The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published the results of an EU-wide enforcement project concerning the quality of safety data sheets. This revealed that more than one third (35 percent) of the documents are non-compliant, as highlighted by DEKRA chemicals experts. Due to the increasingly stringent requirements, DEKRA recommends that safety data sheets are produced by expert staff only.
Non-compliance related especially to information about the hazardous nature of ingredients and protection measures. The inspection authorities were critical especially of the following aspects in section 8 (exposure controls/personal protection):
- Incorrect or inadequate information about protective clothing
- Inadequate information about protective gloves (material, thickness, breakthrough time)
- Missing or inadequate information about protective masks
- Missing information about emission control measures
In respect of section 3 (composition), common issues were missing parameters (ATEs, SCLs and M-factors), the incorrect classification of ingredients and the failure to include substances requiring classification.
DEKRA’s experts draw attention to the fact that safety data sheets are the core element of hazard communication in the supply chain for technical chemical products. The requirements for safety data sheets and hazard labels are becoming increasingly stringent. For this reason, DEKRA recommends applying the corresponding expertise and diligence in compiling this important information. For more than 35 years, DEKRA has been preparing safety data sheets for its customers in all industry sectors.
