Technical Violations

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Technical Violations
A poster session of the Hazardous Materials
Information Review Commission for the SCHC Spring
Meeting, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. April 29, 2003.
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BACKGROUND

• The Hazardous Materials Information Review
  Commission (Canada) http//www.hmirc-ccrmd.gc.ca
  is responsible for registering and reviewing
  claims for Controlled Products which contain
  trade secret ingredients.
• The Commission continues to encounter a number of
  MSDSs at the registration stage which are found
  to contain obvious technical errors or
  omissions relating to certain aspects of the
  format, wording and content of the MSDS.

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This poster session outlines some of the more
common technical violations found in the
following areas

• Product Information
• Ingredient Information
• Fire Fighting
• Handling and Storage
• Physical and Chemical Properties
• Toxicological Information
• Other Information

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PRODUCT INFORMATION problems would include

• Missing, incomplete or incorrect name of the
  manufacturer/supplier
• Missing, incomplete or incorrect address of the
  manufacturer/supplier
• Missing or imprecise product use statement

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INGREDIENT INFORMATION problems would include

• Missing or imprecise generic chemical identities
  (GCI)
• Undisclosed IDL ingredients (handout available)
• Missing or inappropriate units of measurement for
  concentration ratio

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INGREDIENT INFORMATION problems (contd)

• Missing CAS Registry Number for disclosed
  hazardous ingredients
• Imprecise real chemical identity when CAS
  shown or vice versa
• (Example truncated IUPAC name)
• Missing exposure time or species

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FIRE FIGHTING problems would include

• Missing method in flash point disclosure
• Combustible products containing C, N or S fail to
  include oxides of those elements in the
  hazardous combustion products section of the
  MSDS

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HANDLING AND STORAGE problems would include

• For a flammable liquid, no indication that
• Metal containers should be grounded when
  transferring large quantities of the controlled
  product.
• High vapour pressure can cause vapours to flow
  from open containers and may flash back, causing
  a fire, if they contact an ignition source.

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HANDLING AND STORAGE problems (contd)

• For a flammable liquid, no indication that
  (contd)
• Ignition sources should be eliminated or avoided
  when working with the product.
• The controlled product should be stored in a well
  ventilated cool, dry place away from ignition
  sources and heat.

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PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES problems would
include

• Missing physical state
• Missing or imprecise odour statement
• pH disclosed for non-aqueous products where
  solution is not specified

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PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES problems
(contd)

• Specific solvent is not disclosed for evaporation
  rate
• Missing or imprecise appearance (colour)
  statement

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TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Note Determination of Technical Violations,
with respect to Toxicological Information, do not
require interpretation of Tox Data or review of
applicability.

• Type of Exposure Limit value not identified
  (example TWA vs. STEL or ceiling)
• Agency responsible for establishing an exposure
  limit value not identified

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TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION problems (contd)

• An unfamiliar or unclear acronym is used on the
  MSDS but not defined for an agency responsible
  for an Exposure Limit Value

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OTHER problems would include

• Missing/incorrect units of measurement used for
  disclosed data
• Information is disclosed under an inappropriate
  heading
• The MSDS format is non-standard (i.e. neither 9
  heading WHMIS format nor 16 heading
  ILO/EEC/ISO/ANSI format)

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OTHER problems (contd)

• Acronym N/A not defined (as either Not
  available or Not applicable)
• Missing date of preparation
• Missing name and phone number of the preparer of
  the MSDS
• A Schedule I category entry is left blank

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CONCLUSION

• Technical violations continue to be noted and
  published in the Canada Gazette. Most are readily
  avoidable.
• This presentation relates only to technical
  violations.
• For further information on the trade secret
  aspect of WHMIS please contact the Commission at
  613-993-4685 or visit our website at
  http//www.hmirc-ccrmd.gc.ca .

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