What You Need to Know: 3 Products Excluded from SDS

1. Food

Perhaps the easiest product to understand and excluded from SDS requirements is food. While it's easy to assume that any and all products designated for human consumption would be exempt from such regulations, it's not always so clear. However, in terms of employee exposure and risk, food is naturally unregulated under SDS. That being said, your employee's safety when handling or touching food should still be your highest priority, and taking extra steps to ensure everything is properly sanitized and cleaned is vital in guaranteeing their safety.

2. Consumer Products

Something that might surprise commercial cleaning business owners is that, in most cases, products designed for consumer use are similarly exempt from SDS. While this doesn't mean that consumer products are necessarily safer for employees to handle than chemical ones, it does mean that their manufacturer isn't required to list out potential dangers in an SDS. If you have concerns about a consumer-grade product, check the manufacturer's label, which should list all ingredients and any potential hazards associated with them.

3. Pesticides

One of the most hazardous cleaning chemicals that businesses come into contact with regularly is pesticides. Contrary to what some might believe, though, these chemicals aren't regulated by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) as they're regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Still, employees should be aware of the risks associated with using these types of chemicals and be adequately trained and equipped with the necessary safety gear.

Conclusion:

For any commercial cleaning business owner, manager, or cleaner, it's crucial to understand the standards around handling and using hazardous chemicals. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are a critical tool to ensure employees know what chemicals they're using and what possible hazards may be associated with them. However, it's important to remember that certain products, such as food and consumer-grade products, are exempt from SDS regulations, while pesticides are regulated by the EPA. Continue to prioritize your team's safety and wellbeing by being knowledgeable about the products you're handling and ensuring everyone is properly trained on their safe handling and storage.