Slide 14 of 20
Notes:
The summary results that I have just mentioned show that the fume composition data given on MSDSs does not exhibit an overall bias.
However, the average relative standard deviation of the % measured values v MSDS data was, at 30 %, considerably higher than the variability in fume composition we observed in the welding parameters study, which was around 15 %.
Taking into consideration the fact that the welding parameters were deliberately varied in the earlier work, whilst in the MSDS audit they were kept constant, it is reasonable to conclude that with closer control over fume generation conditions the reliability of the MSDS data could be greatly improved. Perhaps an RSD of ± 10 % ought to be achievable.
Whilst we were somewhat disappointed by the rather poor quality of the fume composition data supplied on MSDSs, we were of course encouraged to see that the findings supported our proposed initiative to develop a European and International Standard on fume data sheets.
