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Systemwide Safety Programs → Hazardous Chemicals
A safety data sheet (SDS) is a document that provides safety and health-related information for a specific chemical product. Chemical manufacturers, distributors, and vendors are required to provide SDSs for all chemical products they supply to employers. Employers are required to collect and maintain SDSs for all chemical products their employees use. Employers must also provide ready access to SDSs for employees and train employees how to read and understand them.
Information provided by SDSs include:
PLEASE NOTE: SDSs are currently available online for the following facilities:
How do I find MCPS' online SDSs?
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A list of hazardous chemicals stored in the workplace must be maintained, and MCPS requires that all facilities maintain and update a Chemical Information List (CIL) listing all their hazardous chemical products. Common hazardous chemical products include science chemicals, cleaning products, paints, glues, compressed gases, fuels, oils and greases, art products, and wood that will be sawn or sanded.
Hard copy CILs must be maintained in the main administrative office and made available upon request to employees, SSP, and government regulators.
Chemical Information Lists
Additions to Chemical Information List (CIL)
All MCPS facilities are required to provide information for CIL additions to Systemwide Safety Programs. Additions should be reported using the Additions to Chemical Information List (CIL) form below.
Response Procedures for a Hazardous Chemical Spill, Including Any Mercury Spill:
*Incidental spills may be cleaned up by facility staff.
*An incidental spill is a spill of a hazardous substance that does not pose a significant safety or health hazard to employees in the immediate vicinity or to the employee cleaning it up, and does not have the potential to become an emergency within a short time frame. Incidental spills are limited in quantity, exposure potential, or toxicity and present minor safety or health hazards to employees in the immediate work area or those assigned to clean them up. An incidental spill may be safely cleaned up by employees who are familiar with the hazards of the chemicals with which they are working.
Only MCPS-approved chemicals/products (on current procurement bid list) may be used and/or stored at MCPS schools/facilities. Any new products/chemicals must be reviewed and approved by Environmental Services/IAQ, Division of Maintenance, or Systemwide Safety Programs before they may be brought to MCPS facilities.
The MCPS Approved Products List, which lists all chemical products reviewed for use in MCPS facilities, is currently under review. For information related to approval status for chemical products not currently available from the MCPS warehouse, please contact Systemwide Safety Programs at 240-314-1070 or Laurie_E_Lyons@mcpsmd.org.
Substances listed below are PROHIBITED for use or storage in schools.
Explosive and flash fire hazard substances (This is not a complete list.):
Known or probable human carcinogenic substances listed below shall not be used or stored by MCPS and are prohibited:
Highly toxic substances:
Secondary school science departments are required to complete a thorough science chemical inventory annually. A job hazard analysis describing required safety procedures for conducting a science lab chemical inventory is provided below.
Chemical Information List Form
A spreadsheet, which may be used to create chemical information lists (CILs), is provided below. CILs and safety data sheets (SDSs) for science lab chemicals should be printed and stored near the chemical storage room. Please note the following when entering chemical data: