“The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)), revised in 2012, requires that the chemical manufacturer, distributor, or importer provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) (formerly MSDSs or Material Safety Data Sheets) for each hazardous chemical to downstream users to communicate information on these hazards.” The link below is an OSHA publication that explains the 16 part form of an SDS and is an important training tool for users of these documents.
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3514.html
Employer Responsibilities
Employers must ensure that the SDSs are readily accessible to employees for all hazardous chemicals in their workplace. This may be done in many ways. For example, employers may keep the SDSs in a binder or on computers as long as the employees have immediate access to the information without leaving their work area when needed and a back-up is available for rapid access to the SDS in the case of a power outage or other emergency. Furthermore, employers may want to designate a person(s) responsible for obtaining and maintaining the SDSs. If the employer does not have an SDS, the employer or designated person(s) should contact the manufacturer to obtain one.
How does CFD facilitate the collection of information?
Our website includes a link to SDS forms for most products we sell and we are working on updating this information for all products that require them. The following is an example of the location on our website:
As you approach the requirement to create a Feed Safety Plan one of the things you will need to do is to identify and address ingredient hazards. Collecting Product tags and SDS may be a way to satisfy two requirements in one. This is something you could start in the coming months in preparation for creating the plan.