The usefulness of factual health and safety databanks is discussed in this paper. Four databanks have been selected for this study: HSDB (Hazardous Substances Data Bank), ECDIN (Environmental Chemicals Data Information Network), RTECS (Registry of the Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances) and CCRIS (Chemical Carcinogenesis Research Information). The quality of the information available in the databanks considered was examined for five different chemical compounds and the completeness of the information available was carried out by an analysis of carcinogenic and mutagenic data.