Who must maintain MSDSs received with incoming shipments of hazardous chemicals?

Who must maintain MSDSs received with incoming shipments of hazardous chemicals?

• A. Employees
• B. Employers
• C. Suppliers
• D. Environmental agencies

Answer: (B)

Fulfilling chemical safety obligations sits with the employer. The employer is responsible for keeping an up-to-date SDS for every hazardous chemical present or received, and for ensuring those sheets are readily accessible to employees during their work the same day they might be exposed to the chemical. When a shipment arrives, the SDS that comes with the product becomes part of the workplace’s safety records, and the employer must add it to the central file or digital system and verify its currency. Employees can view the SDS, but the responsibility to maintain and organize the collection rests with the employer. Suppliers provide the SDS with the shipment, but they don’t maintain the organization of the workplace’s SDS library. Environmental agencies don’t manage a company’s SDS records.

Fulfilling chemical safety obligations sits with the employer. The employer is responsible for keeping an up-to-date SDS for every hazardous chemical present or received, and for ensuring those sheets are readily accessible to employees during their work the same day they might be exposed to the chemical. When a shipment arrives, the SDS that comes with the product becomes part of the workplace’s safety records, and the employer must add it to the central file or digital system and verify its currency. Employees can view the SDS, but the responsibility to maintain and organize the collection rests with the employer. Suppliers provide the SDS with the shipment, but they don’t maintain the organization of the workplace’s SDS library. Environmental agencies don’t manage a company’s SDS records.