I am in the process of deciding whether to recommend that my college pay to subscribe to an (M)SDS service (ChemWatch) or download and store my own repository of (M)SDS pdf's.  I'd be grateful for your thoughts about the proper way to manage access to (M)SDS by employers.

• Do we have to have paper copies storied in a physical shelf location, or is a site license to ChemWatch OK.  Can I simply maintain an easily accessible link to a folder of downloaded pdf's on our server?
• If I have a bottle of sodium hydroxide from Fisher and a downloaded (M)SDS for NaOH from Aldrich, does that meet the OSHA requirement?
• Are others using ChemWatch, and is it a good system (worth the money)?
• Are there other considerations I should be aware of as I weigh the $2000 yearly fee against the tedium of maintaining the system myself?

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

Kyle Strode