INSTALLATION:

I got an error during the installation from the CD. Last year the installation worked fine. What caused this?

Before attempting an installation, make sure all instances of MIRS™ are closed.

If the error states File Access Denied or Cannot Update the Cursor, please note that the MIRS™ installation requires local Administrator rights. This plus the more stringent access control that recent versions of Windows has on computers, means that it is very important not to ignore the need for having local Administrator rights when installing. If you are the user of the program, you may need to get an IS/IT person involved in the installation.

INSTALLATION:

I installed the new version of MIRS™ and I do not see my data!  What happend?

Your data is still present but you installed MIRS™ into a different folder than the folder that contained your previous version of MIRS™.  This resulted in two copies of MIRS™, one with your data and a new empty copy. You can locate multiple copies of MIRS™ using Windows Explorer  Tools > find file or folder and search for MIRS.EXE.  When you find the correct folder that contains MIRS™ and your data you will need to reinstall MIRS™ into the correct location. You can also find the path to MIRS™ by running MIRS™ from your existing shortcut and selecting Help > About MIRS from the menus.  When the About MIRS window appears, the path to MIRS™ is displayed after the word Location.

WARNING: Do not copy the files you installed from the wrong location to the correct location as that action will wipe out your data.

To avoid this problem in the future, follow the MIRS™ update installation instructions carefully, especially when you see the question "Search for an existing copy of MIRS™?" You should answer "Yes" to this question to ensure that you find the correct location of your existing MIRS™ program.

INSTALLATION/GENERAL:

Where are my MIRS™ user manuals?

You can access the user manuals from within MIRS™. At the menu system, select Help > Reference Manuals. A window appears from which you can select a manual applicable to your needs.

Alternatively, you can go to the MIRS™ technical support page to read or download the current manuals.

Each module in MIRS™ has its own Reference Manual. There are also Reference Manuals for utilities and (M)SDS NETVIEW. If you do not have a particular module, a short summary of features is provided instead of the full manual. Each Reference Manual is provided in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), you can look up information on screen using Find or Search or by using the index. You can also print all or part of each manual.

INSTALLATION/GENERAL:

How do I keep my MIRS™ software up to date?

If your annual support is up-to-date, you have the following options:

• Receive a MIRS CD when each new version of the software is released.
• Download new MIRS™ version upgrades from the MIRS Technical Support website. Upgrades advance the software from one version to the next sequential version. Downloading upgrades replaces the function of receiving a MIRS™MIRS™ CD.
• Download latest MIRS™ program updates for the current MIRS version. Updates correct any known problems and may add small features; the version number does not change. You an apply updates after either installing that version's MIRS CD or applying a downloaded upgrade to that version.
• Switch to a MIRS Online™ lease; we do the software maintenance for you.

SARA Module:

What materials do I need to enter into MIRS™ in order to produce a complete Tier II report?

Any material that is hazardous or contains chemical components which are hazardous.

Starting in 2017 the EPA specifies that any substance with any of the following physical or health hazards is reportable if it is above the applicable threshold quantity:

Historical Note: The EPA originally defined 5 hazardous classes (based on groupings of 23 original OSHA hazard classes) that were used from 1987 to 2016 to determine if a material is hazardous.

1. Acute (immediate) health hazard.
2. Chronic (delayed) health hazard.
3. Fire hazard.
4. Sudden release of pressure hazard.
5. Reactive hazard.

Please see the EPA hazard class definitions for more information.

SARA Module:

I ran my EPA SARA Tier II report and the data is from the previous year.  Why is this?

SARA Module:

When a chemical composition is given as a percentage range, what percentage is used to determine whether the inventory amount of the component chemical exceeds the Tier I/II threshold amount?

The EPA stipulates that the maximum percentage composition be used. To determine whether the threshold is exceeded for a chemical, the MIRS™ program:

1. Calculates the amount of the chemical in every material that contains the chemical by multiplying the chemical component percentage by each material's maximum amount at any time.
2. Sums all the chemical amounts for all materials that contain that chemical.
3. Compares the chemical total to the chemical's threshold. If the threshold is exceeded, the chemical is reportable.

SARA Module:

How to print a list of all your chemicals?

Once you have data entered in the material tracking, you can:

1. Go to the SARA module, and click on the menu titled Reports.
2. Choose the sub-menu Material & Chemical Reports.
3. Choose Chemical Inventory or Material Inventory depending upon what you want to view. ( I will choose Chemical Inventory to illustrate printing a list of chemicals)
4. After clicking on Chemical Inventory, select the radio button next to All Chemicals and press the Ok button at the bottom of the menu. (For detailed understanding of this menu click on the help button below)
5. Choose the method of viewing your report and click on the "report" button.

SARA Module:

A chemical is not appearing on the Tier II report by chemical as expected. Why is this so?

The following are the most likely scenarios:

A. If a chemical is not on the Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS) list, it must be present in amounts greater than or equal to 10,000 LBs. Even if a material that contains the chemical is present in amounts greater than 10,000 LBs, the component chemical may not be reportable. A non-EHS chemical is reportable when the maximum percentage concentration multiplied by the material amount for all materials containing the chemical exceeds 10,000 LBs. The detail version of the Chemical Inventory report can show these calculations and amounts for all or select chemicals.

B. Check the chemical detail information, and make sure that you have not inadvertently marked the chemical as exempt (this is only possible if no hazard classes are marked).

C. Check the material tracking browse screen to make sure the material(s) containing the chemical have not been marked for deletion.

D. Make sure that the chemical has not been inadvertently entered with different CAS numbers, triggering more than one threshold calculation. Again, studying the detail version of the Chemical Inventory report will reveal this data entry problem. MIRS™ provides CAS number detection and correction menu options to rectify any such problems.

SARA Module:

How can I omit water and other non-hazardous chemicals from the Tier II report?

MIRS™ supports the capability to omit designated non-hazardous chemicals from Tier reporting. All chemicals are considered potentially reportable except for those you indicate as exempt.

Edit the detail chemical information for any non-hazardous chemical, click on the Properties 1 tab and check the "Exempt?" box next to the old EPA hazard classes. The Exempt? box is enabled only if the chemical is not an EPA-regulated chemical and has no EPA hazard classes filled in. For example, if a chemical is a fire hazard, you cannot mark it as exempt.

SARA Module:

What is the OPT box to the right of the storage locations on the Tier II form?

This optional box can be checked to indicate that the report entry is the same as one on the last year's Tier II. Note that the program does not check the box automatically. You can compare the current Tier II with the previous year's Tier II and check any applicable OPT boxes, if desired. The optional box was introduced in the July 26, 1990 Federal Register; its instructions are on Page 30654 at the bottom of the first column.

SARA Module:

A material is listed on the material version of the Tier II report, but its maximum amount at any time is less than the 10,000 LB threshold. Why?

To produce the material version of Tier II, the EPA instructions indicate that you still need to aggregate each Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHS) chemical component to determine if it exceeds the 500 LB threshold or the chemical's individual Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ), whichever is less.

For example, if you have two materials that EACH contains only about 300 LBs of Formaldehyde, both materials would be reportable, since the aggregate amount of Formaldehyde is 600 LBs, which exceeds the 500 LB TPQ for the chemical.

SARA Module:

Is it possible to change a location code and have it update all instances of the location code? If so, how?

You can change a location code from the Files > Facility Storage Locations menu option. Select the applicable location and click on the Edit button. When the detail information appears, click into the location code field and change it. When you leave the location code field, answer "N" to creating a new location. When you save the location entry, the old code will be replaced by the new code in material tracking, inventory transactions, employee locations, etc.

SARA Module:

How do you print the Tier II report in landscape mode?

The Tier II is always printed in landscape mode.

SARA Module:

Why is chemical "X" appearing on the Tier II report? 

("X" = your chemical)

Each chemical is assumed by MIRS™ to be hazardous unless you have marked it as exempt in the regulated chemical screen.  Each material is assumed to be hazardous unless all ingredient chemicals are marked as exempt or you have checked the "Exempt (s311)" box in the Material Tracking screen for that material. Non-exempt chemicals or materials will appear on the report if the maximum daily amount is at or above the 10,000 pound threshold.

If a chemical is a Section 302 Extremely Hazardous Substance (EHS) it will appear if the maximum daily amount is at or above 500 pounds or the chemical's Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ) whichever is less.

Note that EHS chemicals and any other hazardous chemicals on the Tier II by chemical are aggregated (summed) for the entire facility.  You can produce the Reports > Material & Chemical Reports > Chemical Inventory report to see the total amounts of each chemical at your facility.

Another reason for a chemical unexpectedly appearing on the Tier II occurs when MIRS™ does not recognize the unit of measurement used (see list in material tracking) and thus cannot convert the amount to EPA-required pounds for threshold comparison.  In this case you will need to define a conversion formula to pounds (LB) or change the unit of measurement to one of the units MIRS™ recognizes in order for MIRS™ to accurately assess whether the chemical should be on the report.

The Procedures Manual also provides a complete flow chart of the decision making process that MIRS™ uses in determining if a chemical or material should be reported on the Tier II report.

SARA Module:

Q: How can I change the name that appears in the 'Certification' section of the Tier II?

You can change information that shows up on your Tier report by following these steps while in the MIRS program: select Utilities > Tier Header And Facility Information. In the 'Certification section of Tier II' area in the middle of screen 3, either data enter the 'Name and Official title' or if you have the HAZCOM module select the name from the Employees list accessed by clicking on the downward pointing arrow to the right of the field.

The only information that in some cases cannot be changed by you, the end-user, are those fields with a yellow background at the top of the screen 1: Facility Name, Address, City, State, Zip. Please complete a Facility Identification Change Form and return it to A V Systems to have your Facility Name, Address, City, State, and/or Zip changed.

FORM R Module:

What are the steps needed to produce Form R reports?

The following FORM R steps should be completed, in order of the menu sub-options of each FORM R menu option. (See user manual for details).

• Enter materials and their components into Material Tracking.
• Use the Category Locator to assign chemicals to categories.
• Determine if any special condition chemicals are reportable.
• Generate usage calculation entries; fill in the usage amounts and type-of-use fields. Run threshold determination reports to calculate thresholds and produce the reports.
• Enter facility information in Form R completion menu (Part I).
• Enter release calculation results (Part II, Sections 5.1-6.2). Check Mass Balance report to account for all chemical amounts.
• Generate Form Rs from entered data in Chemical Specific Info. Review generated Form R info for each chemical and complete Part II, Sec 7 and 8.
• Generate Form R Facsimile or Electronic submission file(s).

FORM R Module:

I changed the percentage of a chemical component to a lower concentration, but the chemical is still showing as reportable. Why?

You may have forgotten to run the threshold determination report option. Whenever a change is made to the material composition involving a Section 313 chemical, or a change is made to the usage calculations, you need to repeat the threshold determination report option. The checkpoint step ensures that the usage is re-calculated and compared to the Section 313 thresholds. This option produces the reports that document the threshold determination and generates the list of reportable Form R chemicals.

FORM R Module:

What percentage is used for Form R threshold determination if a chemical has a range of percentage concentration?

The EPA stipulates that the midpoint (average) of the percentage range be used for the threshold determination calculation. A chemical ingredient in MIRS™ is considered to have a percentage range if the second percentage field has a non-zero value.

If you enter just the first percentage in material tracking for a chemical, that percentage is used. If you enter a value in the 2nd percentage field for a chemical, the average of the first and second percentages is used for threshold determination. Examples:

FORM R Module:

I changed the usage amount in the usage calculations data entry screen. Why did the change not show up in the upper right corner of the release calculations data entry screen?

You need to re-run the threshold determination reports menu option, whenever you make changes to the usage calculations. The checkpoint step makes the threshold determination calculation and determines the FORM R chemicals that must be reported.

FORM R Module:

What information is filled in by the FORM R program in the Chemical Specific Information step?

Information for the following Form R sections are gathered from different parts of the module into the Form R format:

• Sections 1.1, 1.2: the reportable Form R CAS # and Chemical name.
• Section 3: Types of use entries from the usage calculations data entry screen.
• Section 4: Maximum amount of the toxic chemical calculated from all materials containing the chemical in Material Tracking.
• Sections 5.1-6.2: Release information summed from data entered into the release calculations data entry screen.

FORM R Module:

How do I make sure that all my Form R materials have an associated usage calculations entry?

Select the Add Usage Calculations menu item from the Threshold Determination Menu. This option finds all materials that contain Section 313 chemicals and will generate a usage calculation entry for each material that does not already have an associated usage calculation entry. You still have to select the entry and fill in the usage amount(s) and type(s) of use if they differ from the default values. If the full usage amount can be accounted for in one entry, you can enter 100% to use the entire material tracking usage amount instead of entering the number.

FORM R Module:

Why does the program place the usage amount from material tracking directly into newly generated usage calculations entries?

The usage amount from material tracking represents the entire annual usage for the material. The program initially presumes that the total usage amount of the material was applied to the one default type-of-use that you selected. There is no other source of informtion for the program to decide otherwise until you modify the usage calculation (if necessary).

Besides possible multiple types-of-use for a material, the EPA allows a special case for paint components to be classified into different usage types. It is important, therefore, that the user review and confirm each material's usage type.

Each material usage entry provides usage calculation rows for up to three types-of-use. If the material was used in only one way, use the first row to select the type-of-use and enter 100% to apply the entire usage amount from material tracking.

If the material was used in more than one way, you can use two or three of the available usage calculation rows in the entry. If there are more than three types of use, you can add another usage calculation entry for that material. For each type-of-use, select the type of use and then enter either a percentage of the usage from material tracking or skip the percentage to enter a fixed amount for that type-of-use.

If the type-of-use percentages are used, the usage amount is calculated directly from the material tracking usage any time you select the Add/Generate usage calculations step.

FORM R Module:

How do I claim a trade secret on the Form R facsimile?

Edit the applicable entry in Chemical Specific Information and fill in the Generic Name in Part II, Section 1.3. The program will ask you to confirm that the chemical identity is a trade secret. Trade secret status will result in

(1) an "X" being shown in the Part I, Section 2.1 Yes box and

(2) a sanitized and unsanitized version of the report being produced when you print the facsimile. Note that EPA does not allow trade secret chemicals to be reported using the Electronic Submission; such chemicals are skipped when you prepare the electronic submission file using the program.

FORM R Module:

How do I know which release calculations I need to enter?

When you select the option to add a new release calculation entry, the chemical/product pop-up list displays a check mark to indicate that at least one release calculation exists for the chemical/product combination.

To review existing release calculations, you can go to Reports > Release Mass Balance Report. The bottom of the listing for each chemical shows the release total compared to the usage total for the chemical/product.

FORM R Module:

Does MIRS handle the PBT chemical thresholds?

Yes. The persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals all have thresholds assigned to 100 LBs (pounds), 10 LBs, or 0.1 grams (Dioxins only). When you perform the Threshold Determination step, these thresholds are applied. Non-PBT chemicals get the 25,000 LB threshold for Importing, Manufacturing, or Processing or the 10,000 LB threshold for otherwise use.

Be aware that Lead is considered a PBT except under certain situations; run the Tools > Special Qualifier Review to check the status of this and certain other chemicals to determine which thresholds (if any) apply in these special situations.

FORM R Module:

How do I report chemicals in a category using the FORM R Module?

The Category Locator in the Tools menu of the FORM R module is used to assign the chemical components in Material Tracking to the appropriate Form R chemical categories.

MIRS™ comes with all specifically listed Section 313 chemicals and with more than 17,000 chemicals already assigned to Form R chemical categories. The Category Locator helps you find any additional potential Section 313 category members by searching the chemical name and the chemical formula.

When the threshold determination is made, the amount produced, processed or otherwise used are summed for all member chemicals in a Sec. 313 category and then compared to the threshold levels. If a Sec. 313 category is reportable, all releases for the individual chemicals in that category will be combined on one Form R report for the category.

FORM R Module:

What is the Category Locator for and when do I have to use it?

The EPA SARA Title III Section 313 list of reportable toxic chemicals include about 600 specifically listed chemicals and about 30 chemical categories. Any chemical that meets the definition of a chemical category (see EPA TRI booklet for definitions) must be reported along with any other chemicals that are also in that category if the total usage of the chemicals in that category exceed the applicable threshold quantity.

MIRS™ comes with over 17,000 chemicals already assigned to the Section 313 chemical categories (in addition to all specifically listed chemicals). Despite this, it is always possible that you may have a product that contains a chemical which was not in the pre-supplied set of regulated chemicals and which is reportable under a category.

The Tools > Category Locator should be used to review chemical ingredients to see if they are members of any category. The program will attempt to identify any chemical that may be in a category based on the name or molecular formula (if present). You should also review the SDSs to see if the supplier provided the information (they are required to note any toxic Section 313 chemicals). If an ingredient is indicated on an SDS to be a category member, you can add the chemical to the category in the Category Locator.

FORM R Module:

Why are the threshold determination reports showing the previous reporting year's usage numbers?

Run the Files > Generate/Edit Usage step to update the usage calculations and make any necessary adjustments to the type-of-use for each material.  If the usage does not update, then you will need to check if percentage of use is filled in or go back to Files > Material Tracking and see if the usage is also correct or from the previous reporting year.

If the material tracking numbers are also out-of-date, run the INVENTORY module's Tools > Material Tracking Summary Transfer.  If you are not using the INVENTORY module, enter or import the correct usage into material tracking.

Note that you can also use the FORM R Module Wizard to access the Generate/Edit Usage or any other step in the FORM R module.

(M)SDS MODULE:

What are all these acronyms used in the (M)SDS module?

• ACGIH = American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
• ANSI = American National Standards Institute (developed an MSDS format in 1993, a step toward today's formats).
• CAS = Chemical Abstract Service.
• CASRN = Chemical Abstract Service Registry Number.
• GHS = Globally Harmonized System of classification and labeling of chemicals.
• HCS = OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (USA).
• HTML = HyperText Markup Language (you can export SDSs to this type of file for your website).
• IARC = International Agency for Research on Cancer.
• MSDS = Material Safety Data Sheet (replaced with SDS by GHS).
• OEL = Occupational Exposure Limit.
• OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration (USA).
• NTP = National Toxicology Program (administered by NIH, USA).
• NIH = National Institute of Health (USA).
• PEL = Permissible Exposure Limit (OELs established by OSHA).
• PDF = Portable Document Format (Adobe's popular file format; email SDSs in this format or put on your website).
• REACH = Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (European Union).
• SDS = Safety Data Sheet (replaced the term MSDS when GHS adopted).
• TLV = Threshold Limit Value (OELs established by ACGIH).
• UFI = Unique Formula Identifier (Substance ID for European Poison Centers).
• WHMIS = Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (Canada).

(M)SDS MODULE:

What SDS formats are supported by the (M)SDS module?

The MIRS™ program supports current and prior SDS standards or formats in the following regions:

• USA - Current OSHA Hazard Communication Standard 2012 GHS SDS format.
• Canada - Current WHMIS 2015 GHS format.
• European Union - Current REACH GHS SDS Format.

In addition, the program supports prior formats for the following purposes:

• Prior version (M)SDS archive (can view or print using archive reports option).
• Ability to upgrade an old MSDS (perhaps retrieved from the archive) to a GHS SDS

MSDSs or SDSs in prior formats should not be distributed to customers as they are no longer in compliance. These prior formats include the following:

• USA - ANSI 16 part MSDS (obsolete as of 2015).
• USA - Original OSHA 9 part MSDS (obsolete as of 2015).
• Canada - WHMIS 1988 compatible MSDS format (obsolete as of 2018).
• European Union - Older GHS and non-GHS REACH formats.

(M)SDS MODULE:

What container label types can be printed from the (M)SDS module?

You can use one of the pre-defined labels or create your own custom label to support any label type. The (M)SDS module supports a variety of pre-defined label types designed to be printed on label stock from various suppliers. You can print label data onto label stock (Label Master, Lab Safety Supply, etc.) with preprinted hazard colors and spaces for hazard ratings and other information. If you have a color printer, you can also print complete labels onto plain white label stock from Avery. Printing options can be defined for each label.

Some pre-defined label examples:

• Various sized GHS label formats from 3.25" x 4" to 7.75" x 10" landscape.
• Various sized HMIS label formats from 1.88" x 3" to 3.75" x 6".
• Various sized NFPA label formats from 1.88" x 3" to 3.88" x 3.88".
• 7" x 5" pin-feed basic hazards label: A sample label is in the report appendix of the user manual.
• CUSTOMIZABLE Labels: You can create and design any number of additional label formats. Note that while this feature is versatile, it is recommended for advanced users only. Call A V Systems to see if we can help put in the format for you.

To see the current list of available predefined labels, go to the (M)SDS module, select SDS/Label Reports, select one or more SDSs, select any report order, then select Labels. You will be presented with a list of label formats; these include vendor order numbers where applicable.

SOURCES FOR LABEL STOCK:

Label Safety Supply: PO Box 1368, Janesville WI, 53547-1368. Phone Orders: 1-800-356-0783. Internet: https://www.labsafety.com

LabelMaster: 5724 N. Pulsaki Road, Chicago, IL 60646-6797. Phone Orders: 1-800-621-5808. Internet: https://www.labelmaster.com

Avery Label stock is available through most office supply catalogs.

(M)SDS MODULE:

How do you create a custom hazard label?

If you have reviewed the predefined hazard labels provided with MIRS and you want a label with a different size or modified content, you can use the option of creating your own label. Any custom labels remain as long as you want and are not affected by software upgrades.

Please be aware that report and label modificaton is considered an advanced feature; some experience with some kind of layout or design software can be helpful.

Before proceeding make sure the option to modify labels is enabled:

1. Go to Utilities > Configuration Parameters and answer Yes to proceed.
2. Select "System Parameters".
3. Click on "MIRS 3" tab
4. If not already checked, check the box "Allow modification of MIRS report formats"
5. Click OK, click OK again and answer Yes to saving changes to parameters.

To create a custom label:

1. Select Reports > SDS/Label/Summary Reports.
2. Pick at least one SDS using whatever criteria you want.
3. When you get to the "Select report contents and order..." window, click on Label for the report format.
4. Click on the "Edit label list:" button to bring up the list of existing labels.
5. Highlight a label that is closest in content to the one you want as your custom label and click "Add".
6. At the bottom of the window replace the text "New label" in the Label title or description with your name for the label and Tab out of that data field.
7. Make sure your new label name is highlighted in the list and click "Select" to pick your label.
8. Click OK to proceed.
9. When the "Select Label Output Options" window appears, click on the "Modify Label" button.
10. Read or print out the help screen that appears; it will give a number of helpful hints for using the Label Designer.
11. When the Label Designer window appears, you can now adjust the size, move objects, etc.
12. When in the Label Designer, use the File pull down menu to preview the label, save changes, and close the Label Designer.

(M)SDS MODULE:

How can I maintain different versions of each SDS that I have distributed?

Use the SDS archive that is built into the (M)SDS module. When you change the Revision Date while editing an existing SDS, the program will ask you if you want to save the previous version (just before you started editing) to the archive. A separate version of a particular SDS can be saved for each day of the year!

You can access the archived SDSs by selecting Archival SDS/Label/Summary Reports from the Reports menu. If you need to manipulate the archived SDSs, you can select the SDS Archival Menu from the Tools menu. You can use the options in this menu to select and copy SDSs to and from the SDS archive, and delete obsolete SDSs from the archive.

(M)SDS MODULE:

What data is in common between Material Tracking and SDS Information?

The product name, product code, reference number, EPA hazard classes, physical states, specific gravity, manufacturer code, and chemical components (includes CAS # and percentage ranges). You can add or update information in either direction between the Material Tracking and SDS Information databases in two ways.

1. When you save changes to an entry in either database, you have the options of adding or updating this information to the other database.
2. You can use the Copy to/from SDSs feature in the Tools menu to transfer information between the two databases en masse.

(M)SDS MODULE:

What is the easiest way to enter a full SDS?

For incoming SDSs, you can scan the SDSs and import them into the (M)SDS module. You can store, display, and print SDS images scanned at various resolutions and in various graphics formats. The scanned SDSs are assigned to new or existing SDS entries and take advantage of all of the features that support the text-based SDSs such as multiple search criteria for reports, archiving of older versions, etc. If you have SDSs in electronic format, you can import plain text or HTML versions of SDSs. Edit or create an SDS entry in the database and click the [Plain Text] button; you can import a text or HTML file. Many manufacturers and suppliers provide their SDSs on the internet. They may be in HTML format (see above) or in Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format). You can use the Import Scanned SDS Images option to import SDSs in PDF as well as scanned images of SDSs.

For authoring outgoing SDSs, you have two options:

1. Use the SDS Authoring Wizard to generate SDSs based on the ingredients that you specify. The program makes use of the built-in SDS Library or other ingredient SDSs that you may have previously defined to fill in the various sections of the SDS.
2. Use the SDS Information data entry and you can make use of the phrase list to select common phrases and/or use the cut and paste features to reduce the amount of time typing the large text fields. You can cut and paste in text from other applications or documents.

(M)SDS MODULE:

What types of file formats can I import?

The following file types can be imported using options in the (M)SDS Module's Files menu:

1. Scanned images of SDSs (graphics formats: BMP, GIF, JPG, TIFF, multi-page TIFF, PCX, etc.) *
2. Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format). *
3. Plain text.
4. HTML (basic internet file format: HyperText Markup Language).
5. Another MIRS™ database (Tools > Copy to/from SDSs).
6. Other data tables (Tools > Import [advanced user feature])

* The first two file types can be imported using the Files > Import Scanned SDS Images/PDFs and the next two can be imported in the first screen of the Files > SDS Information (data entry).

If you need to import SDSs from other data tables, you may want to consult with technical support before proceeding. You can get listings and descriptions of database table fields (columns) in the Utilities > Import feature and some guidance in the (M)SDS Module manual appendices.

(M)SDS MODULE:

Can our employee's view or print the SDSs on the web?

Yes. While MIRS™ itself does not run on the internet or your company's intranet, an export option is available so that you can export some or all of the SDSs from the MIRS™ SDS database to HTML format. This export creates an SDS list main page with links to each included SDS. The files exported in this manner can be placed on your web server so that anyone with a internet browser such as Internet Explorer/Edge, Firefox, Chrome, etc. can view or print the SDSs. Use the following general steps to create HTML output:

1. Run MIRS™ and select (M)SDS from Modules menu.
2. Select Reports > SDS/Label/Summary Reports.
3. Select which SDSs to export.
4. Select report format and default order.
5. Select option to export to HTML format.
6. Review/select HTML export options and proceed with export.

(M)SDS MODULE:

How do I create an SDS similar to an existing SDS?

The answer to this question depends on how similar the new SDS is to the SDS you have already completed. There are two main options:

1. If the SDS only differs in the listed manufacturer and the identity (product code, name, reference number), then you may want to use the Brands feature. The Brands feature allows you to assign any number of companies to an SDS; with each assigned company, you can enter a new product code, name, and/or reference number. The Brands feature is located in the "Brands" sub-tab in Section 1 of the SDS Information data entry window. When you produce a report or PDF of that SDS, you are given the option of selecting which company brand to use when producing the SDS.
2. If the SDS has other differences besides or instead of the manufacturer or identity, a separate SDS entry is needed. If you edit the existing SDS, change the product code, and leave the product code field, you are given the option of either changing the existing SDS or creating a new SDS that is a copy of the existing SDS. Use the latter option to create a new SDS. You only need to change the few items that are different from the original existing SDS. This may save time compared to running the SDS Authoring Wizard again and having to proof the resulting generating SDS.

(M)SDS MODULE:

How do I ensure my SDSs comply with California Proposition 65?

(question refers to version in effect as of August 2018)

First, make sure you have MIRS™ version 24.10 or later installed or updated.

Once your MIRS™ is up-to-date, you can enable the California Proposition 65 warning statement by going to the Utilities > Configuration Parameters > Report Parameters > (M)SDS 4 tab and check the appropriate box.

You will also want to enable the listing of the California Proposition 65 status of each ingredient by going to Files > Suppliers and Manufacturers and under the detail tabs of the company you select for your SDSs, check the California Proposition 65 box (repeat this for each company that you use to sell products that need the California Proposition 65 compliance).

Caution: If your ingredient supplier includes a Proposition 65 warning statement on their SDS for a chemical other than those listed in Section 3 - Ingredients; MIRS™ will not be aware of that chemical unless it is entered in Section 3 of your SDS.

(M)SDS MODULE:

How do I add national chemical inventory status to the SDS?

The national chemical inventory status refers to multiple lists of "existing chemicals" compiled by various countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, etc. and the European Union. If the chemical is not on one of these lists, it is considered a "new chemical" and may require extensive application paperwork to import to that country.

To add a one or more of these lists to your SDS:

1. Select Files > Suppliers and Manufacturers.
2. Locate the company you use as the manufacturer for your SDSs.
3. Select button to Edit that company information.
4. Click on the "Regulatory Lists (US)" tab and check the US EPA TSCA..." box.
5. Click on the "Regulatory Lists (non-US)" tab and check whatever country's lists you need (not all lists are national inventory lists).
6. Save the company information.
7. If applicable, repeat for other companies if you have multiple SDS brands

(M)SDS MODULE:

How do I change the name of an ingredient on the SDS?

If you do not like the default name supplied with MIRS™, you can go to the ingredients section of the SDS and type or copy in a new name into the name field for the ingredient in question. When you leave the name field, the program asks if you want to save the name to the synonyms table as an SDS chemical name.

Alternatively, you can also click on the NAME button to the right of the ingredient name to bring up a window for entering the SDS chemical name. This name change does not affect other MIRS™ modules.

You can also click on the Detail button for the ingredient to bring up the Chemical Information window. If you click on the Synonyms tab in this window, you can review the existing synonyms for the ingredient. If an synonym that you want to use on the SDS is already present, you can simply change the synonyms "Name Type" to (M)SDS Chemical Name. If you select a manufacturer company for that name, the name is only used on SDSs for which that company is the listed manufacturer; if the manufacturer is blank, the name is used on all of your SDSs (except those SDSs for companies that have another synonym marked as a (M)SDS Chemical Name specific to that company).

(M)SDS MODULE:

How do I resolve Translation Incomplete message on SDS report?

After viewing or printing an SDS report for an SDS that has missing phrases in the selected language, a message should appear that will list the phrases in English (if available) and associated four character alpha-numeric phrase codes.

Option 1: If there are only a few missing phrases, you can to the following:

1. Make a note of the phrase codes or use Alt - PrintScreen button and paste message into MS Paint.
2. Go to Files > Administrative Lists > Phrase List menu option.
3. Click on the Search button in the phrase list browse window's toolbar.
4. Select Phrase Code from the "What to Search" selection list in the Search window.
5. Enter one of the Phrase Codes and click Search.
6. From the search results, select the English version of the phrase if present; otherwise pick any version.
7. Click on the Edit button or Edit/View Details tab for the selected phrase.
8. See below for details on adding a translation.
9. Repeat starting with step 3 for any additional phrase codes.

Option 2: If there are too many missing phrases to make the above option work well:

1. Go to Tools > Review Phrase-based SDS Translations.
2. Select English and up to two other languages and click OK.
3. After the program generates a list of phrase-based SDSs that need translations select the SDS you want.
4. The first phase that is missing a translation in the selected language(s) is presented, see below for details on adding a translation.
5. After saving the phrase with the translation(s), you can click on Next button in toolbar to view next phrase that needs a translation.
6. After completing the translations for the selected SDS, you can Quit and the list of SDSs will be regenerated so you can review any other SDSs or quit back to the menu.

Special Case: If the disclaimer statements in section 15 or 16 are not printing in selected language:

1. Go to Files > Suppliers and Manufacturers.
2. Select the company used on the SDS and click on Edit button or Edit/View Details tab.
3. Click on (M)SDS Options tab
4. If there is a phrase code in the Select Phrase: field, skip the following step.
5. Highlight entire disclaimer statement in the large text field and press Control-C or use Edit > Copy.
6. Click on Phrase list button to the right of the Select Phrase: field.
7. If there was a phrase code (see step 4), select Edit after highlighting the existing phrase; otherwise, Add a new phrase and paste the text you copied into the Full Description data field.
8. See below for details on adding a translation.

Adding a Translation:
Now that you have located, selected, and displayed the "Edit/View Detail" tab for the phrase, you can enter the missing translation(s). The lower half of the phrase data entry window has spaces for two other languages. If necessary, change the 2nd Language and/or 3rd Language to the ones you need. Paste in the appropriate translation for the selected languages. Please note that the MIRS™ program does not have a built-in translator; you can either use an on-line translator or contract with a translation service.

If you need to enter translations for more than two other languages, you can save the phrase and then change the 2nd and 3rd languages and paste more translations.

INVENTORY MODULE:

How do I make the computer calculate and save the inventory levels based on the inventory transactions I have entered?

The calculation is done in the Material Tracking Summary/Transfer menu option. You should have a starting and an ending physical inventory, so that the module can correctly make the required calculations.

If you do not have an ending inventory, but have both purchase and usage transactions during the year, you can select the Usage Calculations Method and respond "Y" to have the program calculate and save calculated ending physical inventory entries.

The physical inventory entries will serve as a starting physical inventory for the next year. You can also update the calculated entries later with the actual physical inventory amounts.

INVENTORY MODULE:

How can I avoid entering on-going usage amounts into the INVENTORY Module?

If your company uses a fairly constant amount of the materials over time, you can enter a physical inventory at the start of each year and select the "Constant (linear) Usage" calculation method when transferring the summary amounts to material tracking. This method computes a constant usage rate that will result in the ending physical inventory level. For this method to be accurate, you must enter the ending physical inventory before selecting the Material Tracking Summary/Transfer.

One set of physical inventory records (dated January 1) can serve as the ending physical inventory and the starting physical inventory of the next year.

INVENTORY MODULE:

Should I convert amounts to pounds (LB) in the INVENTORY module as I enter the transactions?

The Federal Tier II report requires amounts in pounds (LB), although some states also accept gallons (GA) and cubic feet (CF). You can take advantage of the INVENTORY module's capability to track most actual units and convert them automatically into LB when computing the annual amounts.

To display the units that MIRS™ can convert to LBs, click on the list button to the right of the Units field of an inventory transaction. If your original unit of measurement is not in this list, you should convert the amounts to LB as you enter them; otherwise, you can leave the amounts in the actual units and choose the pound conversion option when working on the Material Tracking Summary/Transfer.

Note that for the best conversion results, you should go to Material Tracking and enter the specific gravity for any materials that are measured in volumetric units such as gallons.

INVENTORY MODULE:

What physical inventory entries are automatically generated? How can I keep specific tanks and vats from being grouped with other containers of the same material at the same location?

Add/Edit Physical Inventory gives you the option to create a set of physical inventory transactions for the selected date. A physical inventory entry is created for a material/location combination if, previous to the selected date, a non-zero transaction exists for the material at the location. The inventory amount is set to zero, ready for you to update the entry with the actual physical inventory amount.

When using the INVENTORY module, you normally want to keep the data grouped by material/location. However, you can define separate location codes for certain containers, such as tanks and vats, so that the data can be maintained separately. For example, tank 1 in the Tank Farm "TF" might be identified as "TF1", so that it can be retrieved individually by specifying "TF1", and collectively, by specifying "TF". This will also have the desired effect of triggering the creation of a separate physical inventory transaction.

INVENTORY Module:

What transaction data should be entered or imported into the INVENTORY module so I can generate Tier II reports?

The answer to this question depends on what data you can reasonably obtain and whether your company uses a just-in-time inventory system. Several situations are discussed below:

A. Ideal case:  Enter a physical inventory of all materials each January 1st or thereabouts, all purchase transactions, and all usage transactions.  Note that the January 1st physical inventory serves as the starting inventory for the new year AND the ending inventory for the previous year.  If entering usage transactions is too overwhelming to contemplate, see situation B:

B. No usage information.  If you enter physical inventory and all purchases, MIRS™ can calculated on-hand levels by assuming a constant rate of usage per day.  This is reasonably accurate for production situations where similar amounts are used each day.

C. No time to take physical inventory:  If you cannot obtain a physical inventory each year, and your company uses a just-in-time inventory system, you can enter just purchases and have the system assume a constant rate of usage that uses up all of the purchase amounts by the end of the year.  You still need to enter all purchases.  If you have significant quantities of hazardous materials on-site for any length of time, this situation will not be accurate; make every effort to take a physical inventory.

D. No purchase transactions:  MIRS™ cannot be very accurate without purchase transactions. If you are able to take physical inventory every month, and enter usage transactions for each month, you can alleviate the inaccuracies somewhat.  If you have no purchase or usage information, MIRS™ cannot calculate annual usage needed for TRI (FORM R) threshold determination.  If TRI reporting does not apply, you can get (barely) adequate numbers from monthly physical inventories alone.

INVENTORY MODULE:

I want to track amounts at each location but do not want to enter transactions.

You can use the location-specific information data entry screen and ignore all of the transaction-specific features of the INVENTORY module. You can use the INVENTORY module in one and only one of two ways:

AIR Module:

Where do I begin?

The AIR module can be used for the following main purposes:

1. Produce reports of potential or estimated emissions based on rated capacities of each actual emission source.
2. Produce reports of potential or estimated emissions based on what-if scenarios using hypothetical emission sources and/or hypothetical material mixtures.
3. Produce reports of emissions based on operating data. This data can be in the form of usage or production data or can be in the form of measured or imported emissions data.

To begin using the module, you simply start with the source inventory menu option and start defining the air permits, sources, material mixtures, and source subcategories. Once you have defined one or more emission sources and the materials used, you can produce potential or estimated emission reports. To produce reports of emissions based on operating data, you need to also to enter either usage or production inventory or you need to enter or import measured emissions inventory data. Once your basic emissions reports are producing results, you can add pollutant limit entries and generate the calculated or measured pollutant limit reports.

The following is a summary of the minimum menu options that you need to use for the stated objectives:

OBJECTIVE	FILE MENU OPTIONS
Basic emissions reporting (override using the other menu options listed further below): Report all chemical ingredients as pollutant emissions. Report total VOC emissions, using VOC per volume emissions factors. Report total HAP emissions, using HAP per volume emissions factors.	Air Permits Emission Units Material Mixtures (include VOC / HAP emission factors) Usage/Production or Usage - Data Sheet
Apply specific ingredient or generated pollutant emission factors. Pollutants not covered by chemical ingredients and VOC/HAPs, such as particulates and chemical reaction products. Emission factors other than default values. Control efficiencies other than default values.	(above listed menu options) Monitored Pollutants
Track if emissions are above or below the maximum or average limits on chemical pollutants, VOCs, HAPs, and/or limits on per material usage.	(above listed menu options) Pollutant Limits
Track material usage by production.	(applicable above listed menu items). Usage per Job

It is recommended that you enter data for one material mixture used at one emission unit. Generate the applicable reports to see that you are getting the expected results before entering all the rest of your data.

AIR Module:

What is a source subcategory?

Source subcategory is the combination of a material or material mixture used at an emission source covered by an air permit. The concept of a subcategory is useful if you need to define conditions unique to this combination for pollutants, estimated material usage, etc.

AIR Module:

What limits can I track?

You can track pollutant limits and material usage limits. Limits can be tracked at the permit level, emission group level, emission unit level, mixture category, or material mixture (subcategory) level. To create a permit select the Files menu and pick Pollutant Limits (usage limits are covered here as well). Select the permit ID and then do one of the following:

1. Create a permit level limit by choosing "ALL" for both the Applicable Emission Units and Applicable Material Mixtures.
2. Create a emission unit level limit by choosing "One" for Emission Units, selecting an emission unit from the available list, and then choosing "ALL" for the Material Mixtures.
3. Create a material mixture subcategory level limit by selecting "One" for both the Emission Units and the Material Mixtures and picking an Emission Unit and a Material Mixture from the available lists respectively.

More options: The emission group and mixture category options allow you to group similar emission units or similar material mixtures together so you can apply limits to them as a group or category.

The contents of the next field determine what is being limited:

1. Create a limit on material usage by choosing "Usage" instead of "Pollutant".
2. Create a limit on a pollutant's emissions by choosing "Pollutant" and selecting a pollutant from the list.

Complete the remaining applicable information and save the entry.

AIR Module:

Why is there no information for the emissions report?

The emissions reports, especially the calculated emissions report, depend on information from several related files. Taking the case of the calculated emissions reports, a number of factors must be true:

1. Permits, Emission Units, and Material Mixtures must exist.
2. Usage/production or Usage Data Sheet entries must exist for the date range (if any) specified.
3. Pollutants must be defined that match the selected criteria (this includes checking the chemical ingredients (mass balance) and VOC reporting options in the permit data entry screen).
4. If you select one or a range of emission units or material mixtures, there must be corresponding usage/production entries.
5. Entries with Effective Dates - such as monitored pollutants, material mixtures, or usage per job - may not be in effect during the date range specified for the report. There are other possibilities are well, but the report program provides, in most cases, detailed messages that indicate why there was no information for the report.
6. Also do not ignore simple possibilities like putting ranges in backwards for the report criteria ("A" to "Z" will work but "Z" to "A" will not).

AIR Module:

Why doesn't the chemical pollutant appear on the calculated emissions report?

There is no single answer to this question but you can check the following:

1. Try the basic calculated emissions report with all criteria fields left blank. If the chemical in question appears this time, then the report criteria you originally used may have been too restrictive. If the chemical still does not appear on the report, try the remaining items below:
2. If the pollutant is an ingredient of a material, make sure that it is defined in the ingredients section of the material(s) in material tracking and that the material mixture contains the material.
3. Make sure the effective date of the material in the material mixture is on or before the dates of the usage/production entries.
4. If the pollutant is not an ingredient of a material, make sure it is defined in Files > Monitored Pollutants and that the effective date is on or before the dates of the usage/production entries.
5. If you are doing a report for a chemical list such as HAPS, the chemical may not be in the list (check the regulated chemicals entry for the chemical).