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3 The Durable Management of Chemicals in the Food Industry …
The SDS is a multi-page document developed by manufacturers. It provides information on possible health dangers when using a chemical, how to protect yourself,
and what to do in the event of an accident. It is an essential document for the prevention of chemical risk. The SDS is provided free-of-charge on paper or in electronic
form. It is accessible at all stages, from the manufacture of the product to its disposal: manufacturing, distribution, transport, intermediate storage, use, and disposal.
In most cases, it is provided on a mandatory basis, and in some cases, it will only be
on request.
It should be noted that SDS must provide much more useful information on health,
safety, and the environment than the label, which is primarily visual information.
Complementary to labeling, the SDS is a valuable source of information for the
evaluation of chemical risks and the various actors of prevention. SDS (European
Commission 2013; SSTI 2013):
1. Recalls the effects on health (with pictograms and risk phrases of the labeling),
allowing to know how the product is dangerous (carcinogenic effect? allergenic
effect? health damage by inhalation or skin contact?)
2. Provides information on immediate prevention means and measures (ventilation?
respiratory mask type? dilution? type of gloves such as nitrile or neoprene?)
In addition, SDS provides information on:
(1) The physical state of the product (very volatile liquid? powder? dough?…)
(2) The composition of the product.
Moreover, in the European ambit, SDS must (Anonymous 2012; European
Commission 2013; ILO 1993; OSHA 2016; UN 2019):
(1) Be mandatorily transmitted with ‘persistent, bioaccumulative, and environmentally toxic’) (PBT) and ‘very persistent, very bioaccumulable’ (vPvB)
substances or preparations containing such substances
(2) Be provided free-of-charge in the official languages of the European Union
(EU) Member States in which the substance or preparation is placed on the EU
market
(3) Be updated if new data on hazards or information that may affect risk management measures become available, if an authorization is granted or refused, or if
a restriction has been put in place
(4) Contain in particular the following data:
(4.1) Identification of the substance/preparation and of the company
(4.2) Hazards identification
(4.3) Composition information concerning the components
(4.4) First aid to be carried in case of emergency
(4.5) Fire-fighting measures, including even the prevention of explosions and
fires
(4.6) Accidental release measures
(4.7) Precautions for use, handling, and storage
(4.8) Exposure controls/personal protection
3 The Durable Management of Chemicals in the Food Industry …
The SDS is a multi-page document developed by manufacturers. It provides information on possible health dangers when using a chemical, how to protect yourself,
and what to do in the event of an accident. It is an essential document for the prevention of chemical risk. The SDS is provided free-of-charge on paper or in electronic
form. It is accessible at all stages, from the manufacture of the product to its disposal: manufacturing, distribution, transport, intermediate storage, use, and disposal.
In most cases, it is provided on a mandatory basis, and in some cases, it will only be
on request.
It should be noted that SDS must provide much more useful information on health,
safety, and the environment than the label, which is primarily visual information.
Complementary to labeling, the SDS is a valuable source of information for the
evaluation of chemical risks and the various actors of prevention. SDS (European
Commission 2013; SSTI 2013):
1. Recalls the effects on health (with pictograms and risk phrases of the labeling),
allowing to know how the product is dangerous (carcinogenic effect? allergenic
effect? health damage by inhalation or skin contact?)
2. Provides information on immediate prevention means and measures (ventilation?
respiratory mask type? dilution? type of gloves such as nitrile or neoprene?)
In addition, SDS provides information on:
(1) The physical state of the product (very volatile liquid? powder? dough?…)
(2) The composition of the product.
Moreover, in the European ambit, SDS must (Anonymous 2012; European
Commission 2013; ILO 1993; OSHA 2016; UN 2019):
(1) Be mandatorily transmitted with ‘persistent, bioaccumulative, and environmentally toxic’) (PBT) and ‘very persistent, very bioaccumulable’ (vPvB)
substances or preparations containing such substances
(2) Be provided free-of-charge in the official languages of the European Union
(EU) Member States in which the substance or preparation is placed on the EU
market
(3) Be updated if new data on hazards or information that may affect risk management measures become available, if an authorization is granted or refused, or if
a restriction has been put in place
(4) Contain in particular the following data:
(4.1) Identification of the substance/preparation and of the company
(4.2) Hazards identification
(4.3) Composition information concerning the components
(4.4) First aid to be carried in case of emergency
(4.5) Fire-fighting measures, including even the prevention of explosions and
fires
(4.6) Accidental release measures
(4.7) Precautions for use, handling, and storage
(4.8) Exposure controls/personal protection