Safety, Health and Environmental Information
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Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
An MSDS is provided by the manufacturer of a chemical product. The quality, completeness, and reliability of MSDS vary widely.
Don't rely exclusively on MSDS for information that is critical to managing laboratory hazards and safety.
UPDATE: In March 2012 OSHA released an updated Hazard Communication Standard, adopting a Globally Harmonized System that changes labeling requirements and standardizes the format of the MSDS (now known simply as the Safety Data Sheet or SDS). More explanation can be found at ILPI.
Manufacturer MSDS's can be found in many places on the web. These are some of the more commonly used search sites.
WEB RESOURCES
- ACS Chemical Health and Safety
- Links to useful safety information, including the ACS Committee on Chemical Safety.
- ATSDR Toxic Substances Portal
- The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry provides information and lists of toxic substances and their health effects. See also the CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances. (Centers for Disease Control)
- CAMEO Chemicals
- NOAA database of over 6,000 hazardous materials (with over 82,000 synonyms). Each chemical data sheet describes the material and its properties, and includes information on fire and explosive hazards, health hazards, firefighting techniques, cleanup procedures, and protective clothing.
- Chemical & Engineering News Safety Letters
- An index of the chemical safety letters that have appeared in C&EN since 1993. Chemistry researchers often report unexpected or misunderstood chemical/reactive hazards in this magazine.
- Chemical Compatibility Database
- Select a chemical and/or material (of containers or protective clothing) and see chemical effect ratings. For example, see that ammonia and polyurethane do not get along well. (Cole-Parmer)
- Chemical Database
- "This database will allow the user to retreive information for any of 25,496 hazardous chemicals or 'generic' entries based on a keyword search. Potential keywords include names, formula and registry numbers (CAS, DOT, RTECS, EINECS, Beilstein and Merck)." (Univ. of Akron)
- ChemXSeer
- "An integrated digital library and database allowing for intelligent search of documents in the chemistry domain and data obtained from chemical kinetics" in environmental chemistry. (Penn State)
- CHEMpendium
- Single-search compendium of several chemical hazard databases, including CHEMINFO, CESARS, CHRIS, DSL/NDSL (Domestic Substance List), HSDB (Hazardous Substances Data Bank), New Jersey Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets, NIOSH Pocket Guide, Transport TDG, Transport 49CFR. (CCOHS)
- EPA Substance Registry System
- The Substance Registry System (SRS) is the EPA's central system for information about regulated and monitored substances. The system provides a common basis for identification of chemicals, biological organisms, and other substances listed in EPA regulations and data systems, as well as substances of interest from other sources, such as publications.
- EPA Health & Environmental Research Online
- The HERO database indexes over 300,000 studies from the literature that the EPA has used to develop risk assessments about environmental hazards.
- EPA High Production Volume Information System
- Selected health and environmental effect information on chemicals that are
manufactured in exceptionally large amounts. Includes some physical-chemical, fate, and toxicity data.
- Compendium of Pesticide Common Names
- "This Compendium is believed to be the only place where all of the ISO-approved standard names of chemical pesticides are listed. It also includes approved names from national and international bodies for pesticides that do not have ISO names."
- Haz-Map
- "Haz-Map is an occupational toxicology database designed to link jobs to hazardous job tasks which are linked to occupational diseases and their symptoms. It is a relational database of chemicals, jobs and diseases. The 3218 chemical and biological agents in the database are linked to industrial processes and non-occupational activities. Linkage indicates the potential for exposure to the agent." (NIH/NLM)
- Household Products Database
- This database links over 4,000 consumer brands to health effects from MSDS provided by the manufacturers and allows scientists and consumers to research products based on chemical ingredients. Information is from a variety of publicly available sources including brand-specific labels and MSDS provided by manufacturers and manufacturers' web sites. (NIH/NLM)
- IRIS - Integrated Risk Information System
- Database containing information on human health effects (cancer and non-cancer) that may result from exposure to various substances in the environment. IRIS is prepared and maintained by the EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within the Office of Research and Development (ORD).
- NFPA Standards
- Full text access to the latest standards of the National Fire Protection Association, via IHS. NFPA Standard no.704 describes the familiar "diamond" signs describing hazardous contents for emergency response.
- NIOSH International Chemical Safety Cards
- An ICSC summarizes essential health and safety information on chemicals for their use at the "shop floor" level by workers and employers in factories, agriculture, construction and other work places.
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
- Intended as a source of general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals/classes for workers, employers, and occupational health professionals.
- PAN Pesticides Database
- Toxicity and regulatory information for pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides. (Pesticide Action Network)
- RTECS - Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemicals
- Critical toxicity data on more than 165,000 chemical substances. (NIOSH/CCOHS)
- SciFinder (CHEMLIST)
- Some substance records in the CAS Registry file within SciFinder link to a screen of regulatory information.
- Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
- Information about TSCA can be found on the EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics web site. The inventory itself can be downloaded from the federal Data.gov web site. (Note: TSCA Inventory status is indicated via the CHEMLIST display in SciFinder/Registry.)
- Toxicological Profiles
- The ATSDR toxicological profile succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for the hazardous substance described. (HHS/CDC/ATSDR)
- TOXNET
- Search interface to a cluster of important databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, and related areas. Databases include: HSDB (Hazardous Substances Data Bank), IRIS (see above), GENE-TOX, CCRIS (Chemical Carcinogenesis Research Information System), Toxline (bibliographic data), DART/ETIC (Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology), ChemIDplus, and TRI (Toxic Release Inventory). (NIH/NLM)
- WISER
- Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders is a system designed to assist first responders in hazardous material incidents. WISER provides a wide range of information on hazardous substances, including substance identification support, physical characteristics, human health information, and containment and suppression advice. Also available for mobile devices. (NIH/NLM)
This bibliography is intended as a basic guide to important resources in this subject area. All titles listed are shelved in the Chemistry Library's reference section unless otherwise noted.
Hazardous Materials
- Bretherick's handbook of reactive chemical hazards. 5th ed.
- T 55.3 H3 B73 1999, 2 vols.
- Section 1 contains information on instability and interactions of compounds, by formula. Section 2 has more general information on classes or groups of compounds, listed alphabetically.
- Chemical hazards of the workplace. 5th ed.
- RA 1229 P76 2004
- Introductory statements on toxicology of chemicals likely to be encountered at work, aimed at health professionals. Indexed by name/synonym and CAS Registry Number.
- Clinical toxicology of commercial products. 5th ed.
- RA 1211 C585 1984
- Guide to immediate treatment of chemical poisoning through misuse of consumer products, providing a list of trade names and ingredients, company information, sample formulas and toxicities, and treatment recommendations. See the chart inside the front cover for a quick guide to use.
- Comprehensive guide to the hazardous properties of chemical substances. 3rd ed.
- RA 1215 P38 2007
- Compendium including organics, metals, inorganics, gases, particulates, and radioactive substances; examines toxicity, flammability, reactivity, handling, and disposal practices.
- Handbook of environmental data on organic chemicals. 5th ed.
- TD 196 O73 V47 2009, 4 vols.
- Data on properties, fate, air and water pollution factors, biological effects. Extensive introduction and molecular formula index; many references.
- Haz mat data, 2nd ed.
- T 55.3 H3 P64 2004
- Hazmat data on 1450 hazardous chemicals found in the industrial workplace and frequently transported in bulk.
- Regulatory chemicals handbook.
- TD 196 C45 S65 2000
- Guide to over 750 chemical pollutants, including air pollutants (HAPs), priority water pollutants (PWPs), and OSHA-listed chemicals. Gives physical, chemical, and biological properties, regulatory status, storage information, and more.
- Sax's dangerous properties of industrial materials. 11th ed.
- T 55.3 H3 S3 2004, 3 vols.
- Alphabetic listing of over 20,000 materials. Entries include registry number, NIOSH-RTECS accession number, toxic and hazard reviews (THR), and toxicity data, and a hazard rating. Vol. 1 has synonym and reg. no. indexes. A well-known standard resource.
- Sigma-Aldrich library of chemical safety data. 2nd ed.
- T 55.3 H3 S54 1988 (Handbook Table), 2 vols.
- Useful compendium of toxicity, disposal, handling and first-aid information for over 14,000 chemicals, in alphabetical sequence. Indexes in vol. 2 by formula, registry number, Aldrich catalog number, and synonym. Includes trade names.
- Sigma-Aldrich library of regulatory and safety data.
- T 55.3 H3 S54 1993, 3 vols.
- Regulatory, handling, and toxicity information for thousands of pure compounds organized by chemical class.
- Sittig's handbook of toxic and hazardous chemicals and carcinogens. 4th ed.
- RA 1215 S58 2002, 2 vols.
- Chemical, health and safety information on 1,500 toxic and hazardous chemicals.
- Wiley guide to chemical incompatibilities. 3rd ed.
- T 55.3 H3 P647 2009
- 9000 chemical incompatibility profiles for more than 11,000 chemicals.
- Chemical technicians' ready-reference handbook. 4th ed.
- QD 61 S58 1996
- Chapters 2 and 3 deal with lab safety and chemical handling.
- CRC handbook of laboratory safety. 5th ed.
- QD 63.5 C73 2000
- Overview and guide to safety practices.
- First-aid manual for chemical accidents.
- RC 963.3 L4313
- Index in front for 500 industrial products, pointing to sections on toxicology, and first aid for inhalation, ingestion, skin and eye contact.
- Laboratory health and safety dictionary.
- QD 63.5 G67 2001
- 2500 entries covering chemical hygiene, safety procedures, exposures, with terms found in OSHA standards, MSDS, etc.
- Prudent practices in the laboratory. 2nd ed.
- T 55.3 H3 P78 2011
- Guide to laboratory safety, chemicals handling and disposal, risk assessment, etc. Prepared by the National Research Council. Also available as a free ebook from NAP.
- Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories. 7th ed.
- QD 63.5 S24 2003 Stacks
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Volume 1, for Students ;
Volume 2, for Faculty and administrators.
- UT Austin Laboratory Safety
- Resources and guidelines from the Environmental Health & Safety office, including the Lab Safety Manual.
