Health and safety StuffHealth and safety Stuff

A Couple of DefinitionsA Couple of Definitions

MSDS:MSDS: Material Safety Data SheetMaterial Safety Data Sheet– The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is a summary of The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is a summary of

the important health related facts about a chemical used the important health related facts about a chemical used in our work or home environment.in our work or home environment.

– The purpose of the MSDS is The purpose of the MSDS is ““to inform industrial purchasers and users of hazardous to inform industrial purchasers and users of hazardous chemicals of the reasonably foreseeable physical and chemicals of the reasonably foreseeable physical and chemical hazards that may arise from the use of those chemical hazards that may arise from the use of those chemicals.”chemicals.”

– Most products we use in our day to day work and lives Most products we use in our day to day work and lives have MSDShave MSDS

– There is a generally accepted format for MSDS’s --- BUT There is a generally accepted format for MSDS’s --- BUT THEY ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.THEY ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.

Health and Safety Stuff: Your Right Health and Safety Stuff: Your Right (and need) to Know(and need) to Know

Health and Safety Stuff: Your Right Health and Safety Stuff: Your Right (and need) to Know(and need) to KnowTLV:Threshold Limit ValueTLV:Threshold Limit Value

– TLV is the concentration of material to which a TLV is the concentration of material to which a person can be exposed Day after Day without person can be exposed Day after Day without adverse effectsadverse effects

– There three Kinds of TLV’sThere three Kinds of TLV’sTLV – TWA: TWA=Time weighted Average --- for TLV – TWA: TWA=Time weighted Average --- for example an average over a 40 hour work week or example an average over a 40 hour work week or over an 8 hour dayover an 8 hour dayTLV-STEL:TLV-STEL: The max concentration for 15 min The max concentration for 15 min exposures at most 4 times a day with at least 1 hour exposures at most 4 times a day with at least 1 hour between exposuresbetween exposuresTLV-C:TLV-C: Ceiling Limit – NEVER EXCEED THIS Ceiling Limit – NEVER EXCEED THIS LIMIT EVEN INSTANTANEOUSLY>LIMIT EVEN INSTANTANEOUSLY>

Immediately Dangerous to Life and Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH)Health (IDLH)– ““An atmosphere that poses immediate An atmosphere that poses immediate

threat to life, would cause irreversible threat to life, would cause irreversible adverse health effects or would impair adverse health effects or would impair an individual’s ability to escape from a an individual’s ability to escape from a dangerous atmosphere.”dangerous atmosphere.”

Health and Safety Stuff: Your Right Health and Safety Stuff: Your Right (and need) to Know(and need) to Know