The COMPAS has to be the greatest find so far this year in terms of usefulness to veterinarians and their veterinary technician staff members. The concept of COMPAS is built around providing an MSDS retrieval service that allows the user access to thousands of MSDS sheets reflecting the products commonly found in a veterinarian’s clinical practice. For those veterinary science personnel affiliated with universities, colleges, and facilities subjected to inspections by local and federal entities such as IACUC, AVMA and the USDA, this subscription service is a dream come true in terms of keeping MSDS binders up to date in laboratory and clinical areas. Information concerning the prices of subscriptions may be found at www.compasmsds.com.
Packaged as a BYOB (Build Your Own Binder), the kit includes: a one-year web accessible subscription, a three ring binder to start form organization, a user manual and a glossary of the most commonly used MSDS terms. The purchaser is provided with a username and password as well as a subscription expiration date for a reminder when it is time to renew. Using this system, one can both print off the chosen MSDS documents as well as storing choices in a PDF format electronically. Within the introduction, the user is reminded that the best place to store the MSDS binder is not “in storage,” but rather within the work area close to the chemicals documented; good advice to all. Because this is a subscription service, it is constantly updated so that users can be sure to have the most current facts at hand.
To BYOB, one simply follows the instructions carefully spelled out and easy to follow in the user manual. Because this is an electronically driven product, there is an option to continuously update and modify the binder according to the user’s ever changing needs. Although there are thousands of MSDS documents available, as an added bonus to this product, a toll free number and e-mail address are provide for technical support to assist in finding an MSDS.
Review of this system required actual usage of the product as opposed to simply reading in order to give you the reader, the best and most accurate review. North American Compendium, Inc. was kind enough to give me a complementary one-year subscription and I instituted the program at my place of employment: a veterinary technician program located in a four-year university in Georgia. Based on sixteen years of employment at the same institution I have become well acquainted with the scrutiny under which MSDS documents come under in laboratories, clinical areas, and chemical storage areas. The correct labeling of items with MSDS labels as well as visibility of MSDS binders in all areas where chemicals can be found is a major concern during IACUC and USDA periodic inspections as well as AVMA re-accreditation site visits. Prior to being introduced to COMPAS, staff members would spend much time searching out MSDS information on the Internet by first accessing manufacturers websites and then digging through them for the required information. Sometimes information was located quickly but more often than not, it was a time consuming task. With COMPAS, it is as simple as typing the name of a product into the search box and voila’ we have a current MSDS. Sheets may be located through searches of manufacturers, trade or chemical name or by type of product. This product would be a great addition to a veterinary practice or educational programs which house a tremendous amount of chemicals and reagents; it would not however be something that would be beneficial to a veterinary or veterinary technician student, although I would certainly include it in lesson plans that address chemical maintenance and record keeping. The product has been so successful for my institution that we are looking at re-subscribing to the service at the end of my complementary subscription. And this may be the best endorsement of all in terms of reviews.
Publisher: North American Compendiums, Inc. (2007)
ISBN: None
VIN Store: Currently unavailable