in Liquid Rubber & Plastic for Moldmaking & Casting

Safety & Regulation;
Prototypes & Tooling

A New DEVELOPMENTS Feature
Safety & Regulatory Affairs

Hazardous Materials Information System

More than a decade ago, the National Paint and Coatings Association developed the    Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) in order to quickly and easily convey health and safety information from paint manufacturers and suppliers to their customers. The HMIS system has gained wide acceptance in more than just the paint and coatings industry.
The HMIS ratings are for four categories: health, flammability, reactivity, and personal protective equipment (PPE). The first three categories are rated on a number scale from 0 to 4 (0 indicates minor hazard; 4 indicates severe hazard). PPE ratings are designated by a letter which corresponds to types of PPE that should be worn while using the product. For example:

    A = safety glasses
    B = safety glasses + gloves
    C = safety glasses + gloves + apron
    D = face shield + gloves + apron
    E = safety glasses + gloves + dust mask

Letters up to K denote other PPE requirements.
With increasing frequency, our customers are calling and asking for HMIS ratings for Poly Products. HMIS ratings are included at the very end of some of the newer product MSDSs. If you are one of our many customers using HMIS ratings, you will find the chart below showing the ratings for many common Poly Products to be very helpful.

Polytek® Products — HMIS Ratings

Read the Label

When a Polytek® product arrives, READ THE LABEL! Our labels are carefully designed to convey quickly and understandably the major hazards, if any, of the product. We have worked hard to ensure that our labels comply with OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200). Also, like many chemical manufacturers, we voluntarily follow the American National Standard for Hazardous Industrial Chemicals—Precautionary Labeling (ANSI Z129.1-1994).
When you look at any product label, the "Signal Word" followed by the "statement of hazard" should pop out at you. On the right side, just under the product name, you'll see it in bold text, ALL CAPS. Signal Words indicate the degree of hazard: in order of increasing hazard they are CAUTION, WARNING, and DANGER. If you see DANGER, then that product poses a significant health or physical hazard. On the other hand, CAUTION is used on labels of products that pose minor hazards. The text that follows the signal word is the statement of hazard. This text, also bold and ALL CAPS, highlights the most significant health and physical hazards that are present with proper and foreseeable handling of the chemical. The statement of hazard lists the most serious hazards first and, usually, immediate hazards before delayed hazards. Here are a few examples:

Poly 74-Series WARNING: MAY CAUSE
Part A             ALLERGIC RESPIRATORY
                      AND/OR SKIN REACTION.
                      MAY CAUSE EYE AND SKIN IRRITATION.

Poly 74-30       CAUTION: MAY CAUSE EYE
Part B             AND SKIN IRRITATION. MAY
                      BE HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED.

The text immediately below the statement of hazard lists precautionary measures you should take to protect yourself from the hazards the product poses.
Keep in mind that if you transfer the product to another container, the new container also needs to be labeled with the product name, manufacturer name and address, and hazard warnings (as required by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard). The only exception is for portable containers into which product is transferred for immediate use.
Of course, labels are only a start: Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) contain more- detailed health and safety information.

Close Window