MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)

Definition

An MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is a critical technical document that provides comprehensive information regarding the potential health, safety, and physical hazards of a specific product. It outlines safe handling procedures, emergency controls, and necessary precautions during shipping and storage.

MSDS Requirements and Function

This document is required for all products classified as potentially dangerous goods. Crucially, it must also be provided for all lithium battery shipments, regardless of whether they are classified as dangerous goods or not. The MSDS may also be required for potentially dangerous products, like liquids, creams, and powders, just to prove that they aren’t dangerous. Carriers may also request an MSDS for dry or alkaline batteries, to certify they are not lithium based.

All copies of the MSDS must be validated and provided to the carrier before shipment initiation.

Checking MSDS Expiration

An expired MSDS can lead to immediate shipment delays. MSDS documents are structured into sections, although the exact look may differ per supplier. To confirm its validity, shippers must reference Section 14, “Transport Information,” which specifies the edition of the IATA DGR (International Air Transport Association Dangerous Goods Regulations) used for packaging.

IATA releases an updated edition of the DGR every October, which officially goes into effect on January 1st of the following year. If the document references an edition that precedes the current effective DGR standard, the MSDS is considered expired and must be updated by the supplier immediately.

Re-use Policy and Shipper Responsibility

• The same MSDS can be reused across recurring shipments only if the hazardous material component remains exactly the same (e.g., the exact same lithium battery model used in multiple finished products).

• The MSDS must still be supplied for every single shipment to recertify that the material composition has not changed.

• It is the sole responsibility of the shipper to properly package, label, document, and prepare all necessary documentation to ship a potentially dangerous item.