Section 3
Composition / information on ingredients
Information Elements
- If the product is a material or substance
- Chemical name
- Common name and synonyms
- CAS registry number and any unique identifiers
- Chemical name of impurities, stabilizing solvents, and stabilizing additives classified
- If the product is a mixture (for each material or substance classified in any category or subcategory of a health hazard class)
- Chemical name
- Common name and synonyms
- CAS registry number and any unique identifiers
- Concentration
Most common non-compliances
- Unit of concentration is not provided.
- Unit of concentration is only partially disclosed (e.g., “percentage” or “%” instead of specifying % by weight or % by volume).
- The hazardous ingredient common name and synonyms are not disclosed.
- The concentration of a hazardous ingredient in a mixture that is classified in a health hazard category, is not disclosed.
- The statement to the effect that the actual concentration is withheld as a trade secret is not disclosed in situations where prescribed concentration ranges are used.
- Prescribed concentration ranges and actual concentration ranges are both used to disclose ingredient concentrations on the safety data sheet (SDS) without clearly indicating the ingredients to which the statement that the actual concentration is being withheld as a trade secret through the use of the prescribed concentration ranges applies.
- There is no link as to which ingredients are the subject of the claim for exemption under the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA).
Tips
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Chemical name, Common Name and Synonyms
It is not acceptable to use “not available” or “not applicable” for the chemical name of a material or substance, or the chemical name and concentration of hazardous ingredients in a mixture. -
Common names and synonyms that may be used in the workplace to identify a substance must be included on the safety data sheet (SDS). Where the chemical identity of the ingredient is part of a claim for exemption under the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA), common names and synonyms are not required for that ingredient.
- For example, methylbenzene is a synonym for toluene.
- Ingredients in a hazardous product that is a mixture that are classified in a category or subcategory of a health hazard class and contributes to the classification of the hazardous product, must be identified in section 3. These ingredients must be consistent with the health hazard class identified in Section 2 of the SDS and the toxic health effects identified in Section 11 of the SDS.
- If a mixture contains an ingredient classified as a Health Hazard Not Otherwise Classified (HHNOC) at a concentration of 1% or more, the chemical name and concentration or concentration range must be disclosed on the SDS.
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Concentration
The units used to calculate the percentage must be provided, if the concentration is expressed as a percentage.- For example, the unit of concentration may be identified as “% by weight” or “% by volume” or “% weight/volume”. Disclosing the unit of concentration as “percentage” or “%” is not acceptable to identify the unit of concentration.
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Claim for exemption under the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA)
A clear and accurate link between all of the applicable confidential business information and the HMIRA claim for exemption information (such as the assigned HMIRA Registry Number) must be disclosed.
Example: Chemical Identity and Concentration
No HMIRA claim
Section 3: Composition / Information on Ingredients
Substance CAS Number % (w/w) Methanol 67-56-1 25% Trichloroisocyanuric Acid 87-90-1 0.1% HMIRA claim filed
Section 3: Composition / Information on Ingredients
Substance CAS Number % (w/w) Alcohol * Proprietary * Proprietary * Trichloroisocyanuric Acid 87-90-1 0.1% * HMIRA RN:3333 - Filing Date January 1, 2021 HMIRA claim granted
Section 3: Composition / Information on Ingredients
Substance CAS Number % (w/w) Alcohol * Proprietary * Proprietary * Trichloroisocyanuric Acid 87-90-1 0.1% * HMIRA RN:3333 - Date granted January 3, 2022