PDFWAC 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
Inform current employees of exposure records
Provide access to exposure records
Transfer records when ceasing to do business
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.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. WSR 18-22-116, § 296-800-180, filed 11/6/18, effective 12/7/18; WSR 17-02-066, § 296-800-180, filed 1/3/17, effective 2/3/17; WSR 04-10-026, § 296-800-180, filed 4/27/04, effective 8/1/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040, and [49.17].050. WSR 01-23-060, § 296-800-180, filed 11/20/01, effective 12/1/01; WSR 01-11-038, § 296-800-180, filed 5/9/01, effective 9/1/01.]