Keizo Kamma

Manager, Chemical Safety Management Center Japan Chemical Industry Association
(3-2-6 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100 Japan)

Abstract

It is very important to comprehensively control the flow of chemical substances, from their development, manufacture, distribution, and utilization to their disposal, in order to maintain the progress of our living styles. The chemical industry has been promoting Responsible Care in which the private sector voluntarily implements total safety control.

This paper reports on the importance of this total safety control on chemical substances, considering the situation surrounding safety control of chemical substances domestically and overseas. Recently Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) has become a vital pillar for comprihensive safety management as a measure to provide essential chemical safety information. The Japan Chemical Industry Association published "Guidelines for the Establishment of Products Safety Data Sheet" in August, 1992, setting up the standard specification of MSDS. Since then, we have made efforts to review and improve its content and to diffuse the MSDS system. It is important for the people handling chemical substances to know the specification, manufacturer and properties of each chemical substance, and to make full use of MSDS. As for the waste, safety management is also required. Comprehensive safety controls by the use of MSDS are effective for the management of waste containing hazardous chemicals.

Key words: Total safety control for chemical substances, Responsible Care, MSDS, Guidelines for Establishment of Products Safety Data Sheet