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ANSI - American National Standards Institute

Definition

• American National Standards Institute, ANSI, is a private, non-profit membership organization representing over 1,000 public and private organizations, businesses and government agencies. They seek to develop technical, political and policy consensus among various groups. Their web site is http://www.ansi.org/.

Additional Info

ANSI does not develop American National Standards (ANS's), but they accredit qualified groups to do so in their area(s) of technical expertise. There are over 14,000 ANSI-approved standards in use today.

ANSI-approved standards are voluntary, however it is possible that some of the content of these standards could be made into law by a governmental body.

ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). You may have heard of the ISO management system standards ISO 9000 (quality) and ISO 14000 (environmental), especially if you read Dilbert a lot.

Books Available

• "Material Safety Data Sheets: The Writer's Desk Reference", Hardcover, 1992. Estimated price $144.00. Info and/or order .

• "Hazardous Materials Chemistry for Emergency Responders, Second Ed", Hardcover, 2002. Estimated price $107.39. Info and/or order .

MSDS Relevance

ANSI standard Z400.1-2004 "Hazardous Industrial Chemicals - Material Safety Data Sheets - Preparation" is the voluntary standard commonly used to construct MSDS's. OSHA now recommends that the ANSI format be utilized, but they can not mandate it without federal regulation changes (see this OSHA interpretation letter). OSHA is now working on implementing the Globally Harmonized System and when this effort becomes law, then MSDS formats will follow the new standard. You can purchase the standard on-line for $100.00 by following links on the ANSI web site. This standard was developed by the American Chemistry Council, formerly known as the Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA). MSDS's have 16 sections under the ANSI MSDS standard: Substance identity and company contact information Chemical composition and data on components Hazards identification First aid measures Fire-fighting measures Accidental release measures Handling and storage Exposure controls and personal protection Physical and chemical properties Stability and reactivity Toxicological information Ecological information Disposal considerations Transport information Regulations Other information

This safety wall poster from Safety Emporium uses humor to reinforce the importance of proper emergency planning.

MSDS's in ANSI format have a few distinct advantages over those prepared using the standard OSHA Form 174 format:

1. ANSI-format sheets have all of the information required on the OSHA 174 format sheets as well as additional useful information.

2. The information on an ANSI format sheet is arranged in a consistent format whereas OSHA has no format requirements, only content requirements.

3. ANSI format is likely to be consistent from country to country, possibly permitting one to use the same MSDS in different markets without modification (Hey, a standard! Imagine that).

Most businesses that issue new MSDS's today use the ANSI standard format. If you are rewriting or generating any new ones, the ANSI format is a good idea.

Additional ANSI standards may quoted on MSDS's in reference to emergency equipment such as eye washes and safety showers (ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2009, "American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment") or personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, goggles, and respirators.

Further Reading

• Introduction to ANSI at ANSI, of course.
• Overview of the U.S. Standardization System (PDF, 116Kb) from ANSI.
• The AIHA is just one of many bodies that develops ANSI standards relevant to the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard.

See also: ACGIH, OSHA

Additional definitions from Google and OneLook.

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is believed to be true and accurate, however ILPI makes no guarantees concerning the veracity of any statement. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. ILPI strongly encourages the reader to consult the appropriate local, state and federal agencies concerning the matters discussed herein.