Must employers provide SDSs in the event of an emergency like an earthquake or fire?

The employer's obligation under the hazard communication standard (HCS) is to ensure that Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work areas. The HCS applies to any chemical which is known to be present in the workplace in such a manner that employees may be exposed under normal conditions of use or in a foreseeable emergency.

A foreseeable emergency includes, but would not be limited to, equipment failure, rupture of containers, or failure of control equipment which could result in an uncontrolled release. This does not include fires or other catastrophic events.

Laws such as the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act provide an infrastructure at the state and local levels to plan for chemical emergencies and catastrophic events such as earthquakes. These regulations may have provisions for employers to routinely provide copies of SDSs in advance of any emergency for reference should such an emergency occur.