Lesson 4: SDS - Safety Data Sheets
Lesson 4: SDS - Safety Data Sheets
Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) provides more detailed and more technical information about hazardous products. SDSs are important to help you learn more about the products you use.
Safety Data Sheets are usually prepared by the manufacturer of a product. Every hazardous product that is intended for use, handling, or storage in a workplace, in Canada, must have an SDS.
An SDS must be completed for each controlled product at the workplace and be kept in a place that is known to workers and readily accessible.
WHMIS requires that 16 sections be completed on an SDS; all the information must appear in a specific order.
Click on each of the following for information requirements, for each section, on an SDS.
- Product Name
- Other means of identification
- Recommended use
- Restrictions on use
- Canadian supplier identifier (name, full address and phone number)
- Emergency phone number
- Hazard classification of substance or mixture
- Label elements (symbol, signal word, hazard statement, precautionary statement)
- Other hazards which do not result in classification (i.e. molten metal hazard)
- Chemical name
- Common name and synonyms
- Chemical Abstract Service registry number
- Chemical name of impurities, stabilizing solvents and/or additives
For each material or substance in a mixture that is classified in a health hazard class:
- Chemical Name
- Common name and synonyms
- CAS registry number
- Concentration
- Route of Exposure (Inhalation, skin contact, eye contact, ingestion)
- Most important symptoms and effects
- Immediate medical attention and special treatment
- Suitable extinguishing media
- Unsuitable extinguishing media
- Specific hazards arising from the hazardous product
- Special protective equipment and precautions for fire-fighters
- Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures
- Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up
- Precautions for safe handling
- Conditions for safe storage
- Control parameters
- Appropriate engineering controls
- Individual protection measures (i.e. personal protective equipment)
- Appearance
- Odor
- Odor threshold
- pH
- melting/freezing point
- boiling point and range
- flash point
- upper and lower flammable or explosive limits
- Reactivity
- Chemical stability
- Possible hazardous reactions
- Conditions to avoid
- Incompatible materials
- Hazardous decomposition products
- Description of various toxic effects by route of entry, including effects of acute or chronic exposure, carcinogenicity, reproductive effects and respiratory sensitization
- Aquatic and terrestrial toxicity
- Persistence and degradability
- Bio-accumulative potential
- Mobility in soil
- Safe handling and methods of disposal, including contaminated packaging
- UN number and proper shipping name
- Hazard classes
- Packing group
- Safety, health and environmental regulations specific to the product
- Other information, including date of the latest revision of the SDS
To learn more about Safety Data Sheets, watch the video below.
