Difficulties in using Material Safety Data Sheets to analyse occupational exposures to contact allergens

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Dermatology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Accurate identification of contact allergens and irritants is vital for diagnosing occupational contact dermatitis.
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are key resources for understanding workplace exposures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To medically evaluate the adequacy of MSDS information regarding allergens.
• To assess the accessibility and utility of MSDS for diagnosing contact dermatitis.
• To determine if MSDS provide sufficient allergen data for correct diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Collected MSDS and ingredient labels from patients undergoing exposure assessment.
• Reviewed collected documentation for completeness and accuracy.
• Contacted manufacturers, suppliers, or workplaces to obtain missing MSDS information when necessary.

Main Results:

• 18.6% of reviewed MSDS had one or more deficiencies.
• The most common issue was missing allergen warnings (R43/H317) despite the presence of known contact allergens.
• Other shortcomings included unlisted preservatives and a general lack of allergy information in relevant MSDS sections.

Conclusions:

• Systematic exposure assessment is a resource-intensive process.
• Significant errors and omissions in MSDS represent the primary challenge in obtaining accurate exposure information.