Chemical Safety

in the hazardous chemical inventory your company must

chemical safetyin the hazardous chemical inventory your company must, in the hazardous chemical inventory your employer must, employees must be trained on the hazard communication program whenever

What “In the Hazardous Chemical Inventory Your Company Must” Really Means

If your workplace uses, stores, or ships chemicals, in the hazardous chemical inventory your company must maintain an accurate, up-to-date list of hazardous chemicals. This is not just a best practice—it ties directly to OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom), 29 CFR 1910.1200, which requires employers to identify hazardous chemicals in the workplace and ensure employees can access hazard information.

A chemical inventory is the backbone of your hazard communication program. It connects your labeling, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), training, and day-to-day controls (PPE, storage, segregation) into a system employees can rely on.

Important: An incomplete inventory often leads to missing SDSs, inconsistent labels, and training gaps—all common triggers for OSHA citations.

OSHA Requirements That Drive Chemical Inventory Expectations

OSHA’s HazCom standard doesn’t give a single “inventory form,” but it sets clear obligations that effectively require an inventory. Under 29 CFR 1910.1200(e), employers must develop, implement, and maintain a written hazard communication program that includes, among other elements, a list of hazardous chemicals known to be present. That list is your hazardous chemical inventory.

Other HazCom requirements rely on this list being accurate:

  • SDS availability (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)): If a hazardous chemical is present, the corresponding SDS must be readily accessible to employees.
  • Labeling (29 CFR 1910.1200(f)): Containers must be labeled appropriately; you can’t label what you haven’t identified.
  • Employee information and training (29 CFR 1910.1200(h)): Training must address the hazards of chemicals employees may be exposed to, which assumes you know what those chemicals are.

In practical terms, in the hazardous chemical inventory your employer must list all hazardous chemicals present in the workplace—and be able to show that inventory aligns with SDS access, labeling, and training.

What Your Hazardous Chemical Inventory Must Include

A strong inventory is more than a product list. In the hazardous chemical inventory your company must include enough information to manage risk, verify SDS coverage, and support audits.

Minimum data elements to capture

At a minimum, most employers track:

  • Product name (as shown on the container label)
  • Manufacturer/supplier
  • Chemical location(s) (building, room, process line, vehicle, etc.)
  • SDS revision date (to confirm current versions)
  • Quantity on hand (or typical maximum)

Recommended fields for stronger chemical safety

To reduce incidents and improve compliance, also include:

  • GHS hazard classification (where practical)
  • Container type/size and storage conditions
  • Secondary container use (spray bottles, day-use containers)
  • Expiration dates (especially for peroxides, reactive resins, certain cleaners)
  • Process/task association (where used and by whom)
  • Notes on incompatible storage/segregation requirements

SwiftSDS supports this approach by combining a centralized SDS library with chemical inventory management, allowing you to track locations, quantities, and expiration dates while keeping SDSs accessible in one secure platform.

How to Build (and Maintain) a Compliant Inventory

An inventory is not “set and forget.” Chemicals move, products change, and suppliers update SDSs. Treat inventory management as a living process.

Step-by-step inventory process

  1. Walk the facility: Check all storage areas, production floors, maintenance shops, labs, janitorial closets, and mobile units.
  2. Document every hazardous product: Capture the label name and supplier info exactly as shown.
  3. Match each product to an SDS: Confirm you have an SDS for each item and that it’s current.
  4. Verify container labeling: Ensure shipped and workplace containers meet HazCom requirements.
  5. Assign locations and owners: Identify responsible persons by department/area.
  6. Set review triggers: Update inventory when new products are introduced, processes change, or chemicals are relocated.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Listing only “bulk” chemicals and forgetting maintenance, cleaning, and contractor supplies
  • Storing SDSs in a binder that employees can’t access when needed (off-hours, remote areas)
  • Failing to remove discontinued chemicals from the list (creates confusion during emergencies)
  • Not tracking where chemicals are used, making training too generic

With SwiftSDS, you can reduce these issues by keeping SDSs and inventory linked, searchable, and accessible from any device—critical for fast response during spills or exposures.

Training: “Employees Must Be Trained on the Hazard Communication Program Whenever…”

Under 29 CFR 1910.1200(h), employees must receive effective information and training about hazardous chemicals at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new chemical hazard is introduced into their work area.

This is why the keyword phrase matters: employees must be trained on the hazard communication program whenever changes occur that affect their exposure or understanding of chemical hazards. Inventory changes are a key driver.

Training moments triggered by inventory changes

  • A new product is added (even if it’s “similar” to an existing chemical)
  • A chemical is moved to a different area or used in a new task
  • A reformulated product arrives with a new SDS revision and updated hazards
  • New labels/pictograms appear due to GHS classification changes

What training should connect back to

  • Where and how to access SDSs (including mobile access)
  • Label elements and pictograms
  • Protective measures: engineering controls, work practices, PPE
  • Emergency procedures for spills, exposures, and fires

An up-to-date inventory makes training specific and credible. SwiftSDS helps by ensuring workers can instantly pull the correct SDS and hazard details on-site, supporting both routine work and emergency response.

GHS Alignment and Label/SDS Consistency

HazCom is aligned with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for hazard classification and labeling. If your inventory has outdated names, mismatched suppliers, or old SDS revisions, you can end up with:

  • Labels that don’t match SDS hazard statements
  • Confusion over pictograms or signal words
  • Incorrect PPE or storage requirements

A centralized SDS platform like SwiftSDS helps maintain version control, so your inventory aligns with current SDS content and GHS elements.

Audit Readiness: What OSHA (or Your Customer) May Ask For

During an inspection or customer audit, you may be asked to demonstrate:

  • Your written hazard communication program (29 CFR 1910.1200(e))
  • The hazardous chemical list/inventory
  • Evidence SDSs are readily accessible (29 CFR 1910.1200(g))
  • Training documentation and how training is triggered when hazards change (29 CFR 1910.1200(h))

A well-managed inventory speeds up these requests and reduces the risk of inconsistencies. SwiftSDS supports audit readiness with a centralized library and inventory records tied to chemical locations, helping you quickly show what’s on-site and where supporting SDSs are stored.

Making Inventory Management Practical with SwiftSDS

Managing chemicals across multiple departments and sites is challenging—especially when SDSs are scattered, old versions circulate, or employees can’t find documents during a spill. SwiftSDS addresses these common SDS management challenges by providing:

  • Centralized SDS Library for controlled access to current SDSs
  • Tools to support OSHA HazCom compliance (29 CFR 1910.1200)
  • GHS support for classification and labeling alignment
  • Chemical inventory management to track locations, quantities, and expirations
  • Mobile access so workers can retrieve SDS information instantly

When your inventory and SDS library are connected, your hazard communication program becomes easier to maintain—and easier for employees to use.

Next Steps: Strengthen Your Chemical Safety Program

Chemical safety improves when your inventory is accurate, your SDSs are accessible, and training keeps pace with change. In the hazardous chemical inventory your company must build a system that supports real-world work, not just paperwork.

If you can’t confidently answer “What hazardous chemicals are in this area right now, and where are the SDSs?” your inventory program needs attention.

Ready to simplify SDS management and strengthen OSHA alignment? Explore SwiftSDS to centralize your SDS library, manage your chemical inventory, and give employees fast mobile access to the information they need.