Knowing where to find cleaning chemical safety information in your facility can save lives. It can also help prevent accidents or reduce the dangers if a chemical related safety issue occurs. In an emergency situation, having easy access to this information is very important and everyone who works in a facility should be aware of where to find these 3 things...
1. Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
Do you know where to find the safety data sheets of the cleaning chemicals in your workplace? The Safety Data Sheet (formerly known as the Material Safety Data Sheet or MSDS) provides detailed information about each chemical including…
• Supplier information and contact details
• Hazards identification (eg. Hazard statement, signal word, precautionary statements)
• Composition and information on ingredients
• First aid measures
• Fire fighting measures
• Accidental release measures
• Handling and storage
• Exposure controls and personal protection
• Physical and chemical properties (eg. appearance, pH)
• Toxicological information
• Ecological information
• Disposal considerations
• Transport information
The SDS is written for the undiluted product. Because most chemicals are diluted before they are used, the ready to use product will not be as harmful as the concentrate.
Regardless of this, whenever an accident occurs, always follow the SDS instructions.
It is important that you keep a current and up to date SDS copy for each chemical you use on file and available to you. You should know where the Safety Data Sheets are stored at your workplace at all times.
Ask yourself…
• What is written on the SDS of the chemicals you use?
• Do you have the SDS of the chemicals you use?
• Where can you get the SDS for the chemicals use?
Knowing what to do and even more importantly what not to do will protect yourself and others from harm.
2. Product labels
Are the labels of cleaning chemicals at your workplace readable and compliant? The easiest place to find information about the product you are using is on the label. The information on the label may include…
• Company name.
• Product name.
• How to use directions.
• Bottle size.
• Dilution instructions.
• Warnings, signal words, hazard pictograms and hazard statements
• Product description and what it is used for.
• First aid and safety directions.
The label is normally the first thing you read when you need chemical safety information because it’s usually right there and easy to find. Use the information on the label and the SDS to determine what the best course of would be in a chemical related emergency.
3. Training information guides (TIG) or 'how to' information
Have you been trained on the safe and effective use of the chemicals in your workplace? The training information guide is the outline we use for training on specific chemical products. It’s a great resource and will provide you with a deeper understanding of a product’s…
• Features and benefits
• Ideal application methods (eg. microfibre floor mop, spray bottle)
• Dilution rates
• Product uses
• How to use directions
• Where else can you find information about a chemical you use?
• The chemical supplier.
• Your supervisor.
• Your work health and safety representative.
• Safety wall charts.
What other ways could you find the cleaning chemical safety information you need? Have SDSs, labels or TIGs ever helped you in an emergency situation? What do you like and dislike about these 3 main places chemical safety information is found? We’d love to hear your thoughts about chemical safety. We would also like to hear your thoughts and ideas about making chemical safety simpler and easy for everyone. Get in touch if you’d like to add to the conversation.
If you require any of the above documents for your facility or would like some cleaning chemical safety assistance, give our customer care team a call today. The phone number to call is 1300 123 499 and you can also visit the XO2 cleaning products online store.
Stay safe!
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