Joe Heisler

Caltex has multiple operations in many countries, so an efficient and up-to-date MSDS system is crucial, says Joe Heisler, coordinator of occupational health for Caltex.We recognized there was a clear need to provide more chemical-specific EHS information to our employees.Local access to MSDS has helped the operating companies accomplish this.Most plant supervisors and company managers understand English and can translate pertinent information into the local language as required..

Caltex operates sites in the Pacific Rim, Africa and the Middle East.Prior to creating its new MSDS system, the company did not have a computerized system for vendor MSDSs.
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In evaluating our MSDS system, we discovered that information was generally incomplete or not up-to-date, says Heisler.We wanted to transform our system into something that could be depended upon throughout our corporation..

The company turned to Dolphin Software and its Comply Plus software program in 1994 to help create and implement a new system.

Due to the large number of suppliers and ongoing changes to our product line, managing vendor MSDSs has been our biggest challenge.While we were keeping up with the development of MSDS for Caltex-finished products, we were not as successful at ensuring that the operating companies were being supplied with up-to-date MSDS for the raw materials they purchased.
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Our primary objective was to make up-to-date vendor MSDS readily obtainable for use in our lubricant manufacturing facilities, says Heisler.Dolphin helped us tremendously with this effort..

Caltex had three key goals for the MSDS project.The first goal called for a identifying an easy-to-operate software package that would allow users to quickly locate and access vendor MSDS.Next, the company wanted a system that would provide networked access to MSDS from any of the company's locations.

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We had to be confident that users would not hesitate to rely on it for retrieving MSDS, says Heisler.We also wanted a system that could be centrally updated and easily accessed on a company-wide basis..

Finally, the company sought a streamlined approach to data entry and distribution of the MSDS information that would not require a significant amount of administrative time, and that could be updated twice yearly.

We wanted a system that did not rely on scanned images of the MSDS, explains Heisler.Rather, our aim was to minimize administrative tasks and stay away from having to scan or key in vendor data..

In the beginning phases of the project, Dolphin learned that the MSDS inventory maintained at various locations was inconsistent and incomplete.Dolphin helped reduce the administrative burden for Caltex by helping them keep their MSDS up-to-date and by computerizing the information so that users could easily locate and retrieve MSDS data.

Because most lubricant additives are sourced from overseas suppliers, it is often very difficult for our manufacturing facilities to obtain MSDS, particularly when the suppliers are in countries that lack MSDS legislation, says Heisler.It was important to devise a MSDS system that would provide a consistent quality of service to all of our lubricant manufacturing facilities..

Caltex's corporate headquarters in Dallas, Texas, was selected as the central location for administration and upkeep of the MSDS system.Since product ingredients are standardized throughout Caltex, our hope was to avoid the need for MSDS data entry at each of our locations, says Heisler.It made a lot more sense to centralize the collection, distribution and entry of MSDS data..

As part of the MSDS project, Dolphin created a system for Caltex that included customized software features.These features enable Caltex to simplify the retrieval of MSDS on the basis of company identifiers and product application information.

Once it was demonstrated that a carefully designed MSDS system could accurately maintain MSDS for all of our vendors, it was clear that we could expand its application to other types of operations and MSDS, says Heisler.Dolphin created a software solution for maintaining international vendor data..

Today, Caltex's MSDS system is based in the Dallas headquarters and spans the entire corporation.The system, which has been fully implemented since 1995, is maintained on-site by a database administrator and is updated twice yearly by Dolphin.

Heisler reports that Caltex met all of its goals for a new MSDS system.
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Dolphin took what could have been a very difficult process and has made it very simple, says Heisler.Their attention to customer service and their ability to customize the program to meet our unique requirements was invaluable.Thanks to Dolphin, we are better able to meet our requirements for EHS information regarding chemical use and storage through an efficiently managed MSDS system..