How old can a safety data sheet (SDS) be?
The law sets no maximum age for a safety data sheet (SDS). It must be current: the supplier must update it as soon as there is new information on the hazards or the control measures, and since 1 January 2023 every SDS a supplier provides must follow the new format.
Read the answerIs a chemical register mandatory?
Yes. EU law requires every employer to establish which hazardous substances are present and to assess their risks. In the Netherlands the Arbobesluit adds that an overview of those substances, with a reference to each SDS, is attached to the risk assessment (RI&E). That overview is the chemical register.
Read the answerIs a workplace instruction card mandatory?
No, not as a document. The law does require that everyone who works with hazardous substances gets proper information and training on the hazards, the measures and what to do in an incident. The workplace instruction card is the usual way to bring that information to the workplace, per product.
Read the answerDo I need a risk assessment for every hazardous substance?
Yes. EU law requires every employer to assess the risks of every hazardous substance workers can be exposed to, even if they do not work with it themselves. The depth may differ: a well-founded estimate is often enough, and a measurement is only needed when that estimate does not suffice.
Read the answerWhat should I do when the supplier sends a new SDS version?
Compare the new version with the old and check which documents depend on it: the register, the risk assessment, the workplace instruction card and the label. A new version does not always mean new work, but the law expects you to review the assessment when the changes call for it.
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