Everything You Need to Know about Safety Data Sheets
Safety Data Sheets are critical to informing employees of the hazards they face.
- By Jade Brainard
- Dec 01, 2022
Over each of the past seven years, hazard communication (1910.1200) has been one of the top five most penalized OSHA standards. But concentrating your efforts on maintaining safety data sheets (SDSs) can help. And that’s because a major component of any worksite’s hazard communications plan is its SDS.
But what is an SDS and why are these sheets integral to an employer’s hazard communications plan? This article will answer the questions you have about SDSs, how you can maintain them and why doing so protects your entire workforce.
What are Safety Data Sheets?
An SDS is a 16-section source of information relating to a hazardous chemical in the workplace. OSHA standardized the number of sections in 2012 when it revised its Hazard Communication Standard to align with the UN’s global chemical labeling system.
One of the other revisions that came in 2012 was the name change from material safety data sheet to safety data sheet. Prior to this update in 2012, an MSDS could have various formats and sections. But today, an SDS must follow a clear format.
For example, the information a worker needs to access in the event of an emergency—like the chemical name, its hazards and first aid procedures—must be stored at the beginning of an SDS. The more technical details, like handling and storage measures, should be kept in the later sections.
Listed below are the individual sections you need to ensure a SDS includes:
- Section 1: Identification
- Section 2: Hazard(s) identification
- Section 3: Composition / information on ingredients
- Section 4: First aid measures
- Section 5: Fire-fighting measures
- Section 6: Accidental release measures
- Section 7: Handling and storage
- Section 8: Exposure controls / personal protection
- Section 9: Physical and chemical properties
- Section 10: Stability and reactivity
- Section 11: Toxicological information
- Section 12: Ecological information
- Section 13: Disposal considerations
- Section 14: Transport information
- Section 15: Regulatory information
- Section 16: Other information
Of note: OSHA does not enforce sections 12 through 15—that falls on other agencies. This does not mean you can get rid of these sections, though. Other government agencies may evaluate that information at a different time than your site’s OSHA inspection.
This article originally appeared in the December 1, 2022 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.