements of multiple jurisdictions on one data sheet, thus simplifying the requirements for companies who sell products internationally. Caution must be exercised, however, since different jurisdictions may use slightly different definitions or criteria for flammability, toxicity, and so on. In these cases, the international MSDS must make it clear which jurisdictions' definitions have been used in preparing the information. Guidance concerning Canadian and U.S. definitions is provided in the CCOHS publication "The Material Safety Data Sheet - An Explanation of Common Terms". The applicable regulations should also be consulted. Content requirements for Canadian MSDSs under WHMIS (the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) are set out in the federal Controlled Products Regulations. Schedule I, Column III of these regulations lists 53 subheadings (information items) for material safety data sheets. Three of these are mandatory and must be disclosed in all cases: (1) the ingredients of the product, (2) the party responsible for preparing the MSDS (name and phone number) and (3) the date the sheet was prepared. All other information items must be included IF AVAILABLE AND APPLICABLE. There is no requirement for a supplier to conduct toxicological testing before classifying the material and publishing a MSDS. However, it is expected that suppliers will conduct tests for flammability, vapour pressure for compressed gases and corrosivity to metals, if data are not available. It is generally recommended that each subheading be shown on the MSDS and "not applicable" and "not available" should be used as appropriate. It should be noted that, to prevent confusion, the abbreviation "n.a." should not be used for "not available" as some readers may interpret it to mean "not applicable.” A good quality material safety data sheet will use commonly understood language and will minimize the use of technical jargon and unexplained abbreviations. Writers of international-format MSDSs for Canadian workplaces should consult the following documents and organizations:
Full references are listed at the end of this document.
1. Product and Company Identification
2. Hazards Identification2.1 Emergency overview There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection. 2.2 Regulatory status There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection. 2.3 Potential health effects Note: Information supporting conclusions provided in this section is found in Section 11- Toxicological Information
2.4 Potential environmental effects There is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.
3. Composition/Information on Ingredients* Hazardous Ingredients Section 13(a) of the Hazardous Products Act requires chemical ingredients to be specifically listed if:
For each ingredient, the concentration expressed as percent weight/weight, percent volume/volume or percent weight/volume must be indicated. If the ingredient is not always present in the same concentration, concentration ranges can be used (acceptable ranges are specified in the Controlled Products Regulations).
Confidential Business Information (Trade Secrets): Where a claim for exemption to disclose an ingredient has been filed under the Canadian Hazardous Materials Information Review Act, the generic chemical identity of the ingredient must be disclosed on the MSDS along with the date the claim was filed and the registration number assigned by the Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission.
4. First Aid Measures4.1 First aid procedures
4.2 Note to physicians
5. Fire Fighting Measures5.1 Flammable properties
NOTE: ANSI Z400.2-2004 indicates that these information items are basic physical properties and belong in Section 9: Physical and Chemical Properties. This section may direct the reader to Section 9 and may repeat the flammable properties here if they are considered useful in fire fighting. 5.2 Extinguishing media
5.3 Protection of Firefighters
6. Accidental Release Measures
6.1 Personal precautions 6.2 Environmental precautions 6.3 Methods for containment 6.4 Methods for clean-up 6.5 Other information
7. Handling and Storage7.1 Handling
7.2 Storage
8. Exposure Controls/Personal Protection8.1 Exposure Guidelines
8.2 Engineering Controls
8.3 Personal protective equipment (PPE)
9. Physical and Chemical Properties
Note: Flammable properties from Section 5 may be listed here.
10. Stability and Reactivity10.1 Chemical stability 10.2 Conditions to avoid
10.3 Incompatible materials
10.4 Hazardous decomposition products
10.5 Possibility of hazardous reactions
11. Toxicological InformationNote: The information in this section supports the conclusions provided in Section 2 - Hazards Identification
12. Ecological InformationThere is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection.
13. Disposal Considerations
14. Transport Information14.1 Basic shipping information
14.2 Additional information
15. Regulatory InformationThere is no specific Canadian WHMIS requirement for this subsection. Material safety data sheets written for Canada should include a statement such as "This product has been classified in accordance with the hazard criteria of the Controlled Products Regulations and the MSDS contains all of the information required by those regulations." It is advisable to include the WHMIS classification here as well.
16. Other Information
Useful Sources Of Additional InformationANSI Z400.1 - 2004. American National Standard for Hazardous Industrial Chemicals - Material Safety Data Sheets - Preparation. American National Standards Institute, 2004. Controlled Products Regulations WHMIS Information. Available from Health Canada, National Office of the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System.
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