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Where employers obtain material safety data sheets

Summary An employer asked OSHA to send updated material safety data sheets. OSHA said it did not provide them; manufacturers, importers, and distributors had to send required sheets to downstream users, and employers should request updates from those suppliers. It identified enforcement recourse if a supplier refused; the published letter notes a 2009 correction.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1992-12-22-0
Date issued
December 22, 1992
Status
Active
OSHA marks the published text corrected on March 19, 2009.
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1910 Hazard Communication Safety Data Sheets
Source
View the official document

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About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

December 22, 1992
[Name Withheld]
Dear [Name Withheld]
This is in response to your inquiry of October 28, concerning the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200.
You requested that OSHA send you updated Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) for the products listed in your letter. The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires manufacturers, importers, and distributors to send MSDSs with initial shipments to all downstream users, for any item that would expose employees to hazardous chemicals. OSHA does not provide MSDSs to employers. We suggest that you contact the manufacturer or distributor of the products listed in your letter to request updated MSDSs.
If the manufacturer or distributor will not send you an MSDS, you may contact your OSHA area office for enforcement action:

US Dept. of Labor – OSHA
639 Granite Street, 4th Floor
Braintree, Massachusetts 02184
(617) 565-6924
[FAX: (617) 565-6923]

We hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions please contact the [Office of Health Enforcement at (202) 693-2190].
Sincerely,
Ruth Mc[C]ully, Director
Office of Health Compliance Assistance
[Corrected 3/19/2009]

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