MSDS (material safety data sheet)

MSDS (material safety data sheet) in the International charcoal trade

 

A material safety data sheet (MSDS) is a form with data regarding the properties of a particular substance. An important component of product stewardship and workplace safety, it is intended to provide workers and emergency personnel with procedures for handling or working with that substance in a safe manner, and includes information such as physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point, etc.), toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, storage, disposal, protective equipment, and spill-handling procedures. MSDS formats can vary from source to source within a country depending on national requirements.

MSDS (material safety data sheets) are a widely used system for cataloging information on chemicals, chemical compounds, and chemical mixtures. MSDS information may include instructions for the safe use and potential hazards associated with a particular material or product. These data sheets can be found anywhere where chemicals are being used.

It is important to use an MSDS specific to both country and supplier, as the same product (e.g. charcoal sold under identical brand names by the same company) can have different formulations in different countries.