MSDS: Information for All

Brendan Tedrick, MS, LGI and CPO

MSDS are essential to the well being of the pool staff and patrons, because they provide basic information about each chemical/pesticide and the possible dangers of each chemical. Every chemical that is used at your aquatic facility or swimming pool must have a legible and accessible MSDS on file. Not only does the staff have to know where the MSDS booklet is located but how to use the information in the MSDS booklet. The MSDS booklet must be kept in an accessible location to all staff, so that everyone has access to the chemical information found in the MSDS booklet.

OSHA’s suggested format for an MSDS is referred to as “Form 174”. Form 174 contains eight categories/sections. The next part of this article will explain the eight sections of Form 174. Section one contains the chemical manufacturer’s name, address and phone number. Staff will be able to contact the manufactures if they have any questions in regard to their chemical. Section two of the MSDS contains a list of the hazardous components by the chemical identity and permissible exposure limit information. The staff needs to know about permissible exposure limits, so that they know if they were ever exposed to too much of the chemical. The third section of the MSDS deals with the physical/chemical characteristics of the chemical. Here are some of the characteristics that could be mentioned in section three: boiling point, vapor pressure, vapor density, specific gravity, melting point, evaporation rate, solubility in water, physical appearance and odor.

In the fire and explosion hazard data section of the MSDS, flash point, flammability limits and specific fire fighting procedures are listed in section four of the MSDS. Reactivity data is the next section of the MSDS and there should be a list of materials to avoid when working with this particular chemical. Staff needs to be aware of chemicals that are fine near each other and which chemicals need to be stored away from each other. Routes of entry information (inhalation, skin, and ingestion), hazards of exposure to the chemical (acute/immediate and chronic/gradual build up over long periods of time) and first-aid procedures are in the next section of the MSDS, which is know as the health hazard data section of the MSDS.

The seventh section of the MSDS (Precautions for Safe Handling and Use) deals with the basic procedures related to how to handle chemical spills, how to store the chemical, how to transport the chemical and lastly, how to dispose of the chemical. The following information is given about the chemical in the control measures section (section eight) of the MSDS: respiratory protection, ventilation, and protective equipment requirements. If the staff do not know what protective equipment to wear when dealing with a chemical, they should not be allowed near the chemical.
Now that we know the eight sections of a MSDS, let’s examine some general chemical-safety guidelines. These guidelines came from page 26, the Swimming Pool Management Manual (1996) from the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources:

1. Use pool chemicals for intended purposes only.
2. Know and understand federal and state pesticide laws.
3. Know and understand the information in the MSDS.
4. Read chemical labels carefully.
5. Keep children array from pool chemicals.
6. Store chemicals in their original containers.
7. Store chemicals containers in a locker storage room.
8. Work in pairs when performing maintenance on chemical feeders.
9. Wear appropriate protective clothing and equipment.
10. Never eat, drink or smoke around pool chemicals.
11. Avoid dust drift when using dry chemicals.
12. Prevent chemicals from spilling on skin and clothing.
13. Have an appropriate first aid kit and a water source near by.
14. Post important phone numbers near the phone.
15. When going to the hospital have a copy of the pesticide label with you.
16. Dispose of empty container according to the label instructions.
17. Wash or shower after using pool chemicals.
18. Wash chemical contaminated clothes separately from other clothing.

It is extremely important for pool managers, maintenance workers and lifeguards who work with any type of chemical/pesticide to protect themselves from any type of exposure to the chemical/pesticide by wearing appropriate protective equipment. Johnson (1996) in the Swimming Pool Management Manual found that: “Unfortunately, some protective clothing and equipment is very uncomfortable to wear, particularly for long periods of time in hot and humid conditions. However, wearing the appropriate clothing and equipment offers the best protection from chemical spills fumes and burns.”

Here is a list of protective equipment that every swimming pool should have aailable: a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, aprons, waterproof and unlined gloves, hats, unlined rubber boots or shoes, tightly fitted non-fogging goggle or full-face shields, and respiratory protective devices. In terms of respiratory protective devices, the three types are 1. Air Purification, 2. Supplied Air Apparatus, and 3. Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. Pool managers need to contact the MSDS or chemical manufacturer to figure out the correct respiratory protective devices and other protective equipment for each chemical/pesticide that is being used.

Swimming pools need to have Standard Operating Procedures that deal with chemical accidents. Here are some general guidelines when a chemical/pesticide accident occurs. If the chemical/pesticide is spilled on the skin or clothing, remove all clothing and flood the area with water. In terms of a chemical/pesticide getting into the eye, hold the eyelid under running water for up to 15 minutes. Most filter rooms should have an eye wash station. If staff inhales a chemical/pesticide, remove the staff member to open air and monitor his or her breathing, preparing to perform CPR. Last, if the chemical/pesticide is swallowed by the staff, the person’s mouth needs to be rinsed out with water. Never induce vomiting if the staff had swallowed a corrosive poison. In dealing with chemical/pesticide spills please consider the “three Cs”. They are: Control the Spill, Contain the Spill or Leak, and Clean Up the Spill.

In conclusion, pool managers, maintenance workers, and lifeguards who deal with any type of chemical/pesticide, have to know where the MSDS booklet is located and how to use the information in the booklet. Each separate chemical/pesticide that is used needs to have its own MSDS.
The second paragraph of this article briefly discusses the type of information you will find in each of the eight sections of an MSDS sheet. The rest of this article discusses general safety guidelines, protective equipment and what to do in a chemical/pesticide accident. It is highly recommended that pool managers go over how to use the MSDS booklet, SPOs (standard operating procedures) and emergency-action plans with the staff on a regular basis so that they know what to do in a chemical emergency. Procedures and important phone numbers need to be placed so that all staff can see them in the filter room and the pool office. Also, the filter room/pump room needs to be locked at all times so that the public does not have access to this area at all! Below are some informative books and websites that focus on MSDS and chemical safety issues.

Books on this Topic
Griffiths, T. (2003). The Complete Swimming Pool Reference: Second Edition. Sagamore Publishing, Champaign, IL.
Neely, W. (1992). Emergency Response to Chemical Spills. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. ISBN 087371733
Shugar, G, and Ballinger, J. (1996). Chemical Technicians’ Ready Reference Handbook. Mc Graw-Hill, New York, NY. ISBN 0070571864
Unterberg, W. (1988). How to Respond To Hazardous Chemical Spills.William Andre Inc., Austin, TX. ISBN 0815511760

Informative Websites

National MSDS Repository (select the DM heading) http://www.msdssearch.com
National Swimming Pool Foundation http://www.nspf.org
Occupational Safety and Health Administration http://www.osha.gov
United Stated Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board http://www.csb.gov
United States Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov

Article Sources/References
Johnson, Ralph. (1996). Swimming Pool Management Manual. Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources
Toreki, Rob. (2007, October). Chemical Identify. Interactive Learning Paradigms, Incorporated. Blackwood, NJ.

          ~ kw