Material Safety Data Sheets

[Tin Falcon]

At work OSHA requires us to have Material Safety Data Sheets available for just about everything. One shop I worked at went so far as to have them for the Sugar and powdered creamer. Use of these chemicals you guessed it coffee additive.
I used to think that getting sheets with drill bits was a joke I even got a set with shop aprons one time. A couple of the posts lately has brought MSDS sheets to mind.
As I get older and hopefully wiser I try to be more mindful of safety. In the home shop we do not need to listen to OSHA or a picky boss. We do need to be responsible for the safety and welfare of ourselves our family , wives, kids and pets.
Material Safety Data Sheets are an excellent guide produced by manufactures to help us SAFELY use the MATERIALS in our home and shop. These are generally readily available on line for just about any material. Cornell University has a large on-line library of them and just about every manufacturer and many distributors have them for download.
If you ever get anything in your eye a MSDS in hand can save an ER doctor precious time.
Work safe
Tin

 

[1Kenny]

Yep Tin,

It is always good to read them at least once so you know what you are really useing. It was interesting to see what is in the gun blueing. I didn't know it had that combination of acids.

Kenny

 

[Tin Falcon]

Ken:
another good example of knowing what is in it is Hot shot or roach proof . You would think the stuff is a poison and nasty stuff. Most folks would get real upset if they got it in there eye or there toddler got into the stuff and put some in their mouth. It is really just boric acid powder used as an eye wash. It is pretty harmless to humans. if a kid ingests it they get gas. A roach has no way to expel gas so if they eat it they kind of blow up. Also boric acid and Borax mixed together make welding brazing flux. Try going to the store and finding a container marked boric acid ask for it and you will get an Are you from outer space look. Look for roach proof and people will not think you are as crazy. I would not purposely use roach proof for an eye wash . that is what the opthalmologic grade at the drug store is for.
Tin

 

[wareagle]

These things can be important! I have a set on everything in my shop, and though I haven't needed them for an emergency, it is nice to have them available should the need arise. A quick look over for some unique not often used chemicals or substances is a good habit to be in. Enough of the soap box here and on to the story!


I have been helping a guy out with some fabrication stuff on the side. It is nice spending change, and a change of pace form the usually same old stuff. Typically it is aluminum fabrication involving welding and sheet metal work. A day or two ago, he wanted me to weld up a heat exchanger that was made from an exotic material. I took a look at the unit, and he gave me the welding rod (zirconium) saying that the stuff is insanely expensive specifically saying the each rod is about $30.

Well, that little tidbit of information raised my eye brow, and I looked up the material safety data sheet for the rod. It has five radioactive isotopes! :-\ So a closer examination of the material that I would be working with would require several specialized methods of personal protection while I was working with the material.

When I had this information in hand, I politely told the gentleman that I wasn't going to perform the work without the required safety equipment. He asked why, and I just handed him the MSDS sheets for the materials involved in the job. I told him to look at the sections I highlighted and if he felt it still needed to be done in his shop without the needed equipment, then I would be leaving for the day while he had at it.

Once he started reading the MSDS sheet, he had a look of utter surprise on his face. A few minutes later, he agreed that this job needed to be done elsewhere. Had I gone ahead blindly into doing this job, probably nothing would have happened to me immediately. But several years down the road, I might have been paying a high price for jumping into the job without the proper knowledge and equipment.

Moral of the story, if you don't know for sure what you are dealing with, take a moment to research the material(s). If it is your boss, the job can wait. If they say it can't, then I would really consider the intentions of the folks that employ you. It might be time to seek other places of employment.

That few moments of research could add years to your life and keep your quality of life in a quality state! I encourage you to frequently look at the data for the chemicals and materials that you use in your shop, and certainly before using something that is unknown!


Never place time or money over safety! If you find yourself in that position, then ask yourself if ten minutes is worth twenty years of pain and suffering. Or how much money it would take to buy back yesterday.

 

[Maryak]

Hi Guys,

Don't take W/E's comments lightly, back in the dark ages, (before MSDS's), my Dad thought Araldite was the most wonderous thing in a tube : : He made gear knobs repaired pewter and the list goes on. If it could be done with Araldite, my Dad probably did or certainly tried it.

One day, the skin literally fell off both his hands. After much allergy testing etc.etc. it was traced to the Araldite.

In Oz there is must less regulation on retail outlets than there is on commercial enterprises to provide the information, both on the pack and in the form of MSDS's.

10th Street Blues - Lets be Careful Out There.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Tin Falcon]

Last week I had to drill some 7/8 holes in some plastic enclosure boxes no big deal righ when I drilled the stuff I found it had fiberglass in it Yuck and I am out in the field an not prepared to deal with fiberglass.
Yuck

In Oz there is must less regulation on retail outlets than there is on commercial enterprises to provide the information, both on the pack and in the form of MSDS's.

The same here in the states. if one looks it is not hard to get msds sheets for virtually anything. The other thing that happens is sometimes stuff is labeled industrial use only . This just means if you use it at home do not try to sue us.
Tin

 

[Brass_Machine]

To add on this:

If you are working on something that can hurt you (other than your machine tools), like a caustic chemical, it would be a good idea if your significant other (SWMBO) knows what it is or at least how to read the MSDS. Could be a big difference in the outcome if you have a problem that needs first aid. They can't help you with the correct aid if for some reason you can't talk. Know what I mean??

Eric

 

[wareagle]

Eric, that is an excellent point! Working in pairs, even if the second is SWMBO, is a good idea. Just exercise good judgement in your planning. A run through an MSDS book with SWMBO would be a great idea. I know my wife would look at one of those sheets with a glazed over look!

My shop is detached from the house, so if something happens then I could be in a world of hurt if I am not discovered for a period of time. In a garage or basement, odds are a little better that an incident will be heard along with a summons for help. To mitigate this issue, SWMBO will poke her head in on me every so often just to make sure I am still vertical. It's not the perfect situation, but I do adjust this plan when something risky is going to be done.