All employees have both a need and right to know the identities and hazards of the chemicals they are exposed to when working as identified in the Indiana University Hazard Communication Program and the Chemical Hygiene Plan. Safety data sheets (i.e. formerly Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are the primary data source intended to outline the special precautions and controls necessary for handling specific hazardous chemicals. The purpose of the SDS is to provide health and safety data about specific hazardous chemicals.
Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
Accessing SDSs at IU
SDSs at Indiana University are available online through MSDSonline. The purpose of MSDSonline is to provide employees immediate access to SDSs of chemicals used in the workplace via the SDS Online global database and/or specific department catalogs (i.e. eBinders). A user must be directly on the IU Network or connected to the IU Network via a VPN connection to access MSDSonline.
Searching for an SDS
Once logged into MSDSonline, a user can search the entire MSDSonline Database by accessing the MSDSonline Search from the Menu in the upper left-hand corner of the landing page, or when applicable, a user may select a specific departmental eBinder using the eBinder selection button above the search bar.