OfficeMSDS: How MSDS Works

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An Overview

This is a Internet based application.

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MSDS information when you need it. Where you need it. On demand. The flow of information from OfficeMSDS® to you travels at the speed of light so that your MSDS information is just a click away. Get connected. Sign up today.

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Send all of your MSDS documents to us.

Indicate the location and department associated with each MSDS document.

We will scan each MSDS document and enter the information into the database.

You will be assigned a username and password to access your MSDS documents on-line.

Send us any new or updated MSDS documents that you may receive.

Internet Application

There is no software required for this service. All you need is an Internet connection, a web browser and Adobe® Acrobat® reader plug-in which is free from Adobe®. We manage your MSDS documents in a private database that can only be accessed by you with your assigned password. Unlike similar web based MSDS services, your MSDS documents are not shared with other users. Your information is secure.

Sending MSDS

You simply send us all of your MSDS documents for scanning and indexing (data entry). Your may either send them via regular mail, fax or by email. If you request, we will send the documents back to you for your records after they have been scanned and indexed. While we are entering the data into the database, you may call us 24/7 for MSDS information in the event of an emergency. We have an average turnaround time of 2 weeks for 1,000 MSDS documents. Volumes less than this can usually be on-line within 1 week.

Location and Department

You have the ability to search for MSDS documents by Location or by Department. Location and Department fields are unique to OfficeMSDS® in that they allow our clients to manage their MSDS documents for multi-facility and multi-department establishments. This is extremely effective for multi-establishment facilities like hospitals, schools, and manufacturing facilities that have more than one location or for those that only have one location but many departments. By managing MSDS documents by Location and Department, you automatically comply with OSHA's requirement to keep a list of the products used in the workplace since you can generate lists by specific locations or departments.

When sending your MSDS documents to us, be sure to indicate which location and department should be assigned to each document. This can be accomplished by providing a separate list that references the MSDS document, by using post-it notes and affixing them to the document(s), or by simply writing it on the document if you prefer. You do not have to provide a location or department if you do not want to. In these cases we will simply list the location and department as "not specified". We allow 2 locations and 2 departments for each MSDS at no charge.

Scanning and Data Entry

The MSDS documents are scanned into our database and converted to Adobe® PDF format. If you desire other formats such as Word®, you must provide us with the file. Please note that the scanned image is only as good as the original MSDS that you send us, although we can adjust the contrast and brightness to enhance the document to some extent.

The following information is indexed (input) into the database from each MSDS. Indexed information means that you can perform MSDS searches by those fields and sort by those fields as well. The fields that are indexed, searchable and sortable include:

Product Name
Part Number (if you assign one)
Synonyms
CAS Number
Supplier Name
MSDS Date
Location
Department

You can also perform searches by using multiple search criteria such as product name and supplier, etc.

User Name and Password

You will be assigned a username and password. Up to 10 additional usernames and passwords can be made available at no extra charge. When you or your employees log in to the system, the search page appears in the browser and shows your company's logo and your company's internal MSDS contact information (name, phone number, email, etc.). This is the person the user would contact for more information regarding the use of the substance. If you have product MSDS that you want your customers to have access to, simply ask for a third-party username and password. Your customers will then be able to log in to the system and view only your product MSDS documents.

Searching, Viewing and Printing

Finding an MSDS is easy with OfficeMSDS®. Searches can be performed on any of the following fields:

- Product Name
- Product Part Number
- Synonyms
- Supplier Name
- Part Number
- MSDS Date
- Location
- Department

You can select one search field or multiple search fields. For example, instead of just searching the product name field for acetone, you could search the product name field for acetone and the supplier name field for Fisher to find acetone that is supplied by Fisher. You can also enter partial search terms. If you enter "aceto", say for example in the product name field, it will return results for acetone, acetonitrile and so on. Your search term is also highlighted on the results page to make information retrieval easier. Once you have found the MSDS record that you want, you simply click the PDF Iconto view, print or email the document.

Updated and Archived MSDS Documents

When you receive new or updated MSDS documents, simply send them directly to us. We will scan them and enter them into the database. For updated documents, the older MSDS versions will be archived in the database. While MSDS searches show only the most recent MSDS document, users can see all of the older MSDS versions for a particular product by simply checking the "show archives" box. This allows our members to comply with OSHA's 30 year MSDS retention requirement. When we have completed updating the record, we will send the MSDS back to you if requested.