materials with which they work. This law also pertains
t o F e d e r a l c i v i l i a n a n d m i l i t a r y p e r s o n n e l .
Manufacturers must provide hazardous material
information for all hazardous materials they produce
and must make a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
available to the users of each hazardous material.
In the Navy, MSDSs are provided in a computer
database on compact disk read-only memory
(CD-ROM) entitled “Hazardous Material Control and
Management (HMC&M) System.”
The CD-ROM
contains the Hazardous Material User’s Guide
(HMUG), Ships’ Hazardous Material List (SHML),
Shipboard Safety Equipment Shopping Guide, and the
Hazardous Material Information System (HMIS),
which provides over 70,000 MSDSs for materials used
within the DOD.
The MSDS must be available to all users of
hazardous materials and their supervisors; therefore,
the CD-ROM containing the HMC&M database is
provided on board every ship and shore station. The
MSDS is used to train hazardous material users on the
dangers and precautions of that material. Each MSDS
contains the following information:
General information, including an emergency
phone number for the material’s manufacturer.
Ingredients and identity information.
Physical and chemical characteristics.
Fire and explosion hazard data.
Health and hazard data, including first
aid.
Precautions for safe handling and use.
Control measures, including protective
equipment.
Transportation data.
Disposal data.
Label data.
Your hazardous material control supervisor or
hazardous material/hazardous waste coordinator can
provide you with an MSDS upon request. Ashore, the
MSDSs for each work center are located within the
work area. Aboard ship, MSDSs for every item of HM
aboard are available either through the HMIS or by
hard copy for open purchased items. Supervisors must
provide instruction in MSDS understanding and use,
and personnel using HM must be trained on the
dangers and precautions contained within the MSDS
before they actually use those materials.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS USER’S GUIDE
(HMUG)
The Hazardous Materials User’s Guide (HMUG)
provides safety data for hazardous materials
commonly used on ships. The HMUG supplements the
information contained in the Material Safety Data
Sheets (MSDSs). Always refer to the MSDS first. Then
use the HMUG to clarify any MSDS information you
do not understand.
The HMUG provides compatibility information,
control measures, safety precautions, health hazards,
spill control, and disposal guidelines for 22 hazardous
material groups (for instance, adhesives, cleaners,
degreasers, paints, solvents, etc.).
The Compatibility Information section lists
example material classes that are not compatible
with the hazardous material group and the types
of reactions that could occur if incompatible
materials should mix.
The Control Measures section identifies and
prescribes personal protective equipment (PPE)
for the chemical hazards in the group.
The Safety Precautions section provides safety
guidance for using and storing hazardous
materials in the group.
The Health Hazards section points out common
signs and effects of overexposure to the
hazardous material and provides “What to do”
instructions for the hazardous material user.
The Spill Control section provides information
for responding to a spill.
The Disposal Guidelines section provides
acceptable methods for disposing of materials
within the group.
The HMUG does not include items such as
ammunition, explosives, propellants, medical/
pharmaceutical supplies, and radioactive materials.
LABELING REQUIREMENTS
The Department of Defense (DOD) and the Navy
both have standard label requirements for marking
hazardous materials. Every Navy command must have
a system to ensure that hazardous materials are
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