Compliance of Safety Data Sheets: Room for Improvement
Safety Data Sheets: Inspection Results and Compliance Challenges
An EU-wide project by ECHA’s Enforcement Forum revealed that 35% of the inspected safety data sheets (SDS) were non-compliant. While progress has been made compared to previous projects, more effort is required to improve the quality of information and protect workers, professional users, and the environment from hazardous chemicals.
Key Findings in 2024
Over 2,500 SDS were inspected in 28 EU-EEA countries to assess compliance with the 2023 requirements.
- Non-Compliance Rate: 35% of inspected SDS were either incomplete or not provided.
- Supply Chain Efficiency: 96% of SDS were delivered to recipients when required.
- New Requirements: Information on nanoforms and endocrine-disrupting properties was missing in 67% and 48% of cases, respectively.
- Authorization Details: 16% of SDS lacked required information related to authorization decisions.
Data Quality Issues Quality deficiencies were identified in 27% of inspected SDS. Common problems included incorrect hazard identification, composition details, and exposure control measures. Moreover, 18% of SDS lacked required exposure scenarios.
Enforcement Actions To address non-compliance, inspectors issued written advice, administrative orders, fines, and in some cases, criminal complaints.
Notable Improvements According to Abdulqadir Suleiman, chair of the Enforcement Forum’s working group, compliance improvements were driven by REACH’s harmonized requirements, industry efforts, enforcement focus, and stakeholder dialogues.
Why Are SDS Important? SDS provide essential information about the properties, risks, and safe handling of chemicals. They play a crucial role in workplace chemical risk assessments and protecting workers’ health and safety.