Reading a Safety Data Sheet — Module 1: What is a Safety Data Sheet?
What you'll learn in this module
- What a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is and what it contains
- Who is legally required to produce an SDS
- When and why you will need to refer to one
- Your employer's legal obligations regarding SDS access
What is a Safety Data Sheet?
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — sometimes called a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) — is a standardised document that provides detailed information about a chemical product. Every hazardous substance used in a professional cleaning environment must have one.
SDS documents are produced by the manufacturer or supplier of the chemical product and must comply with UK REACH regulations and the COSHH Regulations 2002. Since Brexit, the UK follows its own retained version of the EU CLP Regulation for hazard classification and labelling.
Who Needs to Use an SDS?
Must obtain SDS documents for every hazardous substance used in the workplace, carry out a COSHH risk assessment based on the SDS information, and make SDS documents accessible to all employees who use the product.
Must know where to find the SDS for every product they use, understand the key hazard and first aid information, and follow the safe handling and PPE guidance it contains.
When Will You Need an SDS?
You should refer to an SDS when using a chemical product for the first time, when a spillage or accident occurs, when a colleague or member of the public is exposed to a chemical, when disposing of a chemical product or its container, and when carrying out or reviewing a COSHH risk assessment.
Where Are SDS Documents Kept?
Your employer is legally required to make SDS documents readily available to you — either in a physical folder on site or digitally. If you cannot locate the SDS for a product you are using, ask your supervisor before proceeding. You have the right to access this information.
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