MSDS Software Solution FAQ's

What were LOGICAL's criteria for deciding which fields should be included in the MSDS Management Module?

LOGICAL has been providing MSDS software and MSDS loading services for over fifteen years. We designed the MSDS based upon (1) our fifteen years of experience loading MSDS sheets and (2) input from our customers. Through our experience with MSDS sheets, we learned what information was being provided by manufacturers; our customers advised us on additional information that is important to them.

What if I wanted to provide an image of the MSDS to employees for Right to Know?

HAZMIN®'s design makes it very simple to provide the MSDS image for Right to Know. When an employee selects an MSDS, the image (provided one has been "imported" for that MSDS) will automatically display. The MSDS Module utilizes Adobe Acrobat PDF file format to store and display MSDS images. This format has several benefits over other file formats. First, the Adobe Acrobat Reader to display, manipulate and print the images is freely distributed by Adobe. Second, all pages of the MSDS are stored in one file. This minimizes the possibility of losing information.

Does HAZMIN® offer options for the regulated thirty-year history requirements?

All information may be left online. You may leave all replaced copies of an MSDS in the non-current status. This provides the additional feature of being able to search, display and query all historical information.

Second, since all MSDS images are stored in PDF format, it is very easy to copy PDF files to another storage medium, such as a recordable CD.

What about storing all of the MSDS images?

Images may be stored independently from the text. Whenever an image is imported into HAZMIN®, a copy is automatically stored in the archive records. Since HAZMIN®'s default image system is based upon PDF files, the archived image documents will always be viewable with the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Do all companies rely on the computer for the thirty-year record retention requirement?

Regardless of computer advances, some companies still store all of their paper MSDS sheets. You should consult your company's legal counsel for information concerning your company's position.

What are statuses and why are they important?

For Right-To-Know purposes and environmental reporting, it is very important to identify which MSDS sheets are currently active. HAZMIN® has a "current" status to identify active versions of the MSDS, a "non-current" status to identify superseded versions (which can be key to a company's thirty year record retention plan), and a "pending" status to identify what has recently been imported or is being edited. In addition, when linked with the Material Process Control Module, the "pending" status can identify materials that are being evaluated for potential use.

Can I obtain MSDS sheets in electronic form directly from the manufacturer?

Many MSDS sheets are available today via the Internet as electronic files.

If the MSDS sheets are not available directly from the manufacturers as electronic files, who will enter the MSDS information into the software?

The creators of HAZMIN® intended this software to be extremely user-friendly. Therefore, our customer's can enlist their own people to enter this information. Of course, you could always outsource your MSDS management with LOGICAL's COMPLY1™ MSDS Management Services or Data Entry Services.

What if I obtain confidential information from a manufacturer that supplements an MSDS. How could I be discrete with this information, but include it in the HAZMIN® MSDS for reporting purposes?

A component of an MSDS in HAZMIN® can be identified as a "confidential component". General users would only see the "confidential component" note. Users, who have been granted the required access, could view this confidential information and even include it in queries of the MSDS sheets.

What information does the employee need to select an MSDS?

Due to the flexibility of the MSDS software, minimal information is needed to locate an MSDS. A search can be executed with part of the product name, synonym, keyword, supplier or manufacturer of the material, location, department, facility, or even the facility's own Stock ID.

Can company specific MSDS information be added to the MSDS to improve the employees ability to find a particular MSDS?

Absolutely. Fields, in the HAZMIN® MSDS, include an internal stock number, site assigned MSDS numbers, usage locations, user-titled fields, and more.

How would I manage MSDS sheets for multiple facilities?

You may track MSDS sheets at multiple facilities within one HAZMIN® database. If you only want to track the use or storage locations within each facility, you may do that within a base HAZMIN® system. However, if it is the goal of a corporation to restrict employee access to only MSDS sheets used within their facility, then additional "facilities" must licensed for HAZMIN®. This will enable the users to only see the MSDS sheets in their facility. (Additional "facilities" are also required to generate separate environmental reports for each facility.) Even though each facility appears to have its own MSDS database, MSDS sheets are only loaded once for all facilities.

Can I print safety labels directly from the MSDS?

LOGICAL provides a safety label which "pulls" the necessary information directly from the MSDS. The label includes product name, manufacturer, HMIS/NFPA ratings, first five components, target organs and the HAZMIN® MSDS number. Unfortunately, this information is not provided with all MSDS. When it is provided, quite often it is not provided consistently. As a subscriber to COMPLY1™ MSDS Management Services, LOGICAL will provide you with consistent Hazard Ratings for your hazard labels.

With all of the differences between MSDS sheets, would it not be beneficial to paraphrase them for consistency?

LOGICAL believes that the intent of Right-To-Know is to make the original MSDS available to the employees. While the regulating authorities have accepted the benefits of similar formatting of MSDS sheets as an aide in training, they have stressed the need to make the original content available to employees. We recommend that you consider the HAZMIN® Material Process Control Module for paraphrasing or augmenting information in the MSDS.

How do I manage access to the MSDS sheets on our company network?

HAZMIN® includes a comprehensive internal security system. The coordinator of the software determines which individuals may enter information into the database, which individuals may query the fielded information, etc. Security is controlled by a username and a password. Employees do not require passwords to search for, display, or print an MSDS; nor do they require a password to print a safety label.