Who ever told you that you "are required to have the (M)SDS for each of the chemicals in our laboratory on hand" left our one important word. Hazardous.

To quote OSHA "Employers must ensure that the SDSs are readily accessible to employees for all hazardous chemicals in their workplace."

My curiosity will not allow me to wait until April first, when it might be more excusable, to ask this question.

There is a chemical which can be found in almost every laboratory.  Most laboratories even have it piped in.  There are (M)SDSs for this material and yet, while I am told that we are required to have the (M)SDS for each of the chemicals in our laboratory on hand,  I don’t believe that many laboratories keep a copy of the (M)SDS for this substance in print.  I refer, of course, to water.

OK, I hear you saying “Of course no one has the (M)SDS for water on hand.  It’s water.”  And I agree: I mean it’s in the safety showers, we wash our hands with it before leaving the lab.  But it’s a chemical.  I can understand why I would make an exception for it, but does OSHA? 

Can anyone tell me why safety documentation is not required for water?  Or is it?  Or is it, but no one makes a fuss about it?

Thank you very much,

Ben

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