What is MSDS?
An MSDS is written by the manufacturer or supplier of a hazardous product and tells workers how to use it safely and what to do when something goes wrong. Under the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), the document is now called a safety data sheet (SDS) and follows a standard 16-section layout. In the United States, OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard adopted that format and requires employers to keep SDSs readily accessible to employees who work with the products. MSDS and SDS refer to the same kind of document, and CompTIA uses both names.
What an SDS contains
The 16 sections cover identification, hazards, ingredients, first aid, firefighting, accidental release, handling and storage, exposure controls and personal protection, physical and chemical properties, stability and reactivity, toxicology, ecology, disposal, transport, regulations and other information. The sections an IT technician uses most:
- Section 2, Hazard identification: what the product can do to you, with GHS pictograms and a signal word such as Danger or Warning.
- Section 4, First-aid measures: what to do after skin or eye contact, inhalation or swallowing.
- Section 6, Accidental release measures: how to contain and clean up a spill.
- Section 7, Handling and storage: temperature limits, ventilation and incompatible materials.
- Section 8, Exposure controls/personal protection: the PPE needed, such as gloves, eye protection or a mask.
- Section 13, Disposal considerations: how to get rid of the product and its container.
- Section 14, Transport information: shipping rules, which matter when returning or recycling lithium-ion batteries.
IT products that come with safety data
- Toner: a very fine powder that should not be inhaled. Spills are cleaned with a vacuum rated for toner rather than an ordinary vacuum, and used cartridges go to recycling or return programs, not the trash.
- Batteries: lithium-ion, nickel-based and button cells need recycling, and damaged or swollen lithium-ion packs need careful handling and storage because they can catch fire.
- Cleaning products: isopropyl alcohol is flammable, and many compressed-air dusters use flammable propellants, so both need ventilation and storage away from heat.
- Inks, thermal compounds and lubricants: skin contact, cleanup and disposal instructions.
Where to find one and when to use it
SDSs come from the manufacturer's website, the supplier, or the employer's SDS binder or online library. Check the SDS before using an unfamiliar chemical, right after a spill or exposure, and before disposing of a product. Government regulations take priority: disposal must follow local, state and federal rules, which can be stricter than the general guidance on the sheet.
MSDS on the CompTIA A+ exam
MSDS/SDS is Core 2 operational procedures material, tied to safety and environmental controls such as proper battery and toner disposal. Cues:
- How should a technician dispose of toner, batteries or a cleaning chemical? Check the MSDS/SDS and follow local regulations.
- A chemical splashed on skin or in an eye, or a question about what PPE a product requires: the MSDS/SDS.
- An answer that puts toner cartridges or batteries in the regular trash is wrong.
- Treat MSDS and SDS as the same document.