Any company which utilizes truck wash soaps, asphalt release agents, industrial degreasers, pressure washer detergents or any other chemical should be familiar with SDS (Safety Data Sheets). If a dangerous exposure to any chemical occurs, prompt medical attention becomes a necessity. But what good is prompt medical attention if the attending physician is not absolutely sure what the chemical exposure consists of?
Not all companies using chemicals truly understand the importance of carrying SDS in an absolutely safe, protected, easily accessible place. This includes company vehicles carrying chemicals while traveling to a job site. Carrying these S.D.S. sheets is mandatory when working with and transporting chemicals. If the department of transportation stops you for a traffic infraction or routine inspection and SDS sheets cannot be produced, your vehicle can be impounded and substantial fines can be levied. In an emergency situation any delay in supplying the health care provider with this information could be the difference between a routine treatment and serious complications, even death.
Keeping all your SDS sheets in one binder and in plastic sheet protectors to protect them and insure they stay legible and readily accessible at all times is not only recommended but also required. Be sure to train all your employees in the procedures to be followed in the event of an accidental exposure.
When one contemplates the risks of today’s business climate you quickly realize why working safe is working smart in more ways than one. Accidents are never foreseen or expected but are always around the corner. Your only strategy is to conduct proper and adequate training to minimize the risk of one occurring and implementing safety procedures to reduce the damage when it does.
