Question 5 of 6: Sections of a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS / SDS)

Question 5: Sections of a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS / SDS) (20 marks)

Question text not reproduced: the examination questions are © Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Open the official past paper (linked at the top of this page) to read the question, then follow the worked solution below.

Under the globally harmonised system (GHS) — adopted in Canada through WHMIS 2015, which replaced the older MSDS with the harmonised Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — a data sheet has a standard 16-section format in a fixed order. Sections 1–11 and 16 are mandatory; 12–15 are included for consistency with GHS. The sections are:

1. Identification — product identifier, recommended use and restrictions, and supplier name, address and emergency phone number.
2. Hazard(s) identification — GHS classification, signal word, hazard and precautionary statements, and pictograms.
3. Composition / information on ingredients — chemical identity, CAS numbers and concentrations of hazardous ingredients.
4. First-aid measures — response by route of exposure (inhalation, skin, eye, ingestion) and symptoms/effects.
5. Fire-fighting measures — suitable extinguishing media, specific hazards from combustion, and protective equipment for fire-fighters.
6. Accidental release measures — personal precautions, protective equipment, and methods for containment and clean-up of spills.
7. Handling and storage — safe-handling precautions and conditions for safe storage, including incompatibilities.
8. Exposure controls / personal protection — occupational exposure limits, engineering controls and personal protective equipment.
9. Physical and chemical properties — appearance, odour, pH, melting/boiling points, flash point, vapour pressure, solubility, etc.
10. Stability and reactivity — chemical stability, conditions and materials to avoid, and hazardous decomposition products.
11. Toxicological information — routes of exposure, symptoms, acute and chronic health effects, and toxicity data (e.g. LD₅₀/LC₅₀).
12. Ecological information — aquatic and terrestrial toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation and mobility.
13. Disposal considerations — safe disposal, treatment and container-handling guidance.
14. Transport information — UN number, proper shipping name, transport hazard class and packing group (TDG/DOT/IMDG).
15. Regulatory information — safety, health and environmental regulations specific to the product.
16. Other information — date of preparation or last revision, and any additional information such as the legend for abbreviations used.

(The pre-GHS MSDS carried broadly the same content in roughly nine less-standardised headings; the value of the GHS/WHMIS 2015 format is that the order and content are now identical worldwide, so responders always find, say, first aid in Section 4.)