Chemical products play an important role in our everyday lives. These products include detergents, paints, adhesives, cement, polish, oils, bleach and white spirits, used by both professional users, e.g. plumbers, decorators, mechanics and consumers (including DIY). In order to ensure their safe use, it is important that the hazards and risks associated with these products are communicated clearly through the hazard label on the product and/or via the safety data sheet (SDS) accompanying the product.
Retailers sell chemical products, in-store or online, including in supermarkets, discount stores, building providers, hardware shops and motor factors, on websites and on-line marketplaces. Therefore, retailers play an important role in ensuring that the hazards and risks associated with these chemical products are communicated clearly to both consumers and professional users before concluding the sale in store or online. Certain high risk chemicals are banned from sale to the general public e.g. cancer causing chemicals and this applies regardless if being sold instore or online.
Selling hazardous chemicals to CONSUMERS in retail store or online.
- Selling in Retail Store: Ensure that all hazardous chemical products are labelled correctly as illustrated below before placing them on the shelves. – Ensure that all hazardous chemical products are packaged correctly, i.e. that corrosive chemicals are fitted with a child resistant fastening on the cap and that a tactile warning of danger is on the packaging. Ensure that products containing banned or restricted substances are not sold to general public.
- Selling Online: Ensure that the consumer is informed of the hazards of the product before concluding the sale online (not applicable to click and collect). – It is excluded as the ‘contract for sale’ is not concluded online exclusively and the customer has the opportunity to see the hazard information on the physical label (in-store) before concluding the sale.
Ensure that online advert includes relevant hazard information such as hazard pictogram(s), hazard statement(s) by either including a picture of the product hazard label with a zoom function or by including the relevant hazard information in the online product description. – Note that it is not acceptable to only provide a link to the SDS when selling to consumers online.
Selling hazardous chemicals to PROFESSIONAL USERS in retail store or online.
- Ensure that a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is provided to professional users/tradespersons e.g. to mechanics, builders or cleaners.
- Where the retail store has a trade counter or where the professional user has an account with the store, the SDS should be provided proactively by the retailer at first sale.
- When a new or updated SDS is made available within 12 months of first sale, the retailer must provide the professional user with that version.
- Where the store does not have a trade counter or the professional user does not have an account with the store, or the professional user buys it at the consumer counter, then the SDS should be provided reactively by the retailer when requested by the professional user.
- Ensure that the SDS is readily accessible in order to be provided electronically or on paper, as appropriate.
For Further Information visit our website www.hsa.ie/chemicals
