How to Address the Digital Transformation of the Safety Data Sheet Management Process

Having a single repository where to receive, store, and manage the SDSs of the entire company makes it possible to keep track of these documents normally scattered among various company departments and allows them to be updated efficiently on an ongoing basis. It often happens that SDSs are held in various offices that keep copies without sharing them with other business functions. This leads to the generation of unnecessary duplicates, prevents the proper circulation of information and the efficient distribution of updates. Some companies that have undertaken the process of digitalization of SDSs have seen the number of documents decrease by as much as a third after the assessment project and subsequent cleaning.

Centralizing the SDS repository also facilitates information sharing among different departments and business teams. All authorized users can access the latest versions of SDSs quickly and conveniently, ensuring a consistent and up-to-date flow of information.

Automation of processes reduces operational costs, enabling better allocation of human resources. This allows them to focus on higher-level activities such as data analysis, preventive measure planning, and staff training.

The company can more effectively monitor and assess potential hazards, making informed decisions for the safety of personnel and the environment and implementing appropriate preventive measures.

A digital SDS management system facilitates monitoring and enforcement of current regulations. The ability to maintain traceability and history of actions taken enables companies to demonstrate compliance during inspections and audits. For example, the archive of obsolete SDSs or discontinued products to be maintained for at least 10 years can validate the presence of certain information in the company during a particular period, demonstrating actions taken over time.

Efficient control of hazardous chemicals in the company enables it to respond adequately to stakeholder requests regarding risk management and compliance with industry and/or private protocols.

All operational personnel can immediately search for and retrieve the information needed to address a hazardous situation, enabling a timely and effective response. SDSs contain safety information and instructions for hazardous chemicals that should be consulted immediately in the event of an accident.

More efficient management of hazardous chemicals makes it easier to adopt safer and more sustainable alternatives, contributing to overall corporate responsibility. It also enables verifiability and measurability of progress.

Select a scalable and modular technical solution that fits the company's needs and resources

Break down the process of digitalization into steps: focusing on one step at a time helps avoid overload and better manage available resources

Collaborate with vendors who offer technical support, training and consulting

To facilitate the overall success of the project, the solution provider must be able to work closely with the relevant IT staff

Demonstrating the value of digitalization to decision makers, clearly highlighting risks and benefits, can help obtain the necessary financial support

because the information contained in SDSs is useful to many business functions, it is critical to identify the department responsible for the project

in some contexts it is preferable for top management to sponsor the project

Establish a structured system to receive and record SDSs in an organized manner.

The process of receiving SDSs is crucial to the whole project at digitalization and is unfortunately often ungoverned and unstructured.

It is very important not to underestimate this first step that initiates the entire SDS journey in the company.

Develop an extraction and indexing process to homogenize the data contained in SDSs and make them easily accessible and searchable, ensuring the correct classification of chemicals and associated hazards.

The extraction and digitalization of the data contained in SDSs should be approached with specialized automated tools as, if done manually, it has many disadvantages such as:

relevant work time

resources devoted to repetitive and unskilled work

difficulty in reading the contents of SDSs, which have different formats depending on the manufacturer

Lack of uniformity in data compilation by different operators

possibility of transcription errors

difficulty in continuously updating data

Collect SDSs in a single, up-to-date and controlled system to ensure that SDSs can be accessed and consulted by all relevant personnel.

Searching for documents and information contained in the centralized repository must be simple and clear for each figure involved, without over-information, but always in compliance with regulations. For example, for some business figures, the distribution of a simplified SDS can be considered.

Once the main processes are organized, one can move on to implement a workflow for the processes of validation, approval, and distribution of SDSs, with steps that can involve both internal and external roles within the company.

It is essential that theSDS repository be accessible according to an efficient and structured authorization system that allows for the necessary security of information, but at the same time is able to make SDS available to all workers, as mandated by the regulations.

The digitalization of data contained in SDSs can make it possible to automate a system of continuous comparison of hazardous chemicals in the company with reference MRSL (Manufacturing Restricted Substances List) lists.

To be able to do this, it is essential that the chosen solution includes management of public, private and/or industry MRSLs of interest to the company, cross-referencing them with data in the SDS archive.