One of the fundamental reasons that corporations are required to maintain SDS’s is so employees are better able to make educated decisions after an incident such as a spill or an injury. Similarly, facilities that maintain and utilize standard operating procedures (SOP’s) are better prepared to cope with spills in the workplace.
The primary factors effected by a spill are workplace safety and environmental impact. The most common workplace safety concerns include:
1. Employee exposure to liquids
2. Slip and fall accidents
3. Disposition of materials post cleanup
4. The presence of silica or nuisance dust related to respiratory or eye health
The most common environmental concerns include:
1. Hazards of spilled liquids to surrounding area
2. Liquids reaching water drains or waterways
3. Post cleanup oxicological characteristics
4. Safe disposal of the waste
Ensuring that both SDS’s and SOP’s are updated allows employees to accurately determine which protective equipment is necessary to safely handle the spill, and how to clean up waste after the spill. While preventative measures such as SDS’s and SOP’s may seem tedious, the reliable emergency information that they provide is invaluable.
