Which Federal Act(s) require MSDS be available and posted in all workplaces where hazardous materials exist?

• A. The Emergency Planning Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
• B. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
• C. The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
• D. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Answer: (D)

The requirement to have MSDS information available in workplaces with hazardous materials comes from OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This standard ensures workers can access hazard information for any chemical they might encounter, so employers must obtain and maintain MSDS (now called Safety Data Sheets) and make them readily available to employees, along with training and labeling. The other acts mentioned focus on emergency planning, environmental cleanup, chemical regulation, or hazardous waste management, not the on-site posting of MSDS. So the core mechanism for MSDS availability is OSHA’s hazard communication requirements.