Hazard communication
Reading a Safety Data Sheet in five minutes
An SDS has 16 sections, but on site a handful of them answer almost every practical question.
Every hazardous chemical must come with a Safety Data Sheet (SDS), formerly called a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Under the GHS it has 16 sections in a fixed order, so once you know where to look, you can find the answer on any supplier's SDS.
The sections to read first
| Question on site | SDS section |
|---|---|
| What is it, and who supplied it? | 1. Identification |
| How dangerous is it? | 2. Hazard identification: GHS class, category, pictograms, signal word, H and P statements |
| What is in it? | 3. Composition: ingredients and CAS numbers, including any carcinogens |
| Someone has been exposed. What do we do? | 4. First-aid measures |
| It is on fire. What do we use? | 5. Fire-fighting measures, including which extinguishing media not to use |
| It has spilled. How do we clean up? | 6. Accidental release measures |
| How should it be stored and handled? | 7. Handling and storage |
| What PPE and exposure limits apply? | 8. Exposure controls and personal protection |
| What must it not be stored with? | 10. Stability and reactivity |
| How do we dispose of it? | 13. Disposal considerations |
| How must it be transported? | 14. Transport information: UN number and class |
The other sections cover physical and chemical properties (9), toxicological information (11), ecological information (12), regulatory information (15) and other information, including the revision date (16). They matter for risk assessment and environmental reviews.
A five-minute routine for a new chemical
- Section 2: note the signal word and pictograms. "Danger" means the higher hazard level.
- Section 3: look for carcinogens (Category 1A or 1B) or sensitisers.
- Section 8: note the PPE and any exposure limits.
- Sections 7 and 10: decide where it can be stored and what it must be kept away from.
- Sections 4–6: brief the team on first aid, firefighting and spill response before work starts.
Common problems
- The SDS is for a different product or grade from the one on site.
- It is an old MSDS format with fewer sections.
- It is in a language workers cannot read.
- It is filed in an office instead of at the point of use.
What to do
- Keep a current SDS at every place a chemical is stored or used.
- Make the five-minute routine a step in your new-chemical approval.
- Train supervisors to brief their crews from Sections 2, 4, 6 and 8.
How INRC can help
INRC trains supervisors to brief their crews from the SDS, and our occupational health and safety assessments check that a current SDS is available wherever each chemical is stored or used. See our training services. Contact us to discuss your site.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Check current legislation and regulations for your specific project.