available to the employees in their work area throughout each work shift. The following
additional requirements apply to the labeling of chemicals in the workplace:
1. The commander is not required to label portable containers into which hazardous
containers are transferred from labeled containers, and which are for the use of the employee who
performs the transfer within that shift.
2. Labels or other forms of warning will be written legibly and in English, and will be
prominently displayed on the container or readily available in the work area throughout each
shift. Facilities located in a region where another language is prominent may present the
information in the other language and in English.
C. For the DoD hazardous chemical warning label, DLA has developed a file of labeling
information for all hazardous chemicals used by DoD. This information is disseminated via the
DoD Hazardous Materials Information System which was established under DoDI 6050.5.
Activities are not required to relabel existing stocks with the DoD label if the manufacturer's
supplied label meets the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1200. The label provided in the HMIS is
available if the manufacturer's label has been removed or obliterated. The CD-ROM version of
the HMIS will produce two sizes of the label onto a preprinted DD form 2521 or 2522 or onto
blank label stock or paper.
8.10 Material Safety Data Sheets
A. Title 29 CFR requires that chemical manufacturers or importers provide their customers
with an appropriate MSDS with each initial shipment of a hazardous chemical and again when a
change of formulation has occurred. The MSDS must be available and accessible to employees
during each work shift when in the work area. The HMIS may be used to meet this requirement.
It should be understood that because of an interpretation by the Solicitor General of OSHA,
manufacturers are not required to automatically provide updated copies of their MSDSs to the
Federal Government. Instead, the Government must require the MSDS through its contractual
process. Thus, the Government will not likely receive updated MSDSs until it buys the product
from the manufacturer again.
B. When employees must travel between workplaces during a work shift (e.g., work is carried
out in different warehouses or geographical locations), MSDSs may be kept in a central location
at the primary workplace as long as the information is available to employees immediately in the
event of an emergency. Keep in mind, the key concept here is ready access.
C. MSDSs may be kept in any form, including operating procedures or electronic format, and
may be designed to cover groups of hazardous materials in a work area where it may be
appropriate to address the hazards of a process rather than of individual hazardous chemicals.
However, the commander will ensure that, in all cases, the required information is provided for
each chemical and is readily accessible to employees during each work shift.
D. New MSDSs and hazard determinations are not required for hazardous chemicals that are
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