Safety data sheets (SDS) provide the information end users of cleaning chemicals need to make an appropriate risk assessment, as required by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH).
They are essential and available, as standard, from reputable manufacturers and suppliers.
To help users understand the format and structure of SDSs, the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) has produced a simple guide. It explains the SDS’s function, as stated by the Health and Safety Executive, is to ‘describe the hazards the chemical presents, and give information on handling, storage and emergency measures in case of accident’. The guide goes on to outline the content provided in each section.
The intention is to help users understand what is to be expected in an SDS. The guide, and an SDS itself, are not a risk assessment. Full and appropriate risk assessments on the use of a specific product must be carried out using the information in the SDS.
The guide is available on the CHSA’s website. For information on Safety Data Sheets and their interpretation, visit the Health and Safety Executive website. Click here to download the CHSA’s SDS Fact Sheet.
