Appendices

Appendix A: Uniform Chemical Labeling System

At the College of Saint Benedict and Order of Saint Benedict, we use two fairly similar systems for labeling chemical hazards.  The Hazardous Material Information System (HMIS) and the National Fire Protection Agency – (NFPA 704).  All employees, students, residents, contractors who work with or around chemicals must understand these uniform Labeling Systems as described below.

Both systems describe three basic hazard classifications, health, flammability, and reactivity. The systems differ in the fourth category. The HMIS provides pictorial information on required protective equipment, while NFPA gives specific hazard information particularly associated with that chemical.

Health Hazards are those that can affect the immediate or long term health of an employee if exposed to a specific chemical.  Acute effects of exposure are those that present symptoms when exposure occurs, such as when skin is exposed to an acid.  Delayed or long-term health effects can also occur from chemical exposure, such as cancer.  Health effects for any given chemical will depend on the toxicity, duration of exposure and amount of exposure.

Flammability ratings range from non-flammable to highly flammable.  The HMIS ratings are based on the material flashpoint - the temperature at which the chemical vapors will ignite.

Reactivity ratings describe the hazards of the material stability - some chemicals will explode or react violently if exposed to heat or shock.

When uniformly practiced these systems can help us control chemical hazard through:

• Proper labeling of all chemicals
• Proper chemical storage containers & areas
• Segregation of incompatible chemicals
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Use of chemicals by trained and authorized employees
• Use of minimum amount necessary
• Bonding & Grounding of flammable liquid containers

1 - Hazardous Material Information System (HMIS)

Personal Protection
Follow PPE requirements and any other special instructions listed.

2 - National Fire Protection Agency – NFPA 704 

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Appendix B: Material safety data sheets (MSDSs)

The material safety data sheet (MSDS) is a detailed information bulletin prepared by the manufacturer or importer of a chemical that describes the physical and chemical properties, health hazards, routes of entry, precautions for safe handling and use, emergency and first-aid procedures, and control measures. This information is not only helpful in selecting appropriate products but provides employers and employees with the facts they need to use, store or dispose of the substance safely and to respond to an emergency.

• CSB/OSB must maintain a complete and accurate MSDS for each hazardous substance used in their facility and are entitled to obtain this information automatically upon purchase of the material.
• Manufacturers (anyone who produces, synthesizes, extracts, or otherwise makes, processes, blends, packages, or repackages) of hazardous substances or equipment, which generates a harmful physical agent, are required to provide employers who use their products with complete, up-to-date MSDSs.
• In the event, CSB|OSB department is unable to obtain a MSDS from a supplier or manufacturer, the EHS office should be notified as soon as possible. EHS will make further attempts and if necessary, prepare and submit a written complaint, with complete background information, to the Minnesota OSHA office
• When new and significant information becomes available concerning a product's hazards, chemical manufacturers, importers, or distributors must add it to their MSDS within three months and provide it to their customers with the next shipment of the product.

Note:  If the name or identity of a hazardous substance is considered proprietary (trade secret) by the manufacturer, that information can be registered as a trade secret with the Department of Labor and Industry. Formulations and procedures are automatically considered trade secret and need not be registered. Information on registering trade secrets may be obtained from any Minnesota OSHA Office.

To meet the intent of the Employee Right-To-Know Standard, the MSDS must meet all requirements of the Federal OSHA "Hazard Communication" Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200. This standard does not prescribe the precise format for the MSDS but does prescribe the information that must be provided. [A checklist to aid in determining whether all required information is provided can be found in Appendix B. A "sample" MSDS form that includes blanks for all required information can be found in this Appendix.]

To meet the requirements of ERTK and 29 CFR 1910.1200, the MSDS must be in English or a language understood by employees; must be current, accurate, and all sections of the MSDS completed; and must include the following information:

Section I. Manufacturer's identity

• Manufacturer's name, address, information telephone number, and an emergency telephone number.
• Date the MSDS was prepared.

Section II. Hazardous ingredients/identity information

• The identity used on the label;
• Chemical and common names of the hazardous ingredients;
• For mixtures tested as a whole:
  • Chemical and common names of the ingredients which contribute to the known hazards;
  • Common names of the mixture itself.
• For mixtures not tested as a whole:
  • Chemical and common names of all ingredients which are health hazards [1 percent concentration or greater], including carcinogens [0.1 percent concentration or greater];
  • Chemical and common names of all ingredients which are health hazards and pose a risk to employees, even though they are present in the mixture in concentrations of less than 1 percent or 0.1 percent for carcinogens.
• PEL (OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit); TLV (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists [ACGIH] Threshold Limit Value); or other exposure limits [including ceiling and other short-term limits]

Note:  For mixtures, if the employer assumes the mixture has the same hazards as its hazardous components (i.e., no test data exists on the mixture as a whole), the MSDS for each component will satisfy the requirements for a data sheet for the mixture. The MSDSs must be attached to one another and identified so they can be cross-referenced with the label. In addition, the MSDSs must include the PEL, TLV, and other exposure limits for each ingredient that is determined to be a health hazard.

Section III. Physical and chemical characteristics

• Physical and chemical characteristics of the hazardous substance must be listed, including:
  • boiling and freezing points
  • vapor density
  • vapor pressure
  • specific gravity
  • melting point
  • evaporation rate
  • solubility in water
  • appearance and odor
  • #pH

Section IV. Fire and explosion hazard data

• The flash point and flammable limits--Lower explosive limit (LEL); Upper explosive limit (UEL)
• Extinguishing media and special firefighting procedures
• Unusual fire and explosion hazards.

Section V. reactivity data

• Stability (Stable/Unstable) and conditions to avoid
• Incompatibility (materials to avoid)
• Hazardous decomposition or byproducts
• Hazardous polymerization (may occur/will not occur) and conditions to avoid.

Section VI. Health hazard data

• Primary routes of entry
  • inhalation
  • skin
  • ingestion
• Health hazards (acute and chronic)
• Whether the chemical is listed with the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Annual Report on Carcinogens (latest edition) or has been found to be a potential carcinogen in the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs (latest editions), or by OSHA;
• Signs and symptoms of exposure
• Medical conditions generally aggravated by exposure
• Emergency and first aid procedures.

Section VII. Precautions for safe handling and use

• Steps to be taken in case material is released or spilled
• Methods of waste disposal
• Precautions to be taken in handling and storing; and other precautions

Section VIII. Control measures

• Respiratory protection (including the specified type)
• Ventilation (local exhaust; general mechanical; special)
• Personal protective equipment
  • protective gloves
  • eye protection
  • other protective clothing or equipment (e.g., body suits, face shields, etc.)
• Work and hygienic practices

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Appendix C: Material safety data sheet checklist

Each MSDS must contain the following information:

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Appendix D: Industrial sources of non-ionizing radiation*

* Not all sources shown in this table are in the electromagnetic frequencies covered by ERTK.

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Appendix E: Stress evaluation — heat

OSHA Technical Manual: Heat Stress

Heat stress may occur year round in areas with heat producing equipment such as in foundries, kitchens, or laundries. In Minnesota, high temperatures and humidity are common during the summer with daily temperatures routinely varying up to 30 degrees. This variation does not always allow people to become acclimatized and stay acclimatized, thereby increasing the risk of heat stress.

Heat stress results from a combination of internal heat production from doing work and external heat exposure from the environment. Both aspects need to be addressed properly to control heat stress.

Two commonly used instruments to obtain heat stress measurements are the heat stress monitor and a sling psychrometer. The heat stress monitor measures several temperatures simultaneously and accounts for radiant heat and air movement. The sling psychrometer is a much cheaper and simpler device, but does not take into account radiant heat, and air movement must be determined separately.

The measurements obtained from either of these instruments are converted to one value, the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), for determining compliance with Minnesota Rules. WBGT is an index of heat stress indicating relative comfort. It considers temperature, humidity and air movement. The calculated value can then be compared to those found in Minnesota Rules § 5205.0110, subpart 2a (see this Appendix).

Minnesota Rules 5205.0110, subpart 2a, is the Minnesota OSHA standard for heat exposure. The standard is based on wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and level of work activity.  Contact EHS for information or measurement and calculation of heat stress, if suspected in your department.  If the measurements indicate heat stress limit is approached or exceeded, Employee Right-to-Know requirements specified in Minnesota Rules 5206.0700, subparts 1 and 3, "Training Program for Harmful Physical Agents," and Minnesota Rules 5206.1100, "Labeling Harmful Physical Agents; Label Content," will apply.

Indoor workroom ventilation and temperature conditions:

A. The following definitions apply when assessing and controlling health hazards associated with extremes in temperature and humidity indoors.

1. "Wet bulb globe temperature index" or "WBGT" means a measure of the combined effect of air temperature, air speed, humidity, and radiation. WBGT = 0.7 Tnwb + 0.3 Tg.
2. "Natural wet-bulb temperature" or "Tnwb" means temperature measured by a thermometer which has its sensor covered by a wetted cotton wick, exposed to natural air movement.
3. "Globe temperature" or "Tg" means temperature measured by a thermometer with its sensor inside a matte black globe, exposed to radiant heat, Vernon Globe or equivalent.
4. "Heavy work" means 350 to 500 kcal/hr (kilocalories per hour), for example: heavy lifting and pushing, shovel work.
5. "Moderate work" means 200 to 350 kcal/hr., for example: walking about with moderate lifting and pushing.
6. "Light work" means up to 200 kcal/hr., for example: sitting or standing performing light hand or arm work.

B. Employees shall not be exposed to indoor environmental heat conditions in excess of the values listed in Table 1. The values in Table 1 apply to fully clothed acclimatized workers.

Table 1. Two-hour time-weighted average permissible heat exposure limits.

C. Employees with exposure to heat shall be provided training according to part 5206.0700, subparts 1 and 3.

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Appendix F: Sources of information

CSB/OSB Environmental Health and Safety

Minnesota OSHA offices

Questions concerning the Employee Right-To-Know Standard may be directed to the following Minnesota OSHA Offices:

MNOSHA Division
443 Lafayette Road N.
St. Paul, MN  55155-4307
Phone:  (651) 284-5050
Fax:  (651) 297-2527 

Federal OSHA Standards:

The Federal OSHA Standards — which include 1910.1200 "Hazard Communication" and 1910.95 "Occupational Exposure to Noise are good references sources.

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Glossary

acidosis — a condition of decreased alkalinity of the blood.

ACGIH — American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, Inc.

action level — the exposure level which triggers some but not all requirements in certain OSHA standards.

acute toxicity — the adverse effects resulting from a single dose of or exposure to a substance.

alkali — any compound having highly basic properties.

anesthesia — loss of sensation or feeling.

asphyxia — lack of oxygen and thus interference with the oxygenation of the blood.

asphyxiant — a vapor or gas that can cause unconsciousness or death by suffocation.

boiling point, BP — the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid is equal to the surrounding atmospheric pressure.

BZ — breathing zone

carcinogen — a chemical that has been demonstrated to cause cancer in humans.

CAS number [chemical abstract service number] -- an assigned number used to identity a material; the numbers have no chemical significance.

ceiling value, CV — the concentration that should not be exceeded during any part of the working exposure.

CFM (cubic feet per minute) -- volume of air flow.

chemical pneumonitis — inflammation of the lungs due to chemical irritation.

CNS — central nervous system.

CO (carbon monoxide) — a colorless, odorless, highly poisonous gas, formed by the incomplete combustion of carbon or a carbonaceous material, including gasoline. A chemical asphyxiant, it reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen.

CO2 (carbon dioxide) — a colorless, odorless, incombustible gas formed during respiration, combustion, and organic decomposition and used in food refrigeration, carbonated beverages, inert atmospheres, fire extinguishers, and aerosols. High concentrations can create hazardous oxygen-deficient environments that can cause asphyxiation.

combustible — OSHA defines combustible liquid within the "Hazard Communication Law" as any liquid having a flash point at or above 100F (38C), but below 200F (93.3C).

conjunctivitis — inflammation of the conjunctiva, the delicate membrane that lines the eyelids.

corrosive — a chemical that causes visible destruction of or irreversible alterations in living tissue.

cutaneous — pertaining to the skin.

dermal — used on or applied to the skin.

dermatitis — inflammation of the skin.

dyspnea — a sense of difficulty in breathing; shortness of breath.

edema -- an abnormal accumulation of clear, watery fluid in the tissues.

evaporation rate — the rate at which a particular material will vaporize from the liquid or solid state to the gas state.

f/cc — fibers per cubic centimeter of air.

flammable — describes any solid, liquid or gas that will ignite easily and burn rapidly.

flash point — the lowest temperature at which a flammable liquid gives off sufficient vapors to form an ignitable mixture.

FPM (feet per minute) — velocity of air flow.

grounding — a safety practice to conduct an electrical charge to the ground.

hazardous material — a substance or mixture of substances having properties capable of producing adverse health or safety effects.  

hematuria — the presence of blood in the urine.

HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air-purifying) — most efficient mechanical filter commonly available.

IARC — International Agency for Research on Cancer

IDLH — immediately dangerous to life and health.

jaundice — yellowish discoloration of tissues.

LC 50 — the lethal concentration of a material in air that on the basis of laboratory tests is expected to kill 50 percent of a group of test animals.

LD 50 — the lowest published lethal dose that will kill 50 percent of a group of test animals.

LEL (lower explosive limit) — refers to the lowest concentration of gas or vapor that will burn or explode if an ignition source is present.  

LFM or lfm (linear feet per minute) — velocity of air flow.

mg/m³ — milligrams of material per cubic meter of air.

MSDS — material safety data sheet

mutagen — a chemical or physical agent that induces genetic mutations.

narcosis — stupor or unconsciousness produced by a narcotic drug or chemical.

NFPA — National Fire Protection Association.

NIOSH — National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

NTP — National Toxicology Program 

odor threshold — the lowest concentration of a materials vapor in air that can be detected by smell.

particulate — small, separate pieces of an airborne material.

peak — maximum instantaneous allowable exposure for hazardous substances.

PEL (permissible exposure limit) — an exposure limit established by OSHA.

pH — the value that represents the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution. [pH 7 = neutral; pH 0 = strong acid; pH 14 = strong alkaline.]

ppb (parts per billion) — parts of material per billion parts of air.

ppm (parts per million) — parts of material per million parts of air.

psychotropic — acting on the mind.

pulmonary edema — fluid in the lungs.

pyrophoric — a material that will ignite spontaneously in air below 130F (54C).

reactivity — a description of the tendency of a substance to undergo chemical reaction either by itself or with other materials with the release of energy.

reproductive health hazard — any agent that has a harmful effect on the adult male or female reproductive system or the developing fetus or child.

sensitization — an immune-response reaction state in which further exposure elicits an immune or allergic response.

silicosis — a condition of massive fibrosis of the lungs causing shortness of breath.

skin — notation used to indicate possible exposure to a chemical by absorption through the skin.

STEL — short-term exposure limit.

subcutaneous — beneath the skin.

target organ effects — chemically caused effects upon specifically listed organs and systems.

teratogen — an agent or substance that caused physical defects in a developing embryo.

TLV (threshold limit value) — a term established by ACGIH to express the airborne concentration of a material to which nearly all workers can be exposed day after day without adverse effects.

TWA (time-weighted average) — the expression for average exposure which accounts for fluctuating levels during a given time period.

UEL (upper explosive limit) — the highest concentration of a material in air that will produce an explosion.

unstable — tending toward decomposition or other unwanted chemical change during normal handling or storage.

vapor density — the weight of a vapor or gas compared to the weight of an equal volume of air.

vertigo — a feeling of revolving in space; dizziness, giddiness.

viscosity — measurement of the flow properties of a material.

water reactive — a chemical that releases a hazardous gas, often violently, upon contact with water.

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