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what is the purpose of safety data sheets

What is the Purpose of Safety Data Sheets?

Safety data sheets (SDSs) have one main purpose — providing important information on how to handle, store, and dispose of hazardous chemicals. They also provide information on how to deal with such chemicals in emergencies. 

This type of information allows employees to know the various risks posed by each hazardous chemical they handle. This in turn helps to minimize dangers to their safety and health, as well as to the wider environment. 

In California, safety data sheets are usually part of a written hazard communication plan and are a requirement for all businesses that handle hazardous chemicals. In this article, we will discuss why companies should have an SDS for each hazardous chemical in their possession. 

What are Safety Data Sheets?

An SDS provides essential information on chemical substances, including their hazards, handling, storage, and emergency measures. They are a key tool in workplace safety, helping users understand and manage potential risks associated with chemicals.

SDSs contain standardized details about toxicity, environmental impact, first-aid procedures, and proper disposal methods, ensuring safe use in various industries. They are an integral part of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), which aims to standardize the communication of chemical hazards worldwide.

Before GHS standardization, material safety data sheets (MSDS) were used. However, they lacked standardization, and their format varied across regions and manufacturers. The GHS established a consistent 16-section SDS format that includes hazard identification, safety precautions, and regulatory information.

This global standardization improves safety and trade by ensuring that workers and emergency responders across different countries can easily understand chemical risks and protective measures, regardless of language or region. SDSs, therefore, play a critical role in fostering international safety and regulatory compliance.

What is the Purpose of Safety Data Sheets?

Safety data sheets provide all necessary information about a hazardous substance. This information makes it safe to handle these hazardous chemicals in everyday use and in cases of emergency. With an SDS for every hazardous chemical, employees will know what to do to keep themselves, their colleagues, and the wider environment safe. 

Also, SDSs are needed to fulfill Cal OSHA requirements in California. In particular, they are a huge part of a written hazard communication plan. Here is a brief overview detailing the purpose of a safety data sheet:

  1. It helps you comply with OSHA regulations. Both nationwide and Cal OSHA-specific regulations require an SDS for every hazardous chemical that is handled in any facility. SDS requirements are part of  California’s Hazard Communication Standard. This standard requires employers and manufacturers to make chemical information and training available to all employees handling hazardous substances.
  2. It keeps employees safe. The information on an SDS will inform employees on how to properly handle hazardous chemicals in everyday use and how to deal with them in cases of spillage and emergency. This knowledge will reduce the risk of exposure and harm.
  3. It reduces harm to the environment. Besides employee safety, an SDS will help ensure that hazardous chemicals do not end up harming the wider environment. AN SDS contains information as to how waste can be safely disposed of without causing long-term harm to the environment. 

Key Information Included in Safety Data Sheets

 Safety data sheets are supposed to be comprehensive, standardized, and easy to follow. This is unlike an MSDS whose formats were non-standardized and varied across manufacturers and regions. 

The data in an SDS includes information on scientific identification, hazard identification, ingredients contained, and so on. The 16 section table below provides what information does an SDS contain

Section Requirement  Description
1 Identification
  • The scientific name of the chemical 
  • Product number
  • The name of the manufacturer
  • The name of the supplier
  • Contact details of the manufacturer
2 Hazard Identification
  • GHS toxicity classification
  • Signal word
  • Pictogram
  • Hazard statements
  • Precautionary statements
  • HMIS classification
  • Potential health effects
3 Composition
  • Formula
  • Molecular weight
4 First-Aid Measures
  • General advice
  • Specific advice in case of  inhalation
  • Specific advice in case of skin contact
  • Specific advice in case of eye contact 
  • Specific advice if swallowed
5 Fire-Fighting Measures
  • Conditions of flammability
  • Suitable extinguishing media 
  • Special protective equipment for fire-fighters
  • Hazardous combustion products 
  • Explosion data – sensitivity to mechanical impact
  •  Explosion data – sensitivity to static discharge no data available 
6 Accidental Release Measures
  • Personal precautions
  • Environmental precautions
  • Methods and materials for contaminants and cleaning up
7 Handling and Storage
  • Precautions for safe handling
  • Conditions for safe storage
8 Exposure Controls/Personal Protection
  • Personal protective equipment
9 Physical and Chemical Properties
  • Appearance
  • Safety data
10 Stability and Reactivity
  • Chemical stability
  • Possibility of hazardous reactions
  • Conditions to avoid
  • Materials to avoid
  • Hazardous decomposition products
11 Toxicological Information
  • Acute toxicity 
  • Carcinogenicity 
  • Reproductive toxicity
  • Teratogenicity 
  • Potential health effects
12 Ecological Information
  • Toxicity
  • Persistence and degradability
  • Bioaccumulative potential 
  • Mobility in soil
  • PBT and vPvB assessment
  • Other adverse effects
13 Disposal Considerations
  • Product
  • Contaminated packaging
14 Transport Information
  • DOT 
  • IMDG
  • IATA
15 Regulatory Information
  • DSL status
  • WHMIS classification
16 Other Information
  • Declarations, copyright, and permissions regarding information in the SDS

Conclusion

SDS data sheets are crucial in ensuring that you meet Cal OSHA regulations and avoid fines. They are part of California’s Hazard Communication Standards, the point of which is to ensure that employees have all the information necessary to handle hazardous substances under both normal operations and emergencies. 

SDSs have standardized formatting and include highly technical information that may be difficult to read and understand. However, employers and manufacturers should ensure that their safety data sheets include the right information and are updated.

At CDMS, our services include checking, updating, and even formulating safety data sheets. We ensure that data sheets for any hazardous chemical that is stored or handled by your company are written to the highest standard and include all necessary and updated information. Get in touch now to see how we can help.