SDS or Safety Data Sheets can be very confusing. We want to break down Safety data sheets meaning or MSDS meaning so you and your team can easily use them to protect yourselves from the hazards of chemicals in the workplace.
Safety Data Sheets Definition - What is a Safety Data Sheet?
Safety Data Sheets (formerly called Material Safety Data Sheet / MSDS) or SDS is a detailed document that helps workers identify hazardous materials and gives workers full details on what those hazards are. The SDS highlights more detailed hazard information about the product than the label on the product. The Safety Data Sheet will provide instructions on how workers can safely work with hazardous products. It lists the steps you take in the event of an emergency where a hazard has been exposed.
See how to easily upload SDS sheets with Safety Evolution in the video below:
What Do Safety Data Sheets Include?
Safety data sheets are made up of 16 sections. Safety data sheets replaced Material Safety data sheets MSDS in 2015 to reflect the requirements of the Globally Harmonized System. Therefore they are now written in a consistent format for everyone around the world.
Some of the basic questions that a worker should be able to answer before working with a product are:
- What is the product? (Section 1: Identification)
- What are the hazards? (Section 2: Hazard(s) Identification)
- How do I work with this product safely? (Section 7: Handling and Storage)
- What do I do in an emergency? (Section 4: First-aid Measures, Section 5 - Fire-fighting measures and Section 6 - Accidental Release Measures)
The 16 Safety Data Sheet Requirements
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Identification
- Identification includes product identifier; manufacturer or distributor name, address, phone number; emergency phone number; recommended use; restrictions on use.
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Hazard(s) identification
- includes all hazards regarding the chemical; required label elements. Section
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Composition/information on ingredients
- includes information on chemical ingredients; trade secret claims.
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First-aid measures
- include important symptoms/effects, acute, delayed; required treatment.
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Fire-fighting measures
- include important symptoms/effects, acute, delayed; required treatment.
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Accidental release measures
- list emergency procedures; protective equipment; proper methods of containment and cleanup.
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Handling and Storage
- list precautions for safe handling and storage, including incompatibilities.
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Exposure controls/personal protection
- lists OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs); ACGIH Threshold Limit Values (TLVs); and any other exposure limit used or recommended by the chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer preparing the SDS where available as well as appropriate engineering controls; personal protective equipment (PPE).
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Physical and chemical properties
- lists the chemical’s characteristics.
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Stability and reactivity
- lists chemical stability and the possibility of hazardous reactions. Section
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Toxicological information
- Toxicological information includes routes of exposure; related symptoms, acute and chronic effects; numerical measures of toxicity.
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Ecological information
- Toxicity, Persistence and degradability, Bioaccumulative potential, Mobility in soil, Results of PBT and vPvB assessment, Other adverse effects
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Disposal considerations
- Waste treatment methods
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Transport information
- UN number, UN proper shipping name, Transport hazard class(es), Packing group, Environmental hazards, Special precautions for user, Transport in bulk according to Annex II of MARPOL[5] and the IBC Code
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Regulatory information
- Safety, health and environmental regulations/legislation specific for the substance or mixture, Chemical safety assessment
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Other information
- includes the date of preparation or last revision.
Who writes the Safety Data Sheet?
Safety Data Sheets are written by the supplier or manufacturer or importer of the product.
Who is the SDS Written For?
The Safety Data Sheet is generally written for people in an occupational setting, such as workers, supervisors & contractors for example. SDS sheets are not usually provided for consumers who use a product once a year, but rather for someone who uses the product in their 40-hour week because their exposure risk to the hazards of the product is much higher in a workplace.
For example, a Mechanic is at risk for exposure to solvents, degreasers and soder daily.
Where can I get a Safety Data Sheets Example?
If not supplied with the purchase of the product, the best place to find your Safety Data Sheet is to go to the manufacturer or supplier's website and search for your product. Most websites will have the downloadable PDF of the SDS.
Why Is a Safety Data Sheet Important?
Employees must have access to the Safety Data Sheets for hazardous products at all times. Employees must be trained on the hazardous products, therefore SDS should be reviewed regularly and available at all times. Traditionally, the SDS sheets are kept in a binder at various locations throughout the worksite.
Take Your Safety Data Sheets Digital!
Give your employees access to Safety Data Sheets 24/7 at the worksite! Start a free trial of Safety Evolution safety management software and upload your safety data sheets today! All are available in the Mobile App for workers in the field.
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