The necessity for providing Material Safety Data Sheets is based on the directive 91/155/EEC of March 5th, 1991. This directive says:
Article 1
1. Any person established within the Community who is responsible for placing a dangerous substance or preparation on the market, whether the manufacturer, importer or distributor, shall supply the recipient who is an industrial user of the substance or preparation with a safety date sheet containing the information set out in Article 3.
2. The information shall be provided free of charge at the latest when the substance or preparation is first supplied and thereafter following any revision due to any significant new information regarding safety and protection of health and the environment.
The new dated version, identified as 'Revision: . . . (date)' shall be provided free of charge to all former recipients who received the substance or preparation within the preceding 12 months.
3. The safety data sheet need not be supplied where dangerous substances or preparations offered or sold to the general public are furnished with sufficient information to enable users to take the necessary measures as regards the protection of health and safety. However, a safety data sheet must be supplied at the request of an industrial user.
Common abbreviations for the for the term Material Safeta Data Sheet are:
MSDS = Material Safety Data Sheet
SDS = Safety Data Sheet
