[Name of Organization] 

Preparation of Safety Data Sheets for Hazardous Chemicals Policy and Procedure 

  1. Introduction  

An SDS, previously familiar as a material safety data sheet (MSDS), is a document which provides information on the properties of hazardous chemicals, as well as how they affect health and safety in the workplace. It includes information on the identity, health and physicochemical hazards, safe handling and storage, emergency procedures, as well as disposal considerations. An SDS is a crucial tool for eradicating or minimising the risks associated with the use of hazardous chemicals in the workplace.   

  1. Purpose/ Objective 

The following outlines [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s policy and procedures for the preparation of Safety Data Sheets for hazardous chemicals and offering assistance to employees about this.  

  1. Application 

[YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s policy and the procedure is applicable to substances, articles, and mixtures used, handled or stored at the workplace, which are defined as hazardous chemicals under the WHS Regulation. It provides practical guidance on how to prepare a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for any hazardous chemicals, which are being manufactured or imported for use, handling or storage in your company. It is applicable to a person who is involved in the manufacture or import of hazardous chemicals which will be used, or reasonably be expected to be used, in the workplace.       

  1. Identifying the key terms and abbreviations  

ADG Code means the Australian code for the transport of Dangerous Goods by Rail and Road as in force or remade from time to time, approved by the Council of Transport and Infrastructure. Hazardous chemicals refer to any article, mixture or substance, which satisfied the criteria for a hazard class in the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) along with a classification referred to in Schedule 6 of the WHS Regulations, but does not include a mixture, substance or articles, which satisfies the criteria exclusively  for one of the following hazard classes: 

  • acute toxicity – oral- Category 5 

  • acute toxicity – dermal – Category 5 

  • acute toxicity – inhalation – Category 5 

  • skin irritation/corrosion – Category 3 

  • serious eye damage/eye irritation- Category 2B 

  • aspiration hazard – Category 2 

  • flammable gas- Category 2 

  • acute hazard to the aquatic environment -  Category 1, 2 or 3 

  • chronic hazard to the aquatic environment - Category 1, 2, 3 or 4 

  • hazardous to the ozone layer 

  1. Identifying the time for preparing a safety data sheet  

Preparing and providing an SDS is compulsory where a material, substance or an article is a hazardous chemical. But the WHS Regulation doesn’t need an SDS to be prepared for any of the chemicals: 

  • chemicals in batteries when they are integrated in the plant 

  • oils, fuel or coolants in a container which is fitted to a vessel, vehicle, mobile plant, appliance or other devices, where the fuel, oils or coolants are intended for use in its operation 

  • fuel in the fuel container of a portable or domestic fuel burning appliance where the quantity of fuel does not exceed 25 liters or 25 kilograms 

  • hazardous chemicals in portable fire-fighting or medical equipment for use at a workplace  

  • hazardous chemicals that form part of the integrated refrigeration system or refrigerated freight containers  

When this policy and procedure will be applied to hazardous chemicals as defined, an SDS should be provided for any chemical, which can adversely impact the health or safety of people or the environment but has insufficient information to allow it to be correctly classified. The SDS must reflect what is currently known about the chemical. Where a mixture contains an ingredient, which meets the criteria for respiratory, as well as skin sensitization, reproductive toxicity, specific target organ toxicity, carcinogenicity, and mutagenicity, it is better to prepare an SDS for that mixture, even if the overall mixture is not a hazardous chemical according to the WHS Regulation.   

Other information on hazardous properties of a chemical not already captured within the SDS should be included, for instance, if the chemical has ototoxic properties.  

  1. Responsibilities  

Responsibilities of the Employer  

  • The employer should make sure that the SDS is prepared properly  

  • The employer can also change an SDS for a hazardous chemical only if either  

  1. the person is an importer or manufacturer; and changes the safety data sheet in a way which is consistent with the duties of the manufacturer or importer  

  1. the change is to attach a translation of the SDS, and properly states that the translation is not a part of the original SDS. 

Responsibilities of the Employee  

  1. The employees should be responsible to comply with the policy and procedure of the company  

  1. They should cooperate with the employer  

  1. The employees should attend the training programs organized by [YOUR COMPANY NAME].  

 

  1. Implementation and Review 

The successful implementation and establishment of this policy is the responsibility of all employees of [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. The company will monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Policy and Procedures in a certain interval. 

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