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

The purpose of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is to provide comprehensive information about the hazards associated with materials, including details on proper handling and storage, as well as emergency measures to take in the event of an incident. The SDS serves as a crucial resource for first responders, employers, and employees by clearly outlining the chemical properties of substances, potential health effects, exposure limits, and recommendations for safe use.

This detailed information is vital for ensuring safety in workplaces that handle hazardous materials. It empowers individuals to respond appropriately in emergencies, ensuring quick access to necessary procedures for spill response, first aid measures, and safe disposal practices.

Other options offer limited aspects of hazard communication but do not encapsulate the full scope of what an SDS provides. Emergency numbers and personnel evaluation procedures are important but are secondary to the SDS’s role in delivering critical, detailed safety information about hazardous materials. Meanwhile, notifying nearby residents of hazards pertains more to community outreach and emergency response planning rather than the primary purpose of an SDS.