What to check before trialling an imported chemical
Obtain an SDS matching the sample, batch identity, process conditions, exposure information and evidence of material compatibility. Agree controls, emergency arrangements and stop conditions before use. HSE says an SDS is not a risk assessment. Cambridge China Bridge can gather factory information for your site assessor.
Use the SDS as an input to your assessment
HSE guidance says an SDS is not a risk assessment: use its information to help make your own assessment. A COSHH assessment addresses hazardous substances in your workplace. A supplier's description cannot establish whether your charging, heating, mixing or cleaning task is adequately controlled.
Ask for a current SDS matching the exact product and formulation, with its revision date and a supplier contact for technical questions. Reconcile the product name across the sample label, specification and batch documents. Our chemical sourcing guide covers purchasing documents; this guide focuses on use at your site.
Describe each task and possible exposure
Prepare a task sheet covering receipt, opening, weighing, transfer, mixing, heating, sampling, cleaning and waste handling. Record the amount used, concentration, temperature, pressure, duration, frequency and whether handling is open or enclosed. Identify operators and nearby people, including maintenance staff and contractors.
For each task, ask what could become airborne, splash, contact skin or contaminate hands. Request information about dustiness, volatility, mist formation and substances produced by heating or reaction. Give your assessor the actual ventilation arrangement and working position. Ask whether exposure monitoring is needed to resolve uncertainty; do not treat absence of visible fumes as proof of safe exposure.
Check compatibility under your conditions
Send the supplier your intended dilution, mixing order, operating conditions and other ingredients. Ask about incompatible substances, heat release, gas generation, decomposition and unsuitable storage conditions. Request supporting data and identify conditions the supplier has not evaluated. A claim that the chemical is suitable for an industry leaves these questions unanswered.
Check compatibility with vessel linings, seals, hoses, pumps, filters and cleaning agents. Ask equipment suppliers for evidence relevant to your concentration and temperature, including corrosion, swelling and leakage risks. Keep process performance and material compatibility separate from worker exposure. Agree a controlled test plan with someone able to assess the chemistry before attempting an uncertain combination.
Agree controls before opening the sample
Ask your assessor to consider avoiding the substance or using a safer alternative, then reducing release through process changes, enclosure, closed transfer and suitable extraction. Establish what demonstrates that the chosen controls work for the trial. Specify protective clothing, glove material and any respiratory protection from the task conditions rather than copying a generic supplier recommendation.
Prepare instructions for handling, storage, cleaning, spills, first aid and waste collection. Confirm access to suitable emergency equipment and arrange training in the agreed method. Define stop conditions such as unexpected heating, gas release, leakage or failure of extraction. Keep fire, explosion and pressure hazards in the trial review alongside the health exposure assessment.
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Release the trial and record what changes
Use a written release checklist naming the person accepting the assessment, unresolved questions, permitted operating conditions and stop conditions. Hold the trial if identity, compatibility or controls remain uncertain. Record the batch, observations, deviations and control checks so that the next decision uses evidence from the actual task.
Treat increased scale, altered equipment or a changed formulation as a fresh review point before further use. Keep import-role questions in the UK REACH guide and document suitability in the factory SDS guide. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can follow up factory questions; your site team decides whether the proposed trial conditions are acceptable.
Frequently asked questions
Does an SDS replace a COSHH assessment?
No. HSE says an SDS is not a risk assessment. Use it to inform your own assessment of the chemical, the task, possible exposure and controls at your workplace.
What should I ask a chemical supplier before a trial?
Ask for an SDS matching the sample, batch identity, composition information, handling advice and compatibility data for your process. Send your conditions and ask the supplier to identify gaps in its evidence.
Can I trial a chemical using the PPE listed in its SDS?
Do not approve the trial on that basis alone. Have your assessor check release and exposure during the actual task, select controls and confirm that protective equipment suits the chemical and working conditions.
When should I stop an imported chemical trial?
Agree stop conditions before starting. Unexpected heating, gas release, leakage, control failure or behaviour outside the agreed conditions should trigger a stop and review before restarting.