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| Home | Resources | Top 10 MSDS Questions |
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Top 10 MSDS Questions
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1. How long would it take to change over from a paper-based system of binders for MSDSs to an electronic system?
Answer: That truly depends on the number of MSDSs involved. But for example purposes, an estimated time frame for a company with a total of 5,000 to 10,000 MSDSs would be ~6-8 weeks if the MSDSs can be secured for production on the first day of the project. Maintenance level lots (100 MSDSs or less) are turned around in less than 10 business days.
2. Does Dolphin keep up to date MSDS sheets or would my company need to procure the MSDS sheet and provide to Dolphin?
Answer: Dolphin does maintain a database of over 1.5 million MSDS. In order to complete the build of a company's database we can use a number of possible options. We can check and pull information from our existing database, and/or we can make calls to the manufacturers on the client's behalf to obtain the MSDSs necessary, and/or the client can provide the sheets direct. Once the database is built it can be maintained and updated through our Revision Management Service (see Question 3 for more details).
3. What is the best way to keep all of your MSDS sheets current?
Answer: In addition to our software system, Dolphin also provides a number of services for our clients. Revision Management is one such service that helps assure that the MSDS database is kept up to date. With Revision Management, Dolphin will do an audit of the client's database every six months and based on the clients requested time frame - anything older than 3 years for example - we will make calls to the manufacturers to acquire the most current version of the MSDS and then process that new MSDS to update the client's database.
4. Our legal folks state that we need the original MSDS on-site, or at least an image of the original. I prefer text due to search-ability and readability so what do I tell the legal folks?
Answer: To satisfy the legal team and provide the added functionality available with text, you can have both. In addition to the full text version MSDS, an image file could also be attached and included in the database. Your legal group should keep in mind image only systems have an intrinsic legibility failure rate between 10-30% based on customer experience.
5. Does the electronic system meet all of the OSHA requirements? What if an emergency happens on a day that there are system problems or power shuts down?
Answer: Interpretations of the OSHA requirements do allow for an electronic storage and retrieval system. To provide system back up, Dolphin can provide a CD that has all of the MSDS information from the client's database as well as a simple viewer. In the event of a system failure or power outage, the CD can be used on any laptop computer with a CD drive. If hardcopy emergency back ups are desired, the software has functionality to allow a complete hard copy book to be printed. Finally it is possible to "house" your data with a poison control center where MSDSs can be requested on an 800 number and in turn faxed. Medical triage is also available in the event a chemical accident has occurred involving your employees.
6. The small quantity products that are purchased outside of our purchasing system are of such small quantities that management may not be convinced that taking a physical inventory will provide a cost savings or benefit. However, I know it is important to track these chemicals. Can you provide some ideas on how I can convince management that there is some ROI on addressing these products?
Answer: Our data from actually doing these physical inventories has found that companies are on average 60% out of compliance. At the very base level that means that it is important to do a physical inventory of these products simply to assure compliance. Above and beyond the compliance requirements, having an accurate physical inventory can help you avoid duplicate inventory, ordering of products not needed and the introduction of highly toxic chemicals into the workplace. If you would like more details on our case studies or specific ROI, please contact a Dolphin representative at 1-800-275-6737.
7. How many languages does your interface support?
Answer: In addition to English, our interface will support 15 other languages including Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Dutch, Flemish, French, French Canadian, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.
8. If you host my MSDS system how can I make sure that nobody outside my organization has access to it? In other words, how do I know it is secure?
Answer: The bottom line is that you own the data and Dolphin has established very thorough protocol to assure that your data remains secure. In addition to providing disaster recovery, and co-location back up we can also use the following forms of security to restrict access to a Dolphin-hosted solution:
A) IP Address Restrictions
Optional configuration. Restricts access to specific "Internet" IP addresses. Typically, the customer would provide Dolphin with the list of IP addresses used by their company to access the Internet. These are usually "blocks" of IP addresses that have been allocated to the customer. Dolphin would configure the hosted solution to restrict access to only those IP addresses.
B) Host Referrer
Optional configuration. Restricts access to cases where access to the Dolphin-hosted solution originated from a specific server. In this case, the customer would provide their employees with a "link" to the Dolphin-hosted solution on their company "intranet" web site (i.e. a web site within their company network security). The server(s) that provide that link would be the "host referrer". Access to the Dolphin-hosted solution would be available only when access originated from a host referrer.
C) Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
Optional configuration. The secure sockets layer provides encryption of data being passed over the Internet, from the Dolphin-hosted solution to the end-users workstation. This type of security helps to "hide" highly sensitive or proprietary information where those concerns exist.
D) Two-layer Security
Built-in feature. Comply Plus Web provides restricted access using a two-layer security model (user name and password). Administrative access (where the user can change data) would typically require the user to provide their user name and enter their password in order to access the system. In order to support emergency response and employee right-to-know, "viewing" access (where the user can not change data and has visibility to only "public" information) would be provided to any user who was able to gain access to the application (without requiring a user name and password).
Any combination of these security parameters can be implemented for a hosted solution.
9. What if not all employees have access to a computer?
Answer: It is possible to print a book of MSDSs from the software system including a table of contents and any attachments you may have included in your database. This gives you the flexibility to have an electronic system that eases much of the administrative and reporting burden while still allowing you to print out up to date hard copy books for those that do not have computer access. Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center is a Dolphin business partner and can, on request, maintain a copy of your database for emergency response through a pairing of an 800-number and Fax delivery.
10. My company document retention policy for MSDSs is "until obsolete, superseded + 40 year. Is this possible using the electronic version?
Answer: Yes, the Dolphin system has features that will allow you to archive an MSDS and retain it to meet your document retention policy.
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