Copyright ©  Cape Fear Janitorial Supply Company

Cape fear janitorial supply company


Safety Data Sheets  (SDS)

The purpose of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is to inform industrial purchasers and users of hazardous chemicals of the reasonably foreseeable physical and chemical hazards that may arise from the use of those chemicals. Most materials packaged for consumer use are exempt from the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). The SDS should include precautions for normal use, handling, storage, disposal, and spill cleanup. It should not include recommendations for protective measures that are more strict than needed. OSHA states, in the inspection procedures for the HCS, "Some SDS include recommendations for protective measures that are for 'worst-case scenarios,' e.g., recommending supplied-air suits for products of relatively low toxicity. The HCS requires that accurate information be provided on the SDS. This applies as much to 'overworking on the MSDS and label as well as the absence of information ('under warning')." 

OSHA requires an extensive amount of specific information to be included, but the SDS should not be a complete scientific work on the hazardous chemical. Employers may accept the content of an SDS from a supplier unless they know it is incorrect. However, the employer must ensure that an SDS is available for each hazardous chemical and that it contains all of the required information. If an SDS is not received, the employer must contact the supplier to request one. If the information is still not received, OSHA should be contacted for assistance.​


Just click on the name to pull up the .pdf file


** Please note that Adobe Acrobat is required to view and print .pdf files **