Chemical Safety
Chemical Information
There are two main areas of chemical use at George Fox University; offices and student housing.
Most business offices use a variety of chemicals, often without even realizing it. From the whiteboard cleaner, to the laptop and computer screen duster. Each of these chemicals have specific properties associated with them, which are required by law to be listed on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and supplied by the manufacturer of the chemical. At George Fox University, we are committed to providing a safe and productive work and study environment for all employees and students.
What is a MSDS?
The "Material Safety Data Sheet" for a chemical lists important information concerning the proper use of, and more importantly, the possible hazards the chemical presents to the user. Each MSDS lists the manufacturer of the chemical, the product name as well as the chemical name, and the chemical characteristics. Any fire or explosive hazards will be noted, as well as any health hazards (including contact or inhalation hazards). Finally, the emergency and first aid procedures will be listed. In the case of an emergency, the information contained within the MSDS can be the difference between life and death for the individual exposed to the chemical.
The following list represents some of the common chemicals found in the office workspace. For each chemical, we have provided a link to the MSDS for that chemical. If your chemical is not listed here, you must obtain an MSDS and keep it on file to meet OSHA requirements for chemicals in the workplace. Often the MSDS can be found easily on the Web by searching under the chemical name with MSDS in the search line. You can also try searching the MSDS database for your specific chemical.
- Sanford "Expo" whiteboard cleaner (for dry erase surfaces) msds
- "De-Solv-it" multi-use solvent msds
- Antiseptic towelettes (found in the medicine cabinet) msds
- Cleaning duster (spray can for computer keyboards) msds
- Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA or 2-Propanol) msds
- "Klear screen" laptop and computer screen cleaner msds
Cleaning supplies for student housing is the other main chemical use at George Fox University. When custodial gives you a bucket of cleaning supplies, you will generally find the following chemicals in the bucket: