In our last webinar, "The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) - A Life Tool in the Product Stewardship Toolbox," we took a deep dive into SDS regulatory requirements, uses, common barriers, and process improvements. The webinar was extremely well received and generated so many questions that we were unable to answer them all. We have taken all the questions we were unable to answer and summarized them below.
In case you missed any part of the webinar or would like to share the information band database with your colleagues, a recording of the session is now available on the CHEMTREC Learning Academy . You can access and share it at your convenience.
CHEMTREC believes the information listed below to be accurate as of the date of publication. However, CHEMTREC does not warrant the accuracy of the information and the information should be independently verified before reliance is placed on it. Individual facts and circumstances regarding specific products and situations may affect the answers provided.
Yes. Our solution serves multiple jurisdictions worldwide, supporting compliance with the most stringent regulations in a wide range of languages.
Do SDSs need to be updated every year, even if nothing changes?
For the United States, SDSs only need to be updated within three months of new and significant information about the hazards of chemicals, or ways to protect against the hazards becoming available, rather than on an annual basis.
Does CHEMTREC provide reports to account holders summarizing response activity with details of location, product, quantity disposed of, etc.?
Yes. CHEMTREC provides incident reports. Please contact our Customer Service team at 1-800-262-8200 or [email protected] and they will be happy to assist you with this.
Is there a requirement for an SDS for a consumer product?
Only the label is exempt from the HCS in its entirety. In certain circumstances, there are certain requirements for SDSs for a consumer product. A consumer product is not exempt from OSHA HazCom 2012 in its entirety unless the products are used in the workplace in the same manner as a consumer would use them, i.e. where the duration and frequency of use (and therefore exposure) do not exceed that which a typical consumer would experience. This exemption in OSHA regulation is based, however, not on the intended use of the chemical manufacturer for its product, but on how it is used in the workplace. Employees who are required to work with hazardous chemicals in a manner that results in a duration and frequency of exposure greater than that of a typical consumer have a right to be informed of the properties of those hazardous chemicals. However, where an employer is uncertain whether the duration and frequency of exposure to these products are comparable to the duration and frequency of exposure to consumers, he should obtain or develop an MSDS [SDS] and make it available to employees (see 52 FR, p. 31862, August 24, 1987). It is the employer's responsibility to evaluate the exposures of his workers and to determine whether and when the requirements of the standard apply.
