Manufacturers of hazardous chemicals are required by law to include safety data sheets (also known as safety data sheets, or SDS) with every product they sell or ship. These safety data sheets provide information about the physical and chemical properties of the product— from toxicity levels to storage instructions and flash point temperature.
Unfortunately, creating these safety data sheets can be a laborious task, especially when they are manually produced. SDS software was developed to streamline this time-intensive task and help businesses meet all of the legal documentation requirements when selling and shipping chemical products.
SDS programs are electronic management systems that allow businesses to store, edit, and organize all of their safety data sheets using one convenient platform. It’s important to consider that one company can have hundreds of safety data sheets, making it difficult to arrange and distribute these sheets by hand. An SDS management software also comes with a range of useful features, like container tracking, smartphone and tablet integration, and compliance checks, all within the program itself.
EHS Insight has created an integrated solution allowing users to efficiently manage their library of Safety Data Sheets. With this, we provide a Community Library of SDSs that can be quickly added to their internal SDS libraries. Finding specific SDS documents and keeping them up to date is a time-consuming process. Our solution makes it simple for customers by handling both of those tasks for them.
We have also developed a workflow allowing employees who obtain new products or materials to request new documents to be added to the library – streamlining the communication process between the field users and delegated SDS Coordinators.
Companies choose to implement safety data sheet software for a number of reasons. Typically, the decision is spurred on by a need for a more efficient, precise, and dependable method of managing paperwork. Let’s take a look at some of the most compelling benefits of SDS programs.
Time Gain
As mentioned above, manually sorting, organizing, and distributing safety data sheets is a full-time job in itself. Not to mention that over time documents are often misplaced or become outdated, making it even more difficult to maintain an up-to-date, accurate library. With an electronic SDS library, however, employees and business owners can locate documents in seconds with a simple computer search, and editing documents becomes a breeze. In the end, this saves the company a ton of cash by cutting down on the number of time workers spend managing their safety data sheet inventory.
Risk Reduction
Human error is inevitable, but when you are in the business of producing and supplying hazardous chemicals, even human error must be avoided at all costs. With the help of SDS software, businesses can enjoy an added layer of protection, knowing that their computer program will scan and analyze their safety data sheets to ensure they comply with regulatory standards. Some SDS management programs will even notify users when a safety data sheet is out of date, or when a chemical in the database has expired. These valuable features reduce the likelihood of crucial steps being overlooked by employees, providing priceless peace of mind.
Environmentally Friendly
Implementing an SDS program allows a business to send electronic safety data sheets, reducing the amount of ink, paper, and other materials that go to waste when hard copy sheets are used. Additionally, SDS software makes it easier to keep track of harmful chemicals, with most programs sending notifications when extremely toxic substances enter a facility. This keeps employees aware of where all dangerous shipments are at all times, reducing the likelihood of a spill or workplace accident— which can be dangerous for both staff members and the environment.
Scalability
Most safety data sheet software solutions can store and process thousands and thousands of documents. This means that business owners do not need to worry about relocating their files or finding physical storage solutions for multiple boxes of hard copy sheets. With the flexibility that SDS software provides, business owners can dedicate their time and financial budgets to other priorities.
Request a free trial to see how EHS Insight can help manage your SDS database more efficiently.