If an employee discovers a chemical that he or she does not recognize, what detailed right to know source will help the employee to determine whether it is a hazardous chemical?

• A. Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
• B. Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
• C. Chemical Label
• D. Emergency Response Guidebook

Answer: (A)

When you need to determine whether an unfamiliar chemical is hazardous, you turn to the detailed hazard information document provided by the employer—the Material Safety Data Sheet. The MSDS lays out what the chemical is, what hazards it poses, symptoms of exposure, first-aid measures, safe handling and storage instructions, PPE recommendations, exposure limits, and emergency procedures. This level of detail is what helps you assess risk and take proper precautions.

In many workplaces this document is now called the Safety Data Sheet, but the information it contains is the same. The other options don’t give the full hazard picture: a chemical label on a container has only basic warnings, and the Emergency Response Guidebook is meant for use by first responders during an incident rather than everyday hazard identification by employees.