WAC 296-800-180. Safety data sheets (SDSs) as exposure records

Important: Exposure records contain information about employees' exposure to toxic substances or harmful physical agents. Safety data sheets (SDSs) are one type of exposure record. The preservation of and access to exposure records is necessary to improve detection, treatment, and prevention of occupational diseases.

This rule supplements the chemical hazard communication rule by extending access to SDSs, or their alternative, after employment and after the hazardous chemical is no longer used in the workplace.

Your responsibility:

You must preserve and provide access to safety data sheets (SDSs) or their alternative as exposure records.

You must meet the requirements … in this section: Preserve exposure records for at least thirty years WAC 296-800-18005 Inform current employees of exposure records WAC 296-800-18010 Provide access to exposure records WAC 296-800-18015 Transfer records when ceasing to do business WAC 296-800-18020

You must meet the requirements …

in this section:

Preserve exposure records for at least thirty years

WAC 296-800-18005

Inform current employees of exposure records

WAC 296-800-18010

Provide access to exposure records

WAC 296-800-18015

Transfer records when ceasing to do business

WAC 296-800-18020

Note:

• Employee medical and exposure records, chapter 296-802 WAC, requires the preservation and access to other exposure records including records such as workplace monitoring data and biological monitoring results and medical records. If you keep these other types of employee exposure records or employee medical records, you must comply with these additional requirements.

• This rule applies to every employer who maintains, makes, contracts for, or has access to SDSs for chemicals used in their workplace.

• The specific identity of a toxic substance may be withheld from a disclosable record if it is a verifiable trade secret. For trade secret requirements see WAC 296-901-14018 Trade secrets.