SafeFreight Consultancy : CHIP - Safety Data Sheets

Safety data sheets (SDS), often referred to as a Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are detailed information sheets provided by chemical suppliers to their customers so that workers and the environment can be properly protected.

Someone in your company should receive a Safety Data Sheet for each of the dangerous chemicals the company uses.

Safety Data Sheets provide more technical information about the chemical and more information about how to use it safely and how to deal with emergencies. This information helps the user to make a risk assessment as required by the COSHH Regulations.

The Safety Data Sheet itself is not an assessment.

According to CHIP, safety data sheets must include information under 16 obligatory headings:

1	Identification of the substance/preparation and company/undertaking
2	Composition/information on ingredients
3	Hazards identification
4	First aid measures
5	Fire-fighting measures
6	Accidental release measures
7	Handling and storage
8	Exposure controls/personal protection
9	Physical and chemical properties
10	Stability and reactivity
11	Toxicological information
12	Ecological information
13	Disposal considerations
14	Transport Information
15	Regulatory Information
16	Other information