Train Your Cleaning Staff to Read Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
There is an extraordinarily wide array of cleaning chemicals available in the cleaning industry. Our cleaners' caddies and aprons consist of a collection of cleaning chemicals in the form of liquids, foams, soaps, powders, and gels. They are used to clean all types of surfaces, remove different types of stains, deodorize, sanitize, disinfect and polish to keep our customers' homes not only spotless but sanitary.
Since many of these cleaners are used in our everyday cleaning regiments in the workplace, cleaning technicians can sometimes become complacent and overlook the dangers that these chemicals can pose on their health and also the wellness of the customer and their home environment. As business owners, it is our responsibility to make sure all employees that may come into contact with chemicals are aware of the possible health hazards associated with each. Some chemicals may cause watery eyes or itchy skin, while others can cause severe burns, and can be attributed to long terms effects like respiratory disease and even cancer.
It is important that your cleaning staff can read and understand Safety Data Sheets
The SDS (Safety Data Sheet), formally known as the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), is a form with specific chemical instructions to communicate the hazards of hazardous chemical products, published in a single format that is universal. The previous MSDS was available in several formats, so the chemical information most needed by users, had no particular location. The SDS was created to fulfill the need for a more effective and consistently formatted data sheet.
Note: OSHA does not require that safety data sheets be provided to purchasers of household consumer products when the products are used in the workplace in the same manner that a consumer would use them and where the duration and frequency of use is not greater than what the typical consumer would experience.
However, we feel this is a rare circumstance since the products are being used in several homes each day, which is a much more frequent use than a normal consumer. It should be all cleaning business owners' objective to make sure all of their cleaning staff are trained to recognize, read, and understand all SDS sheets and identify all the 16 sections of the SDS and the information contained in each, regardless of the frequency of use or hazardous threat.
SDS training may be accomplished in many different ways. You must decide what is appropriate for your business. Additional training sessions should be required periodically and any new SDS sheets reviewed when new hazardous chemicals are introduced into the work area.
SDS training sessions can be informative and effective if you plan in advance
By planning out lessons in advance, you'll be able to develop handouts highlighting important information from the SDS sheets that you want your cleaning staff to be aware of. It is also helpful to group the chemicals into categories such as disinfectants, all-purpose cleaners, and window cleaners. This will help to cut down the amount of time spent on training. Each of these groups can then be discussed as a whole, which makes it easier for employees to remember. Be sure to make special note of any additional information you want to include on specific chemicals within each category.
Make sure to include copies of each SDS sheet, so your cleaning staff can familiarize themselves with them. This will allow for a quicker response should a crisis arise or emergency happen at the worksite. It is also useful to have corresponding labeled containers, so everyone knows exactly which chemical you're talking about. A glossary of terms is also very helpful, since there is a lot of material for your employees to digest and remember.
There are some ways you can help your cleaning staff absorb their training on SDS sheets:
- Review a sample SDS sheet by having employees look up terms in a glossary and discuss the meanings of words they are unsure about.
- Before discussing individual chemicals, review the format of the SDS sheets; each section of the sheet contains specific information that your employees need to know how to find quickly.
- Discuss the ramifications of suggested exposure lengths throughout the workday, as well as workplace procedures.
- Ensure that employees can properly identify the hazardous chemicals in your workplace by having actual examples or actual labels.
- Go over in great detail the safety and emergency procedures specific to each of the most dangerous chemicals, as well as general rules for safe handling and clean-up of other types of chemicals.
- Be sure to mention any special precautions necessary for flammable materials, and proper disposable procedures for all the chemicals your employees come in contact with.
It is crucial that your cleaning staff understands why SDS sheets are so important
The SDS contains vital health and safety information on all the chemicals used in your workplace. Simply giving the SDS sheets to your cleaning staff is not enough; it is your responsibility to make sure everyone can interpret all the sections of the SDS, the product information, hazard identification, first aid and accidental release measures, safe handling and storage of the chemical, and so on. You want to instill the importance of chemical safety and how it is a priority in your company. Proper training and easy access to SDS sheets for your cleaning staff could make a big difference in the outcome should there be an accident at the workplace involving chemicals.
SDS training materials that you may find helpful:
Sections of a Safety Data Sheet
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Are You Training Your Employees On Safety Procedures? The Safety Training Program for Residential Cleaners is OSHA and GHS Compliant, and it meets CIMS Certification Requirements OSHA and GHS Compliant Safety Training for Cleaning Companies is available as a downloadable PDF document. |
