Checking, Generating, and Revising Safety Data Sheets using Globally Harmonized System Standards

Abstract

Chemical manufacturers, importers, or distributors produce a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every chemical they use based on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals(GHS). SDS is essential to adequately deliver information about the hazards of the particular chemical during its usage and handling. Authoring GHS-compliant SDS is very costly. Furthermore, revisions in GHS add, delete or modify the contents of an SDS. A pre-existing SDS therefore also needs to be adapted to changes in the GHS. Automation in the generation and checking of SDS per GHS would results in substantial savings in cost and effort.Additionally, if the SDS pre-exists, we ensure that all requisite label elements as per GHS are present in SDS, including precautionary statements, hazard statements, signal words, and pictograms. Our approach uses a versioned graph database, and image processing to generate, check, and keep an SDS compliant with the GHS. We demonstrate our approach with a pre-existing SDS of a chemical called DOWANOL™PM High Purity Grade, complying with GHS versions 7 and 8.