Are material safety data sheets (MSDS) useful in the diagnosis and management of occupational contact dermatitis?
OBJECTIVE
This study assesses both the success of medical practitioners in accessing hazardous substances' information from product manufacturers and the accuracy and clinical usefulness of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) presented by workers with suspected occupational contact dermatitis (OCD).


METHODS
100 consecutively presented MSDS were collected from 42 workers attending an occupational dermatology clinic. Product manufacturers were contacted to verify ingredients. MSDS were evaluated for compliance with the Australian criteria for listing of OCD relevant information (sensitizers present at a concentration > or =1%, irritants present at a concentration > or =20%), and for clinical usefulness. All sensitizers were checked for clinical relevance to the worker's dermatitis.


RESULTS
Manufacturers supplied product constituents for 77/100 MSDS. 58 MSDS satisfied the Australian standard. 57/58 MSDS were deemed clinically useful. Irritants were listed for 19/23 MSDS and sensitizers were listed for 30/68 MSDS (P = 0.001). 3 MSDS contained sensitizers, which were clinically relevant to the presenting worker's dermatitis, 1 appropriately listed, 1 present at > or =1% but not listed, and 1 present at <1% in the product and therefore, not required to be listed.


CONCLUSIONS
Sensitizers are frequently omitted from MSDS and clinicians are often unsuccessful in obtaining crucial information from manufacturers. MSDS are inadequate for the protection and diagnosis of workers with suspected OCD.
Keegel
Tessa
T
Occupational Dermatology Research and Education Centre; School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
Saunders
Helen
H
LaMontagne
Anthony D
AD
Nixon
Rosemary
R
D003142:Communication; D003257:Consumer Product Safety / Q000592:standards*; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004282:Documentation; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017751:Safety Management / Q000592:standards*; D014739:Victoria
D015386:Hazardous Substances