LibGuides: Chemistry: Safety, Hazards, Environment

Safety, Hazardous Materials, & Regulatory Information

UT Austin Lab Safety
Resources and guidelines from the UT Environmental Health & Safety office.
UT HERD
UT HERD (Hazard Evaluation and Risk Database) is an electronic information management database used to streamline the laboratory safety process and provide better service to researchers and laboratory personnel. Current features include lab and worker registration, training, lab inspections, and RAM and chemical inventory management.
ACS Center for Lab Safety
Supports and promotes the safe, ethical, responsible, and sustainable practice of chemistry through easy access to authoritative tools, education, training, and guidance.
Chemical Safety Library
The Pistoia Alliance Chemical Safety Library (CSL) is an open-access platform that streamlines access to hazardous reaction information crowd-sourced from academic, industry and government institutions. Search for hazardous reaction information by CAS Registry Number, chemical name, etc.
C&EN Safety Letters
List of the reports of unexpected or misunderstood chemical/reactive hazards that appeared in C&EN from 1993 to 2010.
The Safety Net
A collection of shared standard operating procedures for synthetic chemists, from UNC.
Dow Lab Safety Academy
A series of instructional videos for laboratory safety training.

Publications

Chemical laboratory safety and security.
Publication Date: 2016
A guide to developing standard operating procedures. Also available in print.
Chemical technicians' ready-reference handbook.
Publication Date: 5th ed., 2011
Chapters deal with lab safety and chemical handling.
CRC handbook of laboratory safety.
Publication Date: 5th ed., 2000
First-aid manual for chemical accidents.
Publication Date: 2nd ed., 1989
Index in front for 600 industrial products, pointing to sections on toxicology, and first aid for inhalation, ingestion, skin and eye contact.
Laboratory health and safety dictionary.
Publication Date: 2001
2500 entries covering chemical hygiene, safety procedures, exposures, with terms found in OSHA standards, MSDS, etc.
Prudent practices in the laboratory.
Publication Date: 2nd ed., 2011
Guide to laboratory safety, chemicals handling and disposal, risk assessment, etc. Prepared by the National Research Council. Also available in print.
Research laboratory safety.
Publication Date: 2016
Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories.
Publication Date: 8th ed.
Free PDF booklet.

A Safety Data Sheet or SDS (formerly and still often referred to as a Material Safety Data Sheet or MSDS) contains structured safety information provided by the manufacturer or supplier of a chemical product. "A Safety Data Sheet, SDS, is designed to provide both workers and emergency personnel with the proper procedures for handling or working with a particular substance. SDS's include information such as physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point etc.), toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, storage, disposal, protective equipment, spill/leak procedures, and more." (ILPI FAQ)

The quality, completeness, and reliability of SDS vary widely. Don't rely solely on SDS for information that is critical to managing laboratory hazards and safety.

FINDING SDS: Most laboratory/specialty chemical suppliers provide free SDS on their catalog sites. You can also search Google for "sds" with the most-common name of the substance. It's a good idea to consult more than one data sheet for the substance, looking out for discrepancies and gaps.

UT EHS SDS Information
Fisher Scientific
Millipore Sigma (formerly Sigma Aldrich)
Search by product number only.
Airgas SDS
Verisk 3E
Where to Find MSDS on the Internet

ATSDR Toxic Substances Portal
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry provides information and lists of toxic substances and their health effects. (US Centers for Disease Control)
CAMEO Chemicals
Database of over 6,000 hazardous materials (with over 82,000 synonyms). Each chemical data sheet describes the material and its properties, and includes information on fire and explosive hazards, health hazards, firefighting techniques, cleanup procedures, and protective clothing. (NOAA)
ChemHat
The Chemical Hazard and Alternatives Toolbox is a database with easy to use information to protect ourselves, our families and our co-workers against the harm that chemicals can cause.
Chemical Compatibility Database
Select a chemical and/or material (of containers or protective clothing) and see chemical effect ratings. (Cole-Parmer)
Compendium of Pesticide Common Names
"This Compendium is believed to be the only place where all of the ISO-approved standard names of chemical pesticides are listed. It also includes approved names from national and international bodies for pesticides that do not have ISO names."
Consumer Product Information Database
Database intended to educate consumers about health effects and chemical ingredients of over 21,000 household products and brands (excluding foods or pharmaceuticals). (Formerly the Household Products Database from NLM.)
Hazardous Substances Databank
HSDB is now part of PubChem. It provides peer-reviewed toxicology data for about 5,000 chemicals. Isolating HSDB records within PubChem is tedious, but you can use ChemIDplus as a search shortcut. (NIH/NLM)
Haz-Map
Information on hazardous substances as related to diseases and occupations.
IRIS
Integrated Risk Information System contains information on human health effects (cancer and non-cancer) that may result from exposure to various substances in the environment. IRIS is prepared and maintained by the EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within the Office of Research and Development (ORD).
NIOSH International Chemical Safety Cards
"An ICSC summarizes essential health and safety information on chemicals for their use at the shop floor level by workers and employers in factories, agriculture, construction and other work places."
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
Intended as a source of general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals/classes for workers, employers, and occupational health professionals.
PAN Pesticide Database
Toxicity and regulatory information for pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides. (Pesticide Action Network)
Pesticides Properties Database
A relational database of pesticide approvals, physicochemical properties, environmental fate, human health and ecotoxicological data for substances approved for use in the EC and other countries. (Agriculture & Environment Research Unit (AERU), Univ. of Hertfordshire)
ToxInfo
An integrated search tool accessing some of the databases formerly part of the retired TOXNET system from NLM.
WISER
WISER is a system designed to assist emergency responders in hazardous material incidents. WISER provides a wide range of information on hazardous substances, including substance identification support, physical characteristics, human health information, and containment and suppression advice. (NIH/NLM)

Bretherick's handbook of reactive chemical hazards.
Publication Date: 8th ed., 2017
Compendium of unexpected, but predictable, loss of containment and explosion hazards from chemicals and their admixtures and actual accidents.
Chemical hazards of the workplace.
Publication Date: 5th ed., 2004
ntroductory statements on toxicology of chemicals likely to be encountered at work, aimed at health professionals. Indexed by name/synonym and CAS Registry Number.
Clinical toxicology of commercial products.
Publication Date: 5th ed., 1984
Guide to immediate treatment of chemical poisoning through misuse of consumer products, providing a list of trade names and ingredients, company information, sample formulas and toxicities, and treatment recommendations. See the chart inside the front cover for a quick guide to use.
Comprehensive guide to the hazardous properties of chemical substances.
Publication Date: 3rd ed., 2007
Compendium including organics, metals, inorganics, gases, particulates, and radioactive substances; examines toxicity, flammability, reactivity, handling, and disposal practices.
Concise international chemical assessment document series (CICAD)
Monographs on specific compounds and compound groups, published by the International Programme on Chemical Safety, a unit of the World Health Organization. Also available in print.
Handbook of environmental data on organic chemicals.
Publication Date: 5th ed., 2009
Data on properties, fate, air and water pollution factors, biological effects. Extensive introduction and molecular formula index; many references.
Haz mat data.
Publication Date: 2nd ed., 2004
Hazmat data on 1450 hazardous chemicals found in the industrial workplace and frequently transported in bulk.
IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans.
"The IARC Monographs identify environmental factors that can increase the risk of human cancer. These include chemicals, complex mixtures, occupational exposures, physical agents, biological agents, and lifestyle factors. National health agencies can use this information as scientific support for their actions to prevent exposure to potential carcinogens. Interdisciplinary working groups of expert scientists review the published studies and evaluate the weight of the evidence that an agent can increase the risk of cancer." (WHO)
Regulatory chemicals handbook.
Publication Date: 2000
Guide to over 750 chemical pollutants, including air pollutants (HAPs), priority water pollutants (PWPs), and OSHA-listed chemicals. Gives physical, chemical, and biological properties, regulatory status, storage information, and more.
Sax's dangerous properties of industrial materials.
Publication Date: 11th ed., 2004
Alphabetic listing of over 20,000 materials. Entries include registry number, NIOSH-RTECS accession number, toxic and hazard reviews (THR), and toxicity data, and a hazard rating. Vol. 1 has synonym and reg. no. indexes. A good source of LD50 data.
Sigma-Aldrich library of chemical safety data.
Publication Date: 2nd ed., 1988
Two-volume compendium of toxicity, disposal, handling and first-aid information for over 14,000 chemicals, in alphabetical sequence. Indexes in vol. 2 by formula, registry number, Aldrich catalog number, and synonym. Includes trade names.
Sigma-Aldrich library of regulatory and safety data.
Publication Date: 1993
Regulatory, handling, and toxicity information for thousands of pure compounds organized by chemical class.
Sittig's handbook of toxic and hazardous chemicals and carcinogens.
Publication Date: 6th ed., 2012
Entries describe toxicity, regulatory exposure limits, and other safety information on 2200+ toxic and hazardous chemicals.
Wiley guide to chemical incompatibilities.
Publication Date: 3rd ed., 2009
9000 chemical incompatibility profiles for more than 11,000 chemicals.

Substance Registry Services
SRS is the EPA's central system for information about substances that are tracked or regulated by EPA or other sources. It is the authoritative resource for basic information about chemicals, biological organisms, and other substances of interest to EPA and its state and tribal partners. The SRS makes it possible to identify which EPA data systems, environmental statutes, or other sources have information about a substance and which synonym is used by that system or statute. It becomes possible therefore to map substance data across EPA programs regardless of synonym.
CompTox Chemicals Dashboard
"The CompTox Chemicals Dashboard provides public access to chemistry, toxicity, and exposure information for hundreds of thousands of chemicals. The available data includes, but is not limited to, chemical properties, environmental fate and transport, hazard (e.g., point of departure, legacy toxicity values, screening levels, exposure limits), in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE), exposure (e.g., predictions associated with the ExpoCast program, use categories, toxic release inventory, monitoring data), bioactivity."
ECOTOX
ECOTOX is a comprehensive knowledgebase providing single chemical environmental toxicity data on aquatic and terrestrial species.
EPA Regulations
EPA is called a regulatory agency because Congress authorizes it to write regulations that explain the technical, operational, and legal details necessary to implement laws. Regulations are mandatory requirements that can apply to individuals, businesses, state or local governments, non-profit institutions, or others.
National Environmental Methods Index
NEMI is a searchable database that allows scientists and managers to find and compare analytical and field methods for all phases of environmental monitoring. A joint effort of the EPA, USGS, and NWQMC.
CFR Title 40
Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations covers the protection of the environment. The e-CFR is an interactive, online version of the current statute.
HERO: Health and Environmental Research Online
The database includes more than 600,000 scientific references and data from the peer-reviewed literature used by EPA to develop its regulations.
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)
TRI tracks the management of certain toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to human health and the environment. U.S. facilities in different industry sectors must report annually how much of each chemical is released to the environment and/or managed through recycling, energy recovery and treatment. There are various methods of accessing the data, by search tools and downloads.
TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substance Inventory contains all existing chemical substances manufactured, processed, or imported in the United States that do not qualify for an exemption or exclusion under TSCA. This may be your starting place for interaction with EPA on TSCA regulatory matters.
TSCA - Chemical Data Reporting
The Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) Rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires manufacturers, including importers, to submit information on the chemicals they produce domestically or import into the United States during the principal reporting year. The non-confidential portion of data is dated and selective.
TSCA - ChemView
Chemical health and safety data received by EPA and EPA's assessments and regulatory actions for specific chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

SciFinder CHEMLIST
Many commercially available substances listed in the CAS Registry system link to a display of regulatory information.
Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
GHS "is an international consensus sytem for classifying and labeling hazardous chemicals. The GHS is designed to streamline the hazard assessment, labeling, and hazard communication requirements within and between the countries that adopt it by promoting common, consistent criteria for classifying chemicals according to their health, physical and environmental hazards, and to develop compatible labeling, material safety data sheets (MSDS's) and other information based on those classifications." (ILPI)
Globally Harmonized System (GHS - UNECE)
European Chemicals Agency
Information on the ~120,000 chemicals manufactured and imported in Europe. It covers their hazardous properties, classification and labelling, and information on how to use them safely.
REACH
"REACH is the European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It entered into force in 2007, replacing the former legislative framework for chemicals in the EU."
Watchdog - ECHA
Monitor the regulatory status of over 200K substances under ECHA/EU rules.
Chemical Safety Board
The CSB is an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical incidents.

NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Standards This link opens in a new window
Full text access to the latest standards of the National Fire Protection Association, via IHS. NFPA Standard no.704 describes the familiar "diamond" signs describing hazardous contents for emergency response.
Updated regularly. Engineering Workbench provides electronic full-text access of current NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publishes more than 300 consensus codes and standards that are intended to minimize the risk and effects of fire.
NFPA standards and codes establish criteria for building, processing, design, service and installation in the United States, as well as many other countries. More than 200 volunteer committees create the codes and standards, which are accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Searching the Literature

PubMed This link opens in a new window
PubMed contains bibliographic data formerly in the TOXLINE database. See help page for searching toxicology literature in PubMed.
Updated weekly. Provides access to over 36 million citations in MEDLINE, PreMEDLINE, and other related databases. Links to the full text articles are provided when available, subject to UT subscription status.

Set up LibKey Nomad to find access through the UT Libraries subscriptions and purchases.
SciFinder This link opens in a new window
Extensive journal, conference, and patent coverage across all the molecular sciences.
Updated daily. Requires users to register with a utexas.edu email account. Provides integrated access to the Chemical Abstracts suite of databases with millions of bibliographic records covering the worldwide chemical literature, including patents; as well as over 100 million substance records, with chemical structures, names, synonyms, and associated property data; plus millions of searchable organic reactions. Search by topic, author, chemical identification terms (names, formulas, Registry Numbers), and chemical structures.
NEPIS: National Environmental Publications Information System This link opens in a new window
Dates of coverage vary. Unlimited users.
Updated regularly. Provides full text access from a collection of over 7,000 archival and current documents published by the Environmental Protection Agency. Allows searching, viewing, and printing, including full images of all original pages and full-text. Includes documents that are no longer available in print form.