Safety data sheets – how useful are they in managing acute non-workplace poisoning?

Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are prepared to assist risk assessment and management of chemical safety in workplaces and during transport. Poisons Information Centres (PICs) use them when other product information is unavailable or for additional information. No study has assessed the limitations of SDSs for PIC work in Australia. We created a survey in Microsoft (MS) Forms, sharing with Australian PIC specialists in poisons information (SPI) and medical toxicologists. Participants assessed poisoning risk and provided advice for 2 cases using an SDS. We chose SDSs with varying composition detail. Respondents rated the usefulness of SDS sections in case management. We included questions on preparation and regulation of SDSs and participant demographics. Fifty-six of 156 recipients (36%) completed the survey, representing each Australian state. We undertook quantitative and qualitative analysis of survey responses. In case 1 and case 2, 41% and 39% of respondents reported the SDS contained sufficient information for risk assessment, respectively. Respondents rated SDS sections containing information on ingredients, first-aid, physical and chemical properties and toxicological information as very useful. In case 1, 27% respondents managed the case conservatively while 54% advised investigations. In case 2, 39% of respondents excluded the product as cause of symptoms, despite no composition detail. Furthermore, 55% of respondents didn’t know regulatory requirements for SDSs, while another 27% showed incorrect understanding. Respondents found most information in SDSs not useful in these cases. Respondents' advice varied significantly, probably because SDS information was limited and of a general nature. Respondents were largely unaware of regulatory requirements which impact SDS reliability, possibly resulting in unwarranted reliance on SDS information. Better understanding of SDS limitations, through education, and utilisation of information sources such as the National Poisons Register (NPR) database in Australia could improve confidence in advice provided.