OSHA Safety Data Sheets For The Workplace

Communication and education are two important aspects of workplace safety. This includes all workplace settings, such as a medical office, factory floor, business office, or even a bank.

To ensure your facility maintains the safest work environments possible, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all employers to communicate hazardous chemical information to their employees with the help of Safety Data Sheets (SDSs).

Here is some useful information and steps that Ozark Maintenance takes that will help create a safer and more productive workplace for our clients.

What are Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?

A Safety Data Sheet, or “SDS”, is a document that communicates detailed information about a single hazardous chemical. The contents include its properties along with physical, health, and environmental hazards. An OSHA Safety Data Sheet also outlines any protective measures or safety precautions that employees should follow when handling, storing, or transporting the chemical.

Plus, this document contains essential first aid information in the event of an accidental exposure to the hazardous chemical.OSHA requires that employers maintain copies of safety safety data sheets for each chemical in the workplace classified as hazardous. 

Although some hazardous chemicals, such as household cleaning products, do not require the employer to maintain an SDS if used for the same purpose, duration, and frequency as a consumer. Employers must ensure that employees can quickly access the most up-to-date safety data sheets for chemicals used and stored in their workplace.

What Are an Employer’s Safety Data Sheet Responsibilities?

OSHA requires employers to keep an updated Safety Data Sheet for each hazardous chemical used or stored in their workplace. And this applies to all chemicals no matter the amount or even how frequently they are being used. These safety data sheets need to be readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s).

Employers can keep these documents in a binder or store them electronically. If an organization chooses to store safety data sheets in electronic format, then employees must be able to access them immediately without any barriers. For example, these electronic files should not be in a password protected folder where instant access would be hindered.

How Does Ozark Maintenance Make Safety Data Sheets Accessible?

We know how important safety data sheets are to your workspace and employees. That’s why we take these safety data sheets seriously, and help by providing you with help you need.

Here is how we make safety data sheets accessible:

• We provide a folder with all safety data sheets related to chemicals we use
• The folder is stored in the janitorial area, or another easily accessible location
• As chemicals are adjusted, additional SDS’s are added to the folder
• We provide electronic copies of the SDS upon request

With these helpful steps, we ensure any safety data sheets related to the chemicals we use are easily accessible in either physical or digital format. If there’s anything else we can provide to help make your workspace more safe, please feel free to ask.