Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:05:20 -0500
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Mary Ellen Abel <mabel**At_Symbol_Here**MORTONSALT.COM>
Subject: Re: MSDS Retention
In-Reply-To: <28F93920539A4F4AB4FE1199003CAD2F032F2D70**At_Symbol_Here**USVFMBX01.WestPharma.net>


It is my understanding that the '30 years' refers to the date of the last 
potential exposure, not the data that the MSDS was received.  So that 30 
years might actually be 45 years, if that individual used it for a period 
beyond its first use.  Although I am not in an OSHA regulated facility, we 
have been screening MSDSs for products used in our underground mine long 
before Haz Com was ever developed.

Mary Ellen Abel
Quality Assurance & Environmental Manager
Morton Salt
P.O. Box 428
Grand River, OH 44045-0428
phone:  440-639-4279
fax:  440-639-4269
cell:  440-479-9022


"Peifer, Patricia"  
Sent by: DCHAS-L Discussion List 
02/23/2011 09:17 AM
Please respond to
DCHAS-L Discussion List 

To
DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
cc

Subject
[DCHAS-L] MSDS Retention




A debate has come up within our organization concerning the retention of 
MSDSs.  I have been saving old copies of MSDSs for which new revisions 
have been issued.   My understanding is that this would be proof that we 
did have the MSDS on file if an employee claimed twenty years later that 
they were exposed to a chemical and said we did not provide them with 
adequate information.   I planned on keeping them for thirty years. 
 
Others in my organization feel I may be wasting my time.  They feel I 
should be throwing out older versions and only retaining the latest copy 
particularly if the revisions were not significant.   They do agree 
however, that I should be keeping old MSDSs for chemicals for which we 
discontinue use. 
 
Any thoughts?  Thank you, everyone. 
 
Pat Peifer
Health Safety and Training Team Leader
West Pharmaceutical Services
 
 
Find West on Twitter and LinkedIn.

The contents of this message are confidential and may be privileged. If 
you have received this message in error, please permanently delete it, 
along with any files that may be attached to this message, without 
reading, printing, copying, forwarding or otherwise distributing it. 
Please notify the sender of the error immediately so that we can prevent 
it from happening again. 


It is my understanding that the '30 years' refers to the date of the last potential exposure, not the data that the MSDS was received.  So that 30 years might actually be 45 years, if that individual used it for a period beyond its first use.  Although I am not in an OSHA regulated facility, we have been screening MSDSs for products used in our underground mine long before Haz Com was ever developed.

Mary Ellen Abel
Quality Assurance & Environmental Manager
Morton Salt
P.O. Box 428
Grand River, OH 44045-0428
phone:  440-639-4279
fax:  440-639-4269
cell:  440-479-9022


"Peifer, Patricia" <Patricia.Peifer**At_Symbol_Here**WESTPHARMA.COM>
Sent by: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu>

02/23/2011 09:17 AM
Please respond to
DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu>

To
DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
cc
Subject
[DCHAS-L] MSDS Retention



A debate has come up within our organization concerning the retention of MSDSs.  I have been saving old copies of MSDSs for which new revisions have been issued.   My understanding is that this would be proof that we did have the MSDS on file if an employee claimed twenty years later that they were exposed to a chemical and said we did not provide them with adequate information.   I planned on keeping them for thirty years.  
 
Others in my organization feel I may be wasting my time.  They feel I should be throwing out older versions and only retaining the latest copy particularly if the revisions were not significant.   They do agree however, that I should be keeping old MSDSs for chemicals for which we discontinue use.  
 
Any thoughts?  Thank you, everyone.  
 
Pat Peifer
Health Safety and Training Team Leader
West Pharmaceutical Services
 
 

Find West on Twitter and LinkedIn.


The contents of this message are confidential and may be privileged. If you have received this message in error, please permanently delete it, along with any files that may be attached to this message, without reading, printing, copying, forwarding or otherwise distributing it. Please notify the sender of the error immediately so that we can prevent it from happening again.

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post



The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary@dchas.org.
The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.