What is the primary purpose of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?

The primary purpose of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is to provide comprehensive hazard information about a chemical or product. This document is essential for ensuring safety in the workplace, as it contains critical details about the potential health risks, safety precautions, and emergency response measures associated with handling that substance. By outlining the hazards, including toxicity, flammability, and reactivity, the SDS helps employees and employers to understand the risks and implement the necessary safety measures to minimize accidents, injuries, and chemical exposures.

While listing product ingredients, describing usage instructions, and specifying packaging details are important aspects of product information, they are auxiliary to the main goal of the SDS, which is to ensure the safety of individuals who may come into contact with hazardous materials in their working environment. By focusing on hazard information, the SDS serves as a key tool for training and guiding employees in safe chemical handling practices.