Safety Data Sheets as a Hazard Communication Tool: An Assessment of
Suitability and Readability
Dublin Core
Title
Safety Data Sheets as a Hazard Communication Tool: An Assessment of
Suitability and Readability
Suitability and Readability
Subject
Hazard communication
Literacy
Readability
Safety data sheets
Suitabilit
Literacy
Readability
Safety data sheets
Suitabilit
Description
Safety data sheets (SDSs) are hazard communication materials that accompany chemicals/
hazardous products in the workplace. Many SDSs contain dense, technical text, which places considerable comprehension demands on workers, especially those with lower literacy skills. The goal of this
study was to assess SDSs for readability, comprehensibility, and suitability (i.e., fit to the target audience).
Methods: The Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) tool assessed SDSs for suitability and readability.
We then amended the SAM tool to further assess SDSs for comprehensibility factors. Both the original
and amended SAM tool were used to score 45 randomly selected SDSs for content, literacy demand,
graphics, and layout/typography.
Results: SDSs performed poorly in terms of readability, suitability, and comprehensibility. The mean
readability scores were FlescheKincaid Grade Level (9.6), Gunning Fog index (11.0), ColemaneLiau index
(13.7), and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook index (10.7), all above the recommended reading level. The
original SAM graded SDSs as “not suitable” for suitability and readability. When the amended SAM was
used, the mean total SAM score increased, but the SDSs were still considered “not suitable” when adding
comprehensibility considerations. The amended SAM tool better identified content-related issues
specific to SDSs that make it difficult for a reader to understand the material.
Conclusions: In terms of readability, comprehensibility, and suitability, SDSs perform poorly in their
primary role as a hazard communication tool, therefore, putting workers at risk. The amended SAM tool
could be u
hazardous products in the workplace. Many SDSs contain dense, technical text, which places considerable comprehension demands on workers, especially those with lower literacy skills. The goal of this
study was to assess SDSs for readability, comprehensibility, and suitability (i.e., fit to the target audience).
Methods: The Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) tool assessed SDSs for suitability and readability.
We then amended the SAM tool to further assess SDSs for comprehensibility factors. Both the original
and amended SAM tool were used to score 45 randomly selected SDSs for content, literacy demand,
graphics, and layout/typography.
Results: SDSs performed poorly in terms of readability, suitability, and comprehensibility. The mean
readability scores were FlescheKincaid Grade Level (9.6), Gunning Fog index (11.0), ColemaneLiau index
(13.7), and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook index (10.7), all above the recommended reading level. The
original SAM graded SDSs as “not suitable” for suitability and readability. When the amended SAM was
used, the mean total SAM score increased, but the SDSs were still considered “not suitable” when adding
comprehensibility considerations. The amended SAM tool better identified content-related issues
specific to SDSs that make it difficult for a reader to understand the material.
Conclusions: In terms of readability, comprehensibility, and suitability, SDSs perform poorly in their
primary role as a hazard communication tool, therefore, putting workers at risk. The amended SAM tool
could be u
Creator
Kevin Ho*, Thomas Tenkate
Source
https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/287282/1-s2.0-S2093791124X00037/1-s2.0-S2093791124000064/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjED4aCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJIMEYCIQC0%2FVbVYQbwfORHwqlU5pG%2BkVgwZZt8Vr5FivVG7wUdaQIhANbxRflXlLFIx4sj1e9YMOH5RqwUNP7gFEWrhImeSmXvKrMFCAcQBRoMMDU5MDAzNTQ2ODY1Igzol0ZTKNcWPiSoYPkqkAW9EYg9Oi31umMzjQPg%2B5F0g%2F%2BHdqZv8HwuQOzwtC0ti29fxsb2f5%2B3RZS4Dw4IM7wWyiTG0dsRS7YMoiNAHceRul%2Bj1tMDT1TT10kZ1%2FRa9UhJS02XaAUrJGYnkAfDtBnf%2FtIDrD5nc7HYPO0wj1bFamTvZDXauiVWChs5vduWIT1U4EcijWBZ4cqt6%2BNOkYmy4pJCxR3JkIlUt0hCRG1mIjSXu1z89nVbCPSWtJz2ciO9SM2iRJoobNSd%2B34JpDN5AigG37oR6fyfgJBJc51XW%2FVWdw0el8aLdBu2jTyUSO02xHCEmWN0fSWOthjldaZsr9oVnHfPHoOcpKK4nFFB7HHYb0xtTjyEetOBh9l6YuBgHW%2BTTrYRyvB5%2F%2B6qqQPD3iNQDX8el9%2BQbGaWuZ7l%2FuhoRYtzOxFNbLo9vtrwSPYXeuTxMqtspPD6anU6UrZR%2FiXHv1AfxsIqKk5KKG9s7iK5f2XnVCgE24qkWkKXpEv0Y2JGPbl%2Bf%2F9BvnDz11iwH29d5Ol%2BxyxIZL%2BbFvS4wd8uC2LrpmjjBvTySi90N2ZQ%2Bbqxz8GnL5b8VxB3uyg8IFj6ddoFToeSd3umnMSunvZQzEyLnMcVsdblwTVg0Nb5Su3MIdhdFbUdWaH%2BdQgzI68nh6Y0jA5QLcD0IP2SDwPlJhp7%2Bo3IDWHR8l0I1n%2FJbdtEs7hPIXqIbh1XjaKndi2M57j7ZAAKA3vmwJVbACHiBcK8oODe8GpGIArmrHizxN38I1lFv31ogOq%2F7Oh1fRBuzlaxtSetcTHdpOq36K9YaRTaZX%2BxSTOEXTwX%2BUqZYcAxE1WvX3oi4THvjvj578OP2oQu19ZLg2%2Bdm2IdRh7fsqiwK3hT3VoBg94gsTC2oPrMBjqwAdGGyMUKnpHftZ7UMVEaFiIuvgjwkuFv1vyzy2PjEkU7gpa5Umr8R7GObIZGt4pIfCtbeIC%2B4q0vg1oDrBvjwDqzDqCIV9wec2hZmsiOI4eL7K42bhpT6Mt%2B4bWj%2FKBpA4Fmyyp3xVOm5hdxhmfIEpWTKGSrmqjhHjTUoeGJZELk8gygXWpNorPzb3MGMW%2Bp3Y%2B%2F3o5awq%2Fj%2B1k3aoavW9QSwGLwn39cz7PqyL1HdmBa&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20260225T071455Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTY5HCY5CBF%2F20260225%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=330f2f4b68c0274fe9b89c1665bb0d95a9553fb1ad1cf26f9e0da3f0dc464c01&hash=ac8bdfd45acd78230e53edd6df63bddd65ca22c2d8a04cb569300e5ddc1e3f28&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S2093791124000064&tid=spdf-929b8f5f-b010-4917-afc7-d8121afcdedf&sid=323f66de8e4980408c0be7b-7fe7e7fe55f2gxrqb&type=client&tsoh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&rh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&ua=0b015e065457575f59&rr=9d3568999ab1008f&cc=id
Publisher
School of Occupational and Public Health, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada
Date
3 February 2024
Contributor
FAJAR BAGUS W
Format
PDF
Language
ENGLISH
Type
TEXT
Files
Citation
Kevin Ho*, Thomas Tenkate, “Safety Data Sheets as a Hazard Communication Tool: An Assessment of
Suitability and Readability,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 11, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/11708.
Suitability and Readability,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 11, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/11708.