The Chain of Safety: How Stakeholders Collaborate to Manage Chemical Risk

In today’s fast-paced manufacturing environments, chemical safety is more than a compliance requirement—it’s a collaborative effort that protects workers, preserves productivity, and builds a culture of care. From line operators to facility owners, every stakeholder plays a role in identifying, managing, and mitigating chemical risks. At General Manufacturing, this chain of safety is strengthened by smart tools and proactive communication—especially with the support of the J. J. Keller® Chemical Management Service, which streamlines SDS access, labeling, and inventory tracking across the facility.

Line operators at General Manufacturing start with a pre-shift safety briefing. Today’s topic: The importance of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling chemicals. Safety manager Liam reminds operators where to find safety data sheets (SDSs) and which section of the SDS explains what PPE is needed.

On Liam’s to-do list: Update the company’s SDS library. With the J.J. Keller Chemical Management Service, he uses the Chemical Product Inventory he created for each work area to quickly see whether each listed chemical has a corresponding SDS on file. There’s one catch: Although the company ordered a chemical they’ve used before, supply shortages caused them to agree to try an alternative. Is there an SDS? Liam makes a note to check with the operations manager during his walkthrough.

Liam walks through each work area to verify whether any new chemicals are present that require an SDS. Although it’s the chemical manufacturer, importer, or distributor’s responsibility to provide employers with an SDS with the initial shipment and when an SDS is updated, he knows sometimes things slip through the cracks when people get busy and it’s important to see for himself. It’s also easy to overlook chemicals that aren’t “contained,” like gasoline fumes. 

Liam checks labeling on secondary containers and is thankful the Chemical Management Service allows him to print compliant labels based on the SDSs in his library. He looks in cabinets and other storage areas and checks the products he sees against the Chemical Product Inventory on his tablet. The operations manager is in a meeting, so Liam will catch him later and ask about the SDS for the new chemical; as a backup, he’ll request the Chemical Management Service locate and acquire the SDS.

After working with a new chemical, Bea notices that her eyes feel dry and irritated, and that she has a headache. The container label doesn’t provide enough detailed information on the health hazards, so she scans a QR code to access the SDS binder for her work area. However, she can’t find the SDS for the chemical. She informs her supervisor, who escorts Bea to the company clinic for evaluation and contacts about Liam the missing SDS.

Facility owner Priya has heard about Bea’s symptoms and is curious: Is this an isolated incident? Regardless, it’s time to revisit training! She adds chemical safety training to her agenda for the upcoming management check-in and messages Liam to see if he's located the missing SDS.

Priya meets with facility managers and learns the SDS has been uploaded to the library. Liam explains that the alternative chemical has different hazards than the one they typically use. Priya requests training for operators using the new chemical. “We can’t let people use it until they’ve been trained on its hazards and how to protect themselves.”

At General Manufacturing, chemical safety isn’t a one-time training or a checklist—it’s a shared responsibility that unfolds throughout the day, across roles, and through every decision involving hazardous substances. By fostering open communication, staying vigilant about chemical changes, and ensuring timely access to accurate safety data, the team creates a safer workplace for everyone. With the J. J. Keller® Chemical Management Service, they gain peace of mind knowing their SDS library is current, their labels are compliant, and their employees are empowered with the information they need—when and where they need it.