Pollution Prevention Project Report #2

Title: Updating Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)

Intern: Jeffrey Luby work (603) 755-4200 x2016

Box 72 home (603) 569-2669

Mirror Lake N.H.

03853

Facility: Textron Automotive Interiors

Rt. 11

Farmington NH

03835

Facility Contact: Dave Labbe work (603) 755 - 4200 x2524

Facility Advisor: Richard Sherman work (603) 755 - 4200 x2530

Executive Summary:

CFR 29, 1910.1200 requires a comprehensive hazard communication program in the work place to protect individuals who may come in contact with potentially hazardous materials. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are an integral component to the program. All chemicals used in industry must have a MSDS which is to be readily available in the work place. MSDSs provide critical information which can be quickly accessed. Textron Automotive Interiors (TAI), Farmington N.H. facility requires the current chemical inventory be matched up with the MSDSs already on file and be refiled by area of use. In cases of missing or eligible MSDSs, the supplier would have to be contacted such that a request can be made for a current copy.

Background:

The Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act also known as SARA Title III actualized regulation CFR 29 1910.1200, Hazardous Communication to protect individuals who come in contact with potentially hazardous materials is the workplace. The regulation is intended to address, comprehensively, the issues of evaluating and communicating the potential hazards of materials and appropriate protective measures. The regulation requires Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) be developed or obtained by chemical manufacturers and importers for each chemical / material produced or imported. A MSDS in to be obtained by an employer to be available in the workplace for each potentially hazardous chemical / material to be used. In addition MSDSs must be obtained for any apparatus which may contain a potentially hazardous material on for inert materials whose shape or size will be altered during a production process.

The key components of a MSDS are as follows:

- Chemical Ingredients

- Physical Characteristics

- Fire and Explosion Data

- Reactivity Data

- Environmental Disposal Data

- Health Hazard Data

- First Aid

- Handling Precautions

- Additional Information

TAI requires that the MSDSs currently on file be matched up with the current chemical inventory to ensure that TAI has all the MSDSs required under the regulation. The MSDSs must then be filed again by area of use and all MSDSs must be checked for completeness and legibility. Missing MSDSs must be replaced.

Objectives:

- Improve safety in the work place

- 1910.1200 compliance

- Pollution prevention through heightened awareness

- Develop a system to keep MSDSs up to date

- Look into MSDS software

Approach:

- Inventory all chemicals / materials on site

- Cross reference inventory with the plants MSDS master index

- Determine where the materials / chemical are being purchased from

- Contact vendors to replace illegible, incomplete and missing MSDSs

Work Accomplished:

To date the inventory has been executed and cross referenced with the MSDS master index. Vendors have been contacted to obtain missing MSDSs. The remainder of the task is mostly clerical. A research group at the corporate level is looking into purchasing MSDS tracking software.

Pollution Prevention Benefits:

MSDSs promote a heightened sense of awareness in the work place. An employee is fully aware of the dangers a chemical / material poses to him or herself and the environment. Heightend awareness results in an employee taking extra precautions when handling a given material. Extra precaution is in itself pollution prevention when dealing with potentially hazardous materials because extra care when handling or working with such materials can significantly reduce the risk of an accidental spill or release.