I carry approx 1000 product lines in my salon! the data sheets could never be memorised!

I don't think they expect you to memorize them all!
It's just you need to know where they are kept should there be an accident. It will contain effective responses to any accidents.
They are designed to make people aware of safe handling practices and any known hazards associated with all the products you use

Riiight, and search through all the sheets to find the product info while the ambulance comes!! I have all the info in my salon, I do think it is a particulrly stupid system.
However whatever the H&S lady says, we do with good grace and manners. It doesn't stop me thinking that it's a pointless waste of trees tho!

Well its quite a good system, you get a sheet of paper which tells a medic exactly what chemical has been used and they can treat the patient accordingly without having to wonder whats been used & how to treat...

It also informs us of how to use the chemical safely...

Dont forget there are far more hazardous chemicals out there in the workplace than some that we use, its for everybody...

Hope you never need to use them, but if you should you may be glad that you had it xx

ok, so as a mobile therapist i need to supply an MSDS for each product i use-which i get from suppliers, i also need to supply COSHH info too? Is that correct? I'd assume if im doing mobile treatments i should keep these with me then?
Thanks for bringing this up, i hadnt yet occured to me.

Hi Kayley,

You need to have a MSDS for every product/chemical that you use. If you use something like acetone from two different manufacturers, then you have to have the MSDS from each of them. If you have products that come in different colours (gel, nail polish, airbrush paint, etc) then you, may (depending on the manufacturer), have to have a separate MSDS for each colour.

COSHH is a written risk assessment you have to do for any hazardous or dangerous products that you use, or you produce (dust etc). Read the MSDS to check for potential hazards. You can also check your products packaging for a CHIP (those little orange boxes with a symbol and 'Flammable', 'Irritant', 'Toxic' etc) to help you decide if you need to do a COSHH. The reason for the COSHH is to show that you know what your doing with the product, how you're storing it, what to do in case of emergency and how to deal with spillages, disposal etc...

If you've written a COSHH yon need to keep it with its relevant MSDS and carry all of it with you as you'll need it should an accident arise.

I hope that makes sense There's, also, plenty about it on the internet and it's worth checking out the HSE website

Regards
jes

Is an MSDS sheet necessary for all products used in the salon, skin care aromatherapy etc?

Yep, you should have one for everything including even less obvious things like washing up liquid, hand soap, furniture polish etc etc.

It does sound daunting, but once your on top of it and you stick to the same manufacturers and products then it's easy. The other side effect is that it encourages good housekeeping as some of those chemicals you've been hanging onto, without really needing them, can be disposed of

A very good place for this type of info is Habia.org. The Nail Services Code of Practice is also very useful and this is available as a free download from Habia

Unfortunately for the professional industry mobile workers are under the radar! Dreadful situation but I do believe every therapist and technician should follow the same rules as for salons.

I believe the rules for all the Risk Assessments, Accident Book, H&S Statement, first aider etc etc are for those salons with 5 or more employees but all salons should follow these rules. They will certainly come in very useful if anyone has the unfortunate experience of being sued by a client. It would demonstrate that the technician has taken every precaution.

Remember that on top of anything you do and keep in the salon the manufacturer will have a PIp (Product Information pack). This will go into a lot greater detail than the MSDS, having batches produced, formulation, frame formulation type etc in fact the MSDS is just part of the PIp. It would be more likely that a medical practitioner would require some of the information in PIp if the MSDS was not enough.

We supply the MSDS on request but we are also available out of hours in an emergency if specific information from the PIp is required.

What if the supplier or distributor does not suppy you with these MSDS sheets, or are they obliged to do so? Is it actually law that you have them?

Fanella, I can't really comment on others but if you are getting a product from a regional distributor or supplier rather than the manufacturer or national supplier/distributor then they may not have the MSDS themselves.

I am sure if you contact the manufacturer on the side of the jar then they would be able to help you.

OK thanks Jo, it is just that I have requested them and been told that they are not necessary and therefore the national distributor doesn't have them. It is all very confusing isn't it!!!

I don't want to find out the hard way that I should have had them

Hi Fanella, it's your responsibility to request MSDS from your supplier and in turn the suppliers responsibility to request them from the manufacturers. However you can often get them straight from the manufacturer if you wish. The idea is you ask for a MSDS whenever you buy a new product

We don't know what products your using, but they've got to be made of something and therefore should have an MSDS?

They ARE necessary and your distributor are obliged to provide them when requested with their own details on