Building Code Glossary
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS): Building Code Definition
How the IFC 2009 define material safety data sheet (msds), where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Material safety data sheet (msds) is a defined term in the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009, in Hazardous Materials-general Provisions. The code's own words are: “Information concerning a hazardous material which is prepared in accordance with the provisions ofDOL 29 CFRPart 1910.1200 or in accordance with the provisions of a federally approved state OSHA plan.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IFC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 3 chapters of this corpus, most often in Hazardous Materials-general Provisions (IFC 2009), Aerosols (IFC 2009), Definitions (IFC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) — IFC 2009, Hazardous Materials-general Provisions:
Information concerning a hazardous material which is prepared in accordance with the provisions ofDOL 29 CFRPart 1910.1200 or in accordance with the provisions of a federally approved state OSHA plan.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is defined once in this corpus, in the Hazardous Materials-general Provisions chapter of the International Fire Code (IFC) 2009:
Information concerning a hazardous material which is prepared in accordance with the provisions ofDOL 29 CFRPart 1910.1200 or in accordance with the provisions of a federally approved state OSHA plan.
Where material safety data sheet (msds) is used in the code
The term appears in 3 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Hazardous Materials-general Provisions | IFC 2009 | 3 |
| Aerosols | IFC 2009 | 1 |
| Definitions | IFC 2009 | 1 |
The terms material safety data sheet (msds) is built out of
The definition above leans on 1 other defined term. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what material safety data sheet (msds) covers:
- Approved — IBC 2009: Acceptable to the code official or authority having jurisdiction.
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS): what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IFC | Hazardous Materials-general Provisions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Hazardous Materials-general Provisions (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Aerosols (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Definitions (IFC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Approved | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Approved: Building Code Definition
- Container: Building Code Definition
- System: Building Code Definition
- Chemical: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of material safety data sheet (msds)?
The International Fire Code (IFC) 2009 defines it in Hazardous Materials-general Provisions as: “Information concerning a hazardous material which is prepared in accordance with the provisions ofDOL 29 CFRPart 1910.1200 or in accordance with the provisions of a federally approved state OSHA plan.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on material safety data sheet (msds)?
In this corpus the term is used across 3 chapters, led by Hazardous Materials-general Provisions in the IFC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What does MSDS stand for in moving and handling?
Handling is a separate defined term. The IBC 2009 defines it as: “The deliberate transport by any means to a point of storage or use.” That is not the same as material safety data sheet (msds), which the IFC 2009 defines as “Information concerning a hazardous material which is prepared in accordance with the provisions ofDOL 29 CFRPart 1910.1200 or in accordance with the provisions of a federally approved state OSHA plan.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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