Tips on using ChemAlert

• What is ChemAlert?
• IT requirements
• Instructions for users
• Chemical colour coding
• Printing labels from ChemAlert

What is ChemAlert?

ChemAlert is a web enabled chemical information database, which allows you to search for a chemical and then print a material safety data sheet (report) or label. A material safety data sheet for a substance contains information such as potential health hazards and first aid information, safe handling instructions, procedures for dealing with spills and advice on the appropriate protective equipment to be used.

IT requirements

PC (Microsoft) Users

• Windows 98, NT, 2000, XP or 2003
• Internet Explorer v5.5 or higher
• Adobe Reader v4 or higher

Macintosh (Apple) Users

• Mac OS X or higher
• Mozilla Firefox 1.0 or higher

Please note: to access the information in the ChemAlert database you will need to set your internet browser to allow pop-up windows from the ChemAlert web site or more generally from the sydney.edu.au domain.

Instructions for users

1. To search for a chemical choose the "Product Search" tab at the top of the screen.
2. Type the name of the chemical into the "Search Text" box. You can choose to search for the chemical using a number of different options including the product name, synonym or CAS number, from the "Search Type" drop down menu.
3. Once you have entered your search text hit the "Go" button. There could be a number of results matching your query, and you may need to scroll down to see all of the results.
4. To select the correct chemical, simply double clicking on the product name. A "Product Reports" dialog box will appear on the screen.
5. Select the type of report you require using the "Report Type" drop down menu. Following is a list of available report types:
   Material Safety Data Sheets
   - 1 Page Chem Alert Report
   - 2 Page Chem Alert Report
   - Full Chem Alert Report
   - Standard Chem Alert Report
   - 16 Header Report (NOHSC format)
   - Manufacturer MSDS
   Labels
   - Extra Large Labels (1/page)
   - Large Labels (2/page)
   - Medium Labels (4/page)
   - Small Labels (8/page)
   Emergency Procedure Guide (EPG)
6. Once you have selected the "Report Type" click on "View/Print" button to generate the report.
7. ChemAlert will then prompt you to either view the document as a PDF file or save the file to disk.

Chemical colour coding

ChemAlert classifies chemicals according to their level of hazard during normal use:

Printing labels from ChemAlert

Labels can be printed directly onto standard 1, 2, 4 or 8 labels/A4 page. Your page should be A4 and have no borders. Appropriate labels can be ordered through Corporate Express:

• 8/page - Unistat (Product Code 38934)
• 4/page - Unistat (Product Code 38930)
• 2/page - Unistat (Product Code 38938)
• 1/page - Unistat (Product Code 38939).