Ethanol MSDS

An ethanol MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is a document that contains detailed information about how to handle ethanol safely. It includes information about certain standard chemical and physical properties, besides health procedures related to immediate contact with ethanol, such as spill handling procedures, its health effects, potential hazards, and first aid and recommended treatment for accidental contact. Ethanol or any other types of MSDS are not meant for the general public, but for professionals who have to transport or handle ethanol or other products. They are issued by the manufacturer.

An ethanol MSDS is broken down into several sections that deal with specific aspects of ethanol. The initial section will be give information about the company who produced it and issued the MSDS.

This will be followed by information on the composition of the type of ethanol in question. The rest of the information is pretty much standardized. The next section will dispense advice on emergency situations and the health hazards it can cause if ingested, inhaled or brought into contact with sensitive areas of the body such as eyes and skin. It will also describe how internal organs such as the liver, kidney and heart could be affected.

A separate section will describe the steps to be taken by those treating a person who made improper use of ethanol. An ethanol MSDS will also instruct on how the tackle fires cause by ethanol. Ethanol is very volatile so the document will outline measures to avoid heat and fire and how to extinguish a fire caused by ethanol. Sometimes the MSDS can include a diamond rating from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) which provides information about the potential flammability, hazards to human health, and instability of chemicals. The remaining parts of the document will deal with spillages and other technical information, including the manufacturing date of the ethanol and environmental considerations on how to dispose of ethanol in case there is a surplus. There will also be a section for additional notes so manufacturers and employers can append additional information that falls outside the scope of the information on the data sheet.