Understanding SDS/OSHA Labels on Chemicals & Supplies

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are a key tool used by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA),
giving employees access to explicit instructions and regulations for their work environment. Learn more
about SDS and OSHA, and explore a breakdown of three different sections that OSHA uses in labelling
chemicals and supplies information: general, technical, and non-mandatory.

What Is OSHA?
If you've ever worked, well, just about anywhere, you've probably heard of OSHA. This is the
Occupational Safety & Health Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. Their
mission is to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by
setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.
Basically, their job is to keep you safe at YOUR job!

OSHA is involved in a number of workplace safety regulations. These regulations ensure that
your employer provides a safe and hazard-free workplace. What does this have to do with your
laboratory? Well, because of the various chemicals, specimens, and equipment used in these
settings, labs are hosts to a swath of potential accidents and injuries. OSHA's job is to prevent
these accidents by providing safety standards and rules for both labs and all of the people who
work in them.

Sometimes, these rules and regulations can seem onerous and even downright trivial. However,
it's important to remember that they are in place for a reason - and that reason is to keep you
and everyone else safe and healthy! So, even if a rule seems silly, it's necessary to follow it
because it helps ensure a fun and educational experience in the lab.

Safety Data Sheets

One of the most important OSHA lab regulations is a Safety Data Sheet, or SDS, for every
chemical present in the lab. The purpose of SDSs is to communicate chemical hazard
information to end-users. They were formerly called Material Safety Data Sheets, or MSDS, but
OSHA recently simplified and shortened the name. The information covered in a chemical's SDS
may be minimal if the chemical's hazard is minimal, or it may be quite extensive if there are
numerous health risks associated with that chemical.

For each chemical, the SDS will include at least this much information: the properties of the
chemical; the physical, health, and environmental health hazards posed by the chemical;
protective measures that need to be taken; and safety precautions for handling, storing, and
transporting the chemical. Each SDS must also be printed in English, though, if necessary, it may
also be printed in other languages as well.

There are 16 different sections of an SDS that provide all the necessary information about a
There are 16 different sections of an SDS that provide all the necessary information about a
chemical. Sections 1-8 describe general information about the chemical. Sections 9, 10, 11, and
16 describe technical and scientific information about the chemical. And sections 12-15 cover
other information, such as ecological, transport, and disposal hazards, as well as regulatory

information. These last four sections are not enforced by OSHA because they are regulated by
other agencies, but they are still required to be included with any chemical SDS. Let's take a
closer look at what each section of an SDS tells us about the chemical we're working with and
how this information helps us stay safe in the lab.

Sections 1-8: General Information

Sections 1-8 of an SDS provide a lot of general information about a chemical. Here, you'll find
the name of the chemical, a description of its recommended use or uses, and what the chemical
actually does. You'll also find contact information for the manufacturer in case of emergency.
Additionally, this section details the types of hazards the chemical poses; in other words, if it is
flammable, caustic, corrosive, etc.

You'll also get the chemical ingredients, common names and symbols for the chemical, the
concentration of each ingredient if the chemical is a mixture, and any impurities that may be
present. This part of the SDS will also give you information on first aid, firefighting, and
accidental release measures, as well as safe handling and storage and personal protection
protocols.

Basically, you can think of Sections 1-8 like a food container label - it tells you the name, the
ingredients, safe storage and handling (whether you should refrigerate after opening, etc.), and
might even give you some suggestions on ways to use that food in a recipe. You won't want to
eat any chemicals in your lab, but you get the idea here!

Sections 9-11, 16: Technical Information

Sections 9-11 and 16 of the SDS are the ones that give you all the technical and scientific
information about the chemical you're working with. This includes the physical and chemical
properties, the stability and reactivity, toxicological information, and any other information
about the chemical. The physical and chemical properties are things like the boiling point, the
density, solubility, viscosity, pH, odor, color, and physical state (solid, liquid, or gas) of the
chemical.

The stability and reactivity of the chemical refers to any conditions that should be avoided, like
shock, vibration, excessive heat or cold, pressure, and how likely the chemical is to react under
such conditions. The toxicological information indicates any toxicological effects the chemical
may have and how these effects occur. For example, is the chemical toxic if inhaled, ingested, or
comes in contact with skin? How quick is that toxicological effect? Is it short-term or long-term?
What types of symptoms are associated with exposure to the chemical? And is the chemical a
known carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent?

The last section, Section 16, provides information about the SDS itself. When was it prepared
and by whom? If it has been updated, what changes were made and when? Any other helpful
a d by o ? t as bee updated, at c a ges e e ade a d e ? y ot e ep u
information about the SDS will be found here, so check this as well to see if your previous SDSs
are out of date. Basically, these sections are like the signs that warn you of an attack dog, a high
voltage fence, or an underground cable. They tell you what the hazard is and what you can
expect to occur if certain precautions aren't taken.
Sections 12-15: Non-Mandatory Information
Sections 12-15 are not regulated by OSHA, but they are still required on an SDS because they
provide important information that other regulatory agencies need to be aware of. For example,
Section 12 describes any ecological effects or hazards that the chemical may have. Is it toxic to
certain types of animals or plants? Will it bioaccumulate, or build up in the tissues of living
organisms? Will it contribute to ozone depletion, act as an endocrine disruptor, or have
potential impacts on global climate change?

Section 13 describes disposal considerations for the chemical, such as the appropriate
containers to use, physical and chemical properties that affect disposal, and landfill or sewage
considerations. Section 14 describes transport information, which is especially important for
those who facilitate the transport of the chemicals. Do workers moving the chemical need to
take special precautions? Does the chemical need to be transported under specific
temperatures or pressures? And, finally, Section 15 describes any other regulatory information
that is not already covered elsewhere in the SDS.

As you can see, there's A LOT of information in an SDS! There's no way to memorize it all, nor is
there any reason to. The most important thing is that you familiarize yourself with the chemicals
you're working with and that you have easy access to your SDSs in case you need to refer to
them. Keeping them in a known location will save precious time in case you need to access
exposure, first aid, or clean up information for a certain chemical. And, of course, check your
SDSs regularly to make sure they're current since OSHA does update them from time to time.

Lesson Summary
Any chemical you're working with in your lab will be regulated by OSHA, the Occupational Safety
& Health Administration. Their job is to make sure that you have a safe and healthy work
environment, which is especially difficult in lab settings because dangerous accidents have the
potential to occur.

One thing OSHA regulates is chemical safety. They do this through Safety Data Sheets, which
communicate chemical hazard information to end-users. SDSs contain an enormous amount of
information about each chemical: the name, manufacturer, physical and chemical properties,
reactivity, proper storage and transport, environmental and human hazards, and so much
more.

Because there's so much information in an SDS, it's not feasible or necessary to memorize it all.
Instead, familiarize yourself with the chemicals you're working with and keep your SDSs in a
known place where they're easily accessible to all lab workers. This way, they can be referred to
at anytime by anyone, keeping everyone safe and healthy while working in the lab.

Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
After you have finished with this lesson, you'll be able to:

Describe the importance and roles of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Explain what Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are and their importance

Summarize the information contained in SDSs

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