Construction sites are dangerous. We all know that. It’s why we don’t wander into large-scale commercial work sites to look when we feel curious. We know that on those sites, you need proper training, safety equipment and protocols to keep everyone safe. Even with these many precautions in place for protection, the construction industry is still a very high-risk field. In 2019, 1 in 5 workplace fatalities occurred on a construction site.
Even though we know construction sites are inherently dangerous, many people are lax about following the rules for smaller-scale construction sites, like a small-scale renovation in a local business. Smaller construction sites are less strictly monitored or controlled, so it’s easy for business owners to skirt rules or neglect safety protocols. Unfortunately, when that happens, it can be costly for business owners in the event of an accident or injury.
As a post-construction cleaning company, we’ve seen a lot of renovation job sites. One area of safety protection we’ve often seen neglected is ready access to Safety Data Sheets or SDS sheets. OSHA mandates SDS sheets in the workplace to protect workers. These sheets contain important safety and handling instructions for materials and products, including chemical products. An SDS sheet includes 12 sections:
- An identification section that outlines the name of the product, the manufacturing details, and recommended use.
- A hazards section that outlines the hazard classification, including pictograph symbols, precautionary statements, and toxicity levels.
- A chemical breakdown of the composition and ingredients in the product.
- A first aid section with necessary instructions in the event of an injury.
- A fire fighting section with instructions on flammability and extinguishing measures.
- An accidental release section outlining what to do in the event of a spill or product release, including clean-up and containment procedures.
- A storage and handling section outlining practices for safe handling and ongoing storage.
- A personal protection section outlining necessary PPE requirements, exposure limits, and engineering controls for safe handling.
- A physical and chemical properties section outlining the properties of the substance or product, including color, odor, pH, flash point, and more.
As you can see from this list, an SDS sheet is a comprehensive document that outlines a great deal to help keep employees safe on the job site. As a post-construction cleaning team, we utilize SDS sheets for all our equipment and cleaning products for our employee’s protection. But when our team comes to clean your job site, we need to know what materials are present in the event of an accident or incident. For our safety and the safety of your construction crew, employees, and business patrons, ensure your SDS sheets are updated regularly and easy to access for our team.
SDS sheets are vital for workplace safety, especially on the construction site. If you are considering a renovation in your business, make sure you have these tools in place and work with your contractor to ensure they are fully compliant with OSHA’s safety regulations. As a post-construction cleaning crew, we feel a lot safer when we enter a completed job site knowing that safety tools are in place to help protect us from an accident or injury. SDS sheets are vital for safety on a job site.
