Which hazards are described in material safety data sheets?

• A. Electrical
• B. Biological
• C. Chemical
• D. Physical

Answer: (C)

The main point is that safety data sheets describe hazards that come from the chemical substance itself. An MSDS (or Safety Data Sheet) communicates the risks the chemical can pose to people and the environment—health effects from exposure, toxicity, irritation, and sensitization; physical properties that create hazards like flammability or reactivity; and the precautions needed to use, store, handle, and dispose of it safely. It’s not about hazards from equipment or from living organisms. So while a chemical’s properties can include physical hazards (like being flammable), those are still considered chemical hazards described because of the substance. Electrical hazards relate to equipment, and biological hazards relate to living agents, which fall outside the MSDS’s focus.