SDS stands for Safety Data Sheet. A safety data sheet is a document that contains detailed information about the safety and health impacting aspects of various substances and products. They are sometimes also called material safety data sheets (MSDS) or product safety data sheets (PSDS). Companies that produce, ship, use, or otherwise interact with potentially hazardous substances need to have safety data sheets on hand to reference should there be a spill or other event.
What is an a SDS?
An SDS contains information about the hazards of working with a specific material in an occupational setting. There is one sheet for each substance or chemical that is used, which means that a company may have to have multiple different safety data sheets on site. Each SDS will contain sixteen sections. Each section is used to provide different types of information about the product in question. These sheets are generally going to be used by emergency responders, safety managers, and others who may need to respond to some type of event.
Within the different sections of an SDS will be information about a chemicals hazard classification, signal words, hazard statements, pictograms, and much more. There will also be detailed information about the composition or ingredients in the chemical. Companies don’t need to create their own safety data sheets. Instead, they can be downloaded online or otherwise accessed since each SDS will be the same for a given chemical no matter where it is used.
Where are SDS’s Stored?
Safety data sheets should be stored in one central location within a facility. They do not need to be kept near where the chemicals or solutions are actually used. Having them in one location will make them easier to find and access by those who need them in the event of an emergency. It is required, however, that all employees have access to the SDS’s so they can review them when they would like. This is required by OSHA, which wants to make sure that all employees are aware of any potential dangers in the workplace.
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