Two dated factoids from a 1997 OSHA-contracted
study (OSHA broke the original URL, but I've submitted a request to see
if they still offer the document
on-line)
1. "one expert panel review
established that only 11% of the MSDSs were found to be accurate in all
of the following four areas: health effects, first aid, personal
protective equipment, and exposure limits. Further, the health effects
data on the MSDSs frequently are incomplete and the chronic data are
often incorrect or less complete than the acute
data"
2. "on average, literate workers only
understood about 60% of the health and safety information on the MSDSs
associated with the hazardous chemical, in all three comprehensibility
studies." Note: this is one of the reasons we offer our MSDS
Demystifier:
http://www.ilpi.com/m
sds/ref/demystify.html
As a
followup to the toxicological source question, 29 CFR 1910,
Subpart Z - Toxic and Hazardous Substances lists materials
specifically regulated by OSHA, so if the material is on that list, you
should be able to find very specific and useful info about it on OSHA's
web site. A simple list of everything covered in that is here:
http://www.osha.g
ov/dsg/hazcom/ghd053107.html#c On the same page I just
referenced is an Appendix B, Information Sources to Assist with Hazard
Determination:
http://www.osha.g
ov/dsg/hazcom/ghd053107.html#b and it's got a great list (even
if they have our MSDS site still listed as being at the U of KY....that
moved over 10 years ago).
Rob
