If you've ever worked in a hospital, a school, or a corporate office, you've probably seen those giant jugs of clear goo. Purell is everywhere. It’s the gold standard of keeping our hands from becoming petri dishes. But honestly, most people treat it like water. They slather it on, rub their hands together, and go about their day without a second thought. That is, until someone gets some in their eye or a kid decides it looks like a tasty snack. That’s when the frantic Google search begins. You’re looking for the safety data sheet Purell hand sanitizer manufacturers—specifically GOJO Industries—put out to keep us from panicking.
Understanding an SDS isn't just for OSHA inspectors or safety officers with clipboards. It’s for anyone who handles chemicals. And make no mistake, even though it smells like a clean doctor's office, hand sanitizer is a chemical. A highly flammable one, too.
What’s Actually Inside That Bottle?
The main thing you’ll find when you crack open the safety data sheet Purell hand sanitizer uses is ethanol. We’re talking about Ethyl Alcohol. Usually, it’s sitting right around 70%. That’s the "active" part that actually murders the germs. But the SDS doesn't just stop there. It lists the "inactive" stuff too. Water, isopropyl alcohol (sometimes), glycerin, and those carbomer thickeners that give it that snot-like consistency we all know.
Why does this matter? Because of the CAS numbers. A CAS number is like a social security number for chemicals. For ethanol, it’s 64-17-5. If you’re ever in a real emergency, giving a first responder that number is way more helpful than just saying "he drank some Purell." It cuts through the noise.
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It's also worth noting that Purell isn't just one product. GOJO makes a dozen variations. There’s the Advanced Green Certified stuff, the Surface Sanitizer (which you definitely shouldn't put on your skin), and the versions with "aloe" or "fragrance." Each one has a slightly different SDS. If you’re looking at the safety data sheet Purell hand sanitizer for the "Advanced" formula, the flash point is going to be different than the surface spray.
The Fire Hazard Nobody Takes Seriously
Let’s talk about the flash point. This is the temperature where the liquid gives off enough vapor to ignite. For most Purell hand sanitizers, that temperature is roughly 25°C or 77°F.
That’s basically room temperature.
This is why the SDS lists it as a Category 2 Flammable Liquid. If you’ve got a massive pallet of this stuff in a warehouse, you’re basically sitting on a liquid bonfire. In a home setting, it’s less of a worry, but you still shouldn't store it next to your stove or a space heater. I’ve seen videos of people trying to use hand sanitizer to start a campfire. It works. Too well. The flame is often blue and nearly invisible in daylight, which is terrifying. You think the fire is out, but it’s still eating through the carpet.
The SDS specifically warns against static discharge. Ever walked across a rug, touched a doorknob, and felt a zap? If you’d just spilled a bunch of sanitizer on your hands and that zap happened near the wet vapor, you could theoretically have a very bad Friday.
What Happens When Things Go Wrong?
Section 4 of the SDS is the "First Aid" section. This is the part people actually read when they’re stressed.
- Eyes: It burns. Obviously. The SDS tells you to rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. If you’re wearing contacts, take them out. Don’t wait.
- Skin: Usually fine, but if you have a weird rash, stop using it. Some people are genuinely allergic to the fragrances or the tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E) added to the mix.
- Inhalation: If you huff enough of this in a tiny, unventilated closet, you’re going to get dizzy. Move to fresh air.
- Ingestion: This is the big one. Purell is denatured, meaning they add stuff to make it taste like literal garbage so people don't drink it for the alcohol content. But kids don't know that. If someone swallows a significant amount, the SDS says to rinse the mouth and not induce vomiting unless a doctor tells you to.
Environmental Impact and Spills
If you drop a small 2-ounce bottle, just wipe it up with a paper towel. But if a 55-gallon drum leaks? That’s a different story. The safety data sheet Purell hand sanitizer guidelines state that it shouldn't be allowed to reach waterways. It’s not "toxic" in the way mercury is, but dumping a massive amount of ethanol into a small pond is going to wreck the local ecosystem for a minute.
For big spills, you need non-sparking tools. No metal shovels scraping on concrete. One spark and the whole spill becomes a lake of fire. You use absorbent stuff—sand, earth, or "vermiculite"—and you bag it up as hazardous waste.
Storage and Handling Realities
You can't just throw 500 gallons of Purell in a basement and call it a day. OSHA and the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) have thoughts on this.
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You’ve got to keep the containers tightly closed. Ethanol evaporates. If you leave the lid off, not only does the sanitizer become less effective as the alcohol vanishes, but you’re also filling the room with flammable fumes. The SDS specifically mentions keeping it in a "cool, well-ventilated place."
Most people ignore the "Store locked up" part of Section 7, but in a school or daycare setting, that’s actually a legal requirement in many jurisdictions. You don't want the toddlers having a foam party with the high-potency sanitizer.
The Nuance of "Medical Grade"
There is a lot of misinformation about what makes Purell "safe" compared to the sketchy brands that popped up in 2020. During the height of the pandemic, the FDA had to recall hundreds of sanitizers because they contained methanol (wood alcohol), which is literally poisonous and can cause blindness through skin absorption.
Purell didn't have that problem.
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When you look at the safety data sheet Purell hand sanitizer provides, you’ll see they use high-purity USP-grade ethanol. They aren't cutting corners with industrial-grade fuel ethanol. This is why the SDS feels a bit "boring"—it’s a clean product. There are no carcinogens listed under the IARC, NTP, or OSHA sections. It’s not going to give you cancer, but it will dry your skin out like a desert if you overdo it.
How to Read the HMIS Ratings
On most SDS documents for GOJO products, you’ll see the HMIS (Hazardous Materials Identification System) bar.
- Health: 2 (Moderate)
- Flammability: 3 (Serious)
- Physical Hazard: 0 (Minimal)
A flammability of 3 is the headline here. It means the liquid can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions. For comparison, gasoline is a 3 or 4. You’re essentially rubbing a slightly less explosive version of fuel on your hands. Treat it with that level of respect.
Practical Next Steps for Safety Compliance
If you are responsible for a workplace, don't just bookmark a PDF. Print the safety data sheet Purell hand sanitizer uses and put it in your "Right to Know" binder.
Check your storage areas today. If you have boxes of sanitizer stacked near an electrical panel or a water heater, move them. Make sure your staff knows that if they get it in their eyes, they need to flush for at least 15 minutes—not just a quick splash.
Lastly, check the expiration dates. While the SDS doesn't change much as the product ages, the effectiveness does. Once the alcohol content drops below 60% due to evaporation or degradation, you’re just rubbing scented gel on your hands, and the germs are winning. Stay safe, keep the SDS handy, and keep the cap tight.