General Safety Handling Consideration

Although reagents are chemical substances indispensable for research and development, they may cause unexpected accidents if mishandled.

Reagents are classified according to various hazards, including those related to fire or an explosion; reagents which may be harmful or toxic to humans; reagents causing irritancy or burns; reagents which may cause an unexpected accident by decomposition during storage and reagents which may damage the environment. Some reagents bear a combination of such hazards.

Our products are labelled, and our Safety Data Sheets (SDS) created, using available information. Since in some cases comprehensive data is not available, and because new data is constantly found, the known hazardous indications may not be exhaustive. Even if there is no concrete description of hazard on a reagent’s label, SDS, or in references, one should not assume that it is safe to handle. This is particularly true in the case of new reagents, which have only be made on a very small scale and therefore whose properties have not been fully investigated.

Hazardous reagents must be handled carefully, using appropriate measures at all times. To prevent possible accidents, we believe it is important to treat all reagents as potentially hazardous, and to follow precautionary procedures:

• Always read the description on the product label on receipt and check that it is as expected.
• Use preventive measures to avoid dropping containers or spilling chemicals.
• Read the description on the label before use, and put any required safety measures into practice. If the description mentions no danger or toxicity, you should still handle the product carefully.
• Be sure to wear suitable protective equipment and handle with caution.
• Refer to the SDS, related regulations, literature, etc., and use safety measures appropriate to the characteristics of the reagent.
• Ideally reagents should be used promptly after purchase. The management, storage, and subsequent use of residual quantities must be at least as carefully undertaken as newly purchased reagents, since for example the decomposition of sensitive reagents may produce additional hazards.
• Our reagents should be handled by qualified personnel. In-experienced users should be adequately supervised by a specialist.
• Waste materials and any surplus or old reagents must be treated according to the relevant regulations.

The Reagents supplied by TCI, except those with specific descriptions, such as food colours approved by the Food Sanitation Law (product grade FC in our catalogue) and known bulk pharmaceuticals, are intended to be used for research and development. They cannot be used to produce pharmaceuticals, quasi drugs, cosmetics, agricultural chemicals, insecticides or food additives. Under no circumstance are they intended for use in the home. When improper use is suspected, TCI reserves the right to refuse to supply any product, as is also dictated by law, and takes no responsibility for any improper use.

Our reagents may contain items regulated by local laws; for example TSCA (the Toxic Substances Control Act) or the New Chemical Substance law. Please contact your local TCI office or distributor, or your local regulatory office, for more details.

When controlled substances are sold or purchased for testing and experimental purposes, details of the buyer’s appropriate licence or qualification, or a predetermined procedure based on the related regulations, may be required.

TCI does not guarantee that a new chemical substance manufactured by using our reagents, or that using our reagents in combination with other products, or using them in certain procedures does not infringe on any patents of Japan or foreign countries. It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that no patents are infringed.