MSDS Compliance: MSDS Software Vendors, Service Providers & More

3E Company Launches 3E Mobile – MSDS for Instant Access to Chemical Inventory and MSDSs
New Mobile Site for Smartphone Users Makes Critical Data from 3E Online™ -MSDS Available in Remote Locations and Rugged Environments

3E Company, a leading provider of environmental health and safety (EH&S) compliance and information management services, today announced the launch and availability of 3E Mobile – MSDS, the first mobile site of its kind to offer instant access to hazardous material inventories and associated material safety data sheets (MSDSs) via smartphone. 3E Company’s database of 4.5 million MSDSs is now available for portable viewing, saving valuable time and helping bolster EH&S regulatory compliance efforts by ensuring reliable access to critical product safety data and information.

In addition to having access to their inventory and MSDSs, customers that have Universal Product Codes (UPCs) associated with their products can also scan barcodes and automatically retrieve the relevant MSDS and related information on their smartphone. This unique feature dramatically simplifies MSDS management by enabling users to seamlessly access their inventory and database of MSDSs from their smartphone.

3E Mobile – MSDS offers customers the advantage of being able to access MSDSs anytime and anywhere. Companies with employees who work remotely or in rugged environments, in particular those in the utility, construction, transportation, and manufacturing industries, will benefit from improved access to MSDSs and related information via smartphone. Access to this type of information is invaluable in the event of a spill or emergency, which often occurs in locations where computers are not easily accessible. With 3E Mobile – MSDS, responders can instantly access product information at the scene of the incident, regardless of its location, and react in a timely manner to mitigate its impact, prevent injuries, and reduce damage to the facility.

“MSDS access can be difficult and often painfully time-consuming,” said Tamie Webber, director of product management, 3E Company. “With the introduction of 3E Mobile – MSDS, we’ve simplified the MSDS management process by allowing our users to access their MSDSs from their smartphone — whether they are in the field, on the factory floor, or traveling.”

3E Mobile – MSDS is available free of charge to all 3E Online – MSDS customers who use iPhone®, Blackberry®, Android™, and other devices. Customers simply need to visit the mobile site at www.3eonline.com/m from their phone and login. 3E Mobile – MSDS is backed by 3E Company’s world-renowned 24/7/365 3E EH&S Mission Control Center for round-the-clock support.

About 3E Company
3E Company, a subsidiary of Verisk Analytics, offers a comprehensive suite of services for environmental health and safety (EH&S) compliance management. This suite of services addresses the entire chemical life cycle and includes regulatory research; MSDS authoring, distribution, and management; transportation; emergency response; training; regulatory reporting; and hazardous waste management. 3E provides an industry-leading combination of a 24/7/365 EH&S mission control call center and the world’s premier hazardous substance database of global regulatory and compliance information. More than 5,000 customers work with 3E, including Costco Wholesale Corporation, US Airways, Eastman Chemical, Shell, Temple-Inland, and Menasha. 3E Company’s products and services received two 2010 Occupational Health & Safety product of the year awards for best in MSDS management and best in EH&S software. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California, with additional operations in Canton, Ohio; Bethesda, Maryland; Kingsport, Tennessee; Montreal, Quebec; and Copenhagen, Denmark. For more information on 3E Company, visit www.3ecompany.com. Thursday, April 14, 2011 —

Industrial solvents alert

Industrial revolutions have overcome human’s most daring challenges, leading to technological development and great advances that have contributed to improving welfare and living standards. At the same time, industrial activities have increased dramatically the need for energy and raw materials. The different processes involved often need a large variety of chemicals; among these, solvents are widespread used and have slowly become part of our daily lives, not just being used in factories, but also in our homes. There is little known about them, and we are unaware that solvents with potential health effects are utilized daily in order to produce a number of commonly used products.

Some solvents are known to be flammable and can cause explosions. But solvents have also been associated with different health problems, and many are potential carcinogens. Exposure to solvents can occur via ingestion, breathing vapors, direct eye contact or even absorption into the body through the skin. Manipulation of most solvents must strictly follow Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) instructions and appropriate measures must be taken in case of accident. Solvents compounds are usually very resistant to degradation, and, therefore, they are persistent and tend to accumulate in the environment. They are often volatile and can easily reach the air, water and soils, depending on the solvent’s physico-chemical properties.

Chlorinated solvents are of particular awareness due to their notorious health effects on humans. They are used in industrial degreasing processes, dry cleaning, auto manufacturing and repairing, auto paint, paints in general, glues, building materials, aerosol sprays, and in various household products such as shoe polish or typewriter connection fluid. Exposure to chlorinated solvents can cause skin irritation, headache, weakness, dizziness, facial numbness, unconsciousness, difficulty in walking and speaking, confusion, euphoria, nausea, vomiting, liver and kidney damage, immunological and endocrine problems, menstrual problems and spontaneous abortions (in women). Long-term exposure to some chlorinated solvents can cause cancer, mainly lung, colon-rectum, esophageal, and bladder cancers.

Some chlorinated solvents often used today are Perchloroethylene (PCE), Trichloroethylene (TCE), and 1,1,1-TCA (Trichloroethane). PCE is mainly used in dry cleaning, which consists of processes that use solvents instead of water for cleaning clothes and textiles. MSDS identifies this compound as non-flammable, stable, and as a dangerous health hazard (value 2), thus requiring protective measures and breathing apparatus when manipulating the product. PCE can cause from short-term health problems to cancer after long-term exposure. TCE is widely used as a metal degreaser and solvent for cleaning metal parts in industry. TCE is a proven animal carcinogen, and has been lately classified as a probable human carcinogen. Similarly to PCE, MSDS classifies this product as non-flammable, stable, with dangerous health effects and chronic carcinogenic effects for animals (classified A3) and probable for humans (2A). 1,1,1-TCA is less toxic compared to other chlorinated solvents such as PCE or TCE. However, it has been proven to deplete the ozone layer, and, therefore, its production has declined dramatically in the last years. On the other hand, it is not classified as human carcinogen.

-MSDSCompliance.com Team