Interactive Learning Paradigms, Incorporated


The Home page of ILPI's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Resource, the leader in SDS information since 1995!
The history and philosophy behind this resource.
A curated collection of books and reference materials concerning Safety Data Sheets and closely related topics.
Paste your plain text SDS into the SDS-Demystifier, and it will be converted into a hypertext-enriched document with links to detailed explanations of each key term.
An extensive list of frequently asked questions about Safety Data Sheets including regulations, content, compliance, and more.
A humorous take on Safety Data Sheet jargon. Fill in the blanks on our entry form to generate a personalized Unsafety Data Sheet to share with your coworkers.
Since 1995, we've maintained this massive curated list of the best places to find Safety Data Sheets on the Internet.
You are here! Way more than a glossary, this hypertext-enhanced resource covers hundreds of SDS-related terms and expert knowledge. Each entry includes both the SDS relevance and links to additional authoritative resources.
Archived results of Safety Data Sheet related polls taken by some of our millions of site visitors
The OSHA regulations behind SDS regulations, including the inspection guidelines and over 400 official interpretations letters under the Hazard Communication Standard
Commercial suppliers of SDS authoring and management software as well as cloud compliance services.
Commercial companies that will create SDS's for your specific needs as well as SDS translation companies.

Safety signs, banners, and scoreboards? Get yours at Safety Emporium!


Dermatitis

First Aid wall sign

We have all kinds of safety wall signs at Safety Emporium.

Definition

Dermatitis is an inflammation of the dermis and epidermis (the skin). Symptoms include a rash, blisters, sores, lesions, itching or cracked skin. The term eczema is also used for this condition.

Do not confuse this term with dermatosis, which is a much broader term for skin disease.

Additional Info

Dermatitis is often broken into subcategories:

  1. Contact dermatitis - irritation that arises from direct contact with a material. This can be an immune response (such as an allergic reaction to latex) or a direct toxic effect.

  2. Atopic dermatitis - is often found in the face, elbow and knee flexures of infants; symptoms tend to disappear with age.

Books Available

SDS Relevance

Dermatitis typically appears as a symptom of exposure or potential hazard in Section 11 (toxicological information) of a material's Safety Data Sheet

Failure to use proper skin protection (gloves, aprons etc.) can result in irritation or even poisoning by absorption of the material through the skin (see dermal toxicity). Even substances you might think that are rather harmless, such as sawdust, can dry and irritate your skin. Always use properly selected gloves (see the UCSD link in Further Reading, below) and appropriate protective clothing when working with hazardous materials. Section 8 (exposure controls/personal protection) of the SDS should provide proper guidance.

4-place acrylic glove dispenser
Encourage your workers to wear their gloves with stylish safety dispensers from Safety Emporium.

Further Reading

See also: dermal, dermal toxicity, dermatosis, erythema, urticaria.

Additional definitions from Google and OneLook.