The main components of IGS are the material search and the substance data presentation. After a user searches and finds a particular substance, a brief overview of the substance will be displayed. i.e. the brief explanation. The type of brief explanation is selected when you start the program. Brief explanation of the areas chemical and fire protection, environmental protection, occupational health and safety and labour are available. Users thus first see the information that interests them most.

Users can then query the database for further, more detailed infor¬mation in the topic selection or the keyword search. All the data is displayed in topic-related forms. For example, if you are searching for steam pressure, you will not only find this topic but other substance constants such as the density or boiling point.

Each single piece of information includes all constraints, the source as well as the origin of the value. If several values appear for one attribute, the will all be displayed, i.e. the steam pressure will be shown under various constraints and from various sources. Users are thus able to find all the information provided and decide for themselves what is relevant for their own needs.

Substance search

You can search for a substance using one or more search criteria.

Wildcards, i.e. the characters * and ?, are permitted in all text boxes. The character * represents any number of characters, whereas ? symbolises exactly one character. For example, if you enter *chlorid in the text box Name, all substances will be displayed that end in chlorid. If you enter 120? in the text box UN number, the result will be all substances that have a four-digit UN number and begin with 120.

The brief explanation is the first display form in a search query. It contains information adapted for the selected area.

Brief explanations are available for the areas chemical and fire protection, environmental protection, occupational health and safety and labour.

Brief explanation of chemical and fire protection:
Substance name, Kemler number, UN number, ADR classification, state of aggregation, odour, EU hazard classification, R-phrases, S-phrases, flash point, ignition point, effects on the skin, IDLH value, MAC value CH, AOT, OSF, water hazard class (Germany), group notice SFV.

Brief explanation of environmental protection:
Substance name, state of aggregation, CAS No, chemical formula, molar mass, EU hazard classification, R-phrases, S-phrases, relative density, melting point, boiling point, steam pressure, dissolubility, flash point, ignition point, explosion limits, list of toxic substances in CH, water hazard class (Germany) fish toxicity, max. emission concentration LRV.

Brief explanation of occupational health and safety:
Substance name, state of aggregation, EU hazard classification, R-phrases. S-phrases, list of toxic substances in CH, effects on the skin, MAC value in CH, work hygiene, max. emission concentration LRV, personal protective equipment, first-aid.

Kurzinfo labour:
Substance name, state of aggregation, CAS no., chemical formula, molar mass, EU hazard classification, R-phrases, S-phrases, list of toxic substances in CH, effects on the skin, MAC value in CH, work hygiene, max. emission concentration LRV, personal protective equipment, first-aid.

The topic selection is modelled on the EC safety datasheet. The individual chapters can themselves contain sub-chapters such as Chapter 15 entitled Regulations. It contains 10 sub-chapters on laws and ordinances from Switzerland and Europe. Only those chapters are displayed that contain information about the selected substance.

Users can also view display forms by entering keywords. You can search for a keyword by either entering it or clicking it in the list box.

The list box References displays the attributes and forms that are assigned to the keyword. The display masks are the same ones that can be opened in the topic selection.