Running a successful business comes with a lot of responsibility. That responsibility is multiplied when your business deals with materials that pose a significant health or safety risk. For that reason, manufacturers of hazardous materials issue safety data sheets to help keep people safe.
What are safety data sheets, though? What do they tell you about the materials you’re working with? Read on to learn everything you need to know about safety data sheets.
What Are Safety Data Sheets?
Safety data sheets, formerly known as material safety data sheets, are sheets of information about the safety and proper usage of specific hazardous materials.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires that all businesses that work with hazardous materials have safety data sheets on hand. They must also be easily accessible to all employees who work with the materials. As a business owner or manager, you are responsible for obtaining up-to-date safety data sheets and keeping them on hand.
You are responsible for training your employees on how to read and understand the information on a safety data sheet. Make sure to maintain records of all training completed in case any issues come up in the future.
What Do They Tell You?
Safety data sheets are packed with helpful information. In fact, there are 16 total sections of information contained within a data sheet. The most critical information is at the beginning of the document, while things like transport and regulatory information come toward the end.
At a minimum, the safety data sheet will tell you who produced the product, all associated hazards, and the composition of the product. It will also give you first-aid information, handling and storage requirements, and tell you about the PPE you need to use the product safely.
How Do They Benefit Your Business?
Safety data sheets are critical to the success of your business. At a minimum, keeping them on hand ensures you’re in compliance with applicable health and safety laws and regulations. They also improve productivity by keeping your employees safe and healthy.
You can enhance their benefits by incorporating online SDS management software into your business. This makes it much easier for your employees to quickly and easily access relevant data sheets. It’ll also help you make sure that your safety data sheets are always up-to-date and ready for use.
Take Your Safety Data Sheet Management to Another Level
When your business deals with hazardous materials regularly, it’s important for you to take the right precautions to keep everyone safe. Having safety data sheets on hand and easily accessible is a critical component of any business’s safety plan.
Don’t have a method for training employees and getting them access to safety data sheets? Then you need to put a plan in place ASAP!
Do you need assistance with managing your business’s safety data sheets? Do you need help making them easily accessible to your employees? Contact us today to learn how we can help you make your business safer!
