What Information Does an SDS Contain? A Complete Guide

Safety Data Sheets (or SDSs) are documents that help mitigate the risks of handling dangerous industrial chemicals by giving detailed instructions. Under California law, employers are obligated to keep an SDS for every chemical in their possession as part of a written hazard communication plan. This includes both chemicals kept in storage or chemicals actively in use. 

Chemicals used in industrial applications often exist in their most volatile and hazardous forms. As a result, organizations have to rely on involved safety procedures or risk their employees being harmed or the environment being damaged. A Safety Data Sheet (or SDS) mitigates against this risk.

Familiarity with Safety Data Sheets is a must for organizations that deal with hazardous chemicals. Such chemicals can pose serious risks to employees, the environment, and of course your bottom line. In this article, we take a deep dive into how Safety Data Sheets can enhance safety in your workplace. 

What Is a Safety Data Sheet?

Safety Data Sheets, also known as Material Safety Data Sheets, are documents containing detailed and comprehensive information. This information pertains to the composition, physical and chemical properties, health effects, and environmental impacts of a specific substance. The document informs all the parties involved with the substance of the necessity of safety and potential hazards to watch out for. Under Cal OSHA guidelines, maintaining an SDS that is accurate and up-to-standard is a necessity. Failure to do so can not only lead to both fatal accidents and legal issues.

Who Needs to Keep Safety Data Sheets?

Safety Data Sheets begin first as the responsibility of the chemical manufacturer. An SDS should come with any hazardous chemical that you purchase. Here is a list of people who keep Safety Data Sheets:

1. Chemical Manufacturers. This refers to organizations that produce hazardous chemicals. An SDS should be provided for each chemical that is manufactured. 
2. Importers. Companies responsible for importing hazardous chemicals into the US and across borders into California must present comprehensive SDSs for each substance. 
3. Distributors. A distributor’s responsibility is to the end-user and customer. Therefore, any hazardous chemical sold must carry a comprehensible SDS. 
4. Employers. All employers with hazardous chemicals stored on or in use on their premises or workplaces should have SDSs for each of these substances. 

What Are the SDS Requirements Under California’s Hazard Communication Program?

In California, the Right-To-Know Law mandates that workers and supervisors are readily provided access to important information regarding health and safety for hazardous chemicals in their workspaces. The Hazard Communication Program enables this to happen. It gives a description of each hazardous substance used in each workplace, includes a system to label containers, and Safety Data Sheets for each hazardous substance used, and a comprehensive training program for employees who handle these substances.

When identifying the information contained in an SDS, you and relevant members of your organization should consider all requirements for the safe handling of a certain substance. This is why an SDS may also be referred to as a hazard communication safety data sheet.

Mandatory Safety Data Sheet Requirements

1. Identification: Identifying the substance, mixture, and recommended use cases.
2. Hazard identification: Hazard classification along with appropriate warnings.
3. Composition and information on ingredients: Chemical ingredients and their concentrations must be clarified.
4. First-aid measures: In case of unintended exposure, immediate response along with medical direction is specified.
5. Fire-fighting measures: Chemicals often lead to resilient fires, requiring recommendations for fire-fighting.
6. Accidental release measures: Guidelines to negate the adverse impact of spills, leaks, or releases.
7. Handling and storage: Standard procedures to handle a chemical safely, along with ideal storage conditions.
8. Exposure controls or personal protection: Identifies how long a worker can be exposed to a chemical, along with the required equipment to minimize exposure.
9. Physical and chemical properties: Relevant chemical information such as appearance, odor, pH, etc. to identify deviance. 
10.  Stability and reactivity: Whether the chemical is prone to react to other substances , and the conditions that allow for chemical stability. 
11. Toxicological information: Identifies potential health effects of exposure, along with symptoms and effects.

Non-Mandatory Safety Data Sheet Requirements

1. Ecological Information: Environmental impact of the chemical if accidentally released.
2. Disposal Considerations: Safe disposal practices, identifying potential for recycling and reclamation.
3. Transport Information: Further helps define safe conditions of transporting the substance to minimize hazards.

Why Safety Data Sheets Are Necessary?

Material Safety Data Sheet is not simply a document. Instead, its success depends on how well they are utilized. As mentioned earlier, an SDS is part of the wider Hazard Communication Program. Its point is to ensure that workers remain safe when handling hazardous substances. There are specific areas that you should pay special attention to in Safety Data Sheets sheets.

1. Handling Chemicals: An SDS helps employees and workers identify hazards, safe handling procedures, and storage requirements. 
2. Transport: Those involved in transporting hazardous materials can rely on SDSs to ensure compliance with standards and deal with leaks. 
3. Emergency Situations: In cases of chemical spills, chemicals entering the environment, and workers being exposed, SDS information can help with corrective action. 
4. Workplace Safety Compliance: Cal OSHA guidelines necessitate a well-written SDS to train employees and ensure consistent safety. 

What Steps Should You Follow to Keep Safety Data Sheets Updated?

The ideal hazard communication Safety Data Sheet is updated and contains the latest relevant information. Usually, manufacturers have ultimate responsibility for both providing and updating Safety Data Sheets. 

These manufacturers have the responsibility to ensure that any updates regarding new information on how hazardous substances should be handled or stored should be passed down to employers who use these substances. Employers then have the responsibility to make sure that their SDSs are up-to-date with relevant information.

In addition, if there is any reason to believe that the SDS you received from a manufacturer is inadequate, then employers can take it upon their own to create their own SDS. Here are a few steps you should follow to ensure that your Safety Data Sheets remain updated. 

1. First, establish a standard operating procedure. An SOP specifies exactly who is responsible for acquiring an SDS and updating it. Additionally, it’s also important to obtain relevant SDSs for all hazardous chemicals used in an organization. 
2. Second, review all SDSs. The SDS provided by manufacturers may be outdated or inadequate. A review by experts would serve to remove all doubt.
3. Finally, SDSs should be distributed to all relevant parties to ensure Cal OSHA compliance.
   

An SDS should include all the information necessary to ensure that workers know how to handle chemicals under ordinary circumstances or in the case of spills, fires, exposure, and other accidents. It’s a major requirement in California’s written Hazard Communication Plan and Hazard Communication Program. 

The information contained in an SDS functions to both keep your employees and workplace safe and to protect you against any legal violations or keep you on the right side of California law. At CDMS, we  have the expertise to ensure that your SDSs are properly written and have all the necessary information to ensure compliance with California health and safety regulations. Get in touch with one of our experts for an evaluation.