From: Melissa Charlton-Smith <melissafcsmith**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] A Conundrum
Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2016 17:15:36 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: CALn8UKBrse5hFHZEbNiWbVq59z-YOt6r07QoyP4K5acVOV85UQ**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com
In-Reply-To <13EF2515-230E-4B74-97C8-3116F9CF754A**At_Symbol_Here**depauw.edu>


LOL, ok I am jumping on the band wagon, and here is a link to questions regarding the HazCom standard:

https://www.osha.gov/html/faq-hazcom.html

and here is a copy/paste of why I think OSHA doesn't require an SDS for water....it's not hazardous (though it can participate in hazardous reactions, it in itself is not considered hazardous). Of course if you look at the dates on this, you will note it is PRE-GHS

Is a material safety data sheet (MSDS) required for a non-hazardous chemical?

MSDSs that represent non-hazardous chemicals are not covered by the HCS. Paragraph 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8) of the standard requires that "the employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required MSDSs for each hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their workarea(s)." OSHA does not require nor encourage employers to maintain MSDSs for non-hazardous chemicals. Consequently, an employer is free to discard MSDSs for non-hazardous chemicals.

Reference Interpretation and Compliance Letters:

Mel Charlton-Smith
Certified CHO
melissafcsmith**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com

On Fri, Sep 23, 2016 at 2:31 PM, David Roberts <droberts**At_Symbol_Here**depauw.edu> wrote:
To put it differently, why would they make us have one for sodium chloride or calcium carbonate (which is in our water at high levels actually) but not for water. Our water here is so high in calcium carbonate it's crazy - I could probably get enough for general labs just by boiling down regular tap water - though that of course would not be cost productive I know.

And I do know the reason. I was just stirring the pot.

It's Fryday ;)

Dave


> On Sep 23, 2016, at 2:01 PM, Ben Ruekberg <bruekberg**At_Symbol_Here**CHM.URI.EDU> wrote:
>
> My curiosity will not allow me to wait until April first, when it might be more excusable, to ask this question.
>
> There is a chemical which can be found in almost every laboratory. Most laboratories even have it piped in. There are (M)SDSs for this material and yet, while I am told that we are required to have the (M)SDS for each of the chemicals in our laboratory on hand, I don't believe that many laboratories keep a copy of the (M)SDS for this substance in print. I refer, of course, to water.
>
> OK, I hear you saying "Of course no one has the (M)SDS for water on hand. It's water." And I agree: I mean it's in the safety showers, we wash our hands with it before leaving the lab. But it's a chemical. I can understand why I would make an exception for it, but does OSHA?
>
> Can anyone tell me why safety documentation is not required for water? Or is it? Or is it, but no one makes a fuss about it?
>
> Thank you very much,
>
> Ben
>
> Virus-free. www.avast.com
> --- This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety. For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

---
This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety.
For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

--- This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety. For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

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