Safety Data Sheets
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that SDSs are available to employees who work with potentially harmful substances. A SDS summarizes information about the material, including chemical components, hazard identification, first aid, spill, and fire fighting procedures, incompatibilities, safe handling and storage requirements, and disposal guidelines.
Workers should review an SDS prior to working with a chemical. SDSs should also be readily available for quick response to spills, medical emergencies, and other situations involving the chemical. SDS should be kept as hard copies in the work areas. Digital copies are acceptable if there is a computer station in the work areas, to which all chemical users have access.
Safety Data Sheets are available online from most manufacturers. The following are links to the SDS websites of common manufacturers of laboratory chemicals: