What is the Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

A Safety Data Sheet is a systematically formulated document with relevant information related to the hazards and safety precautions of a chemical substance, mixture, product, or material.
SDSs are critical since they provide protection to human health and the environment. They provide detailed data on physical, health, and environmental hazards; instructions for safe handling, storage, transport, first-aid, spill, and emergency procedures; and guidance for safe disposal.

Who has to generate or supply an SDS?

SDSs should be prepared and supplied by the manufacturer, importer, formulator/blender, or supplier placing a chemical or mixture on the market.

Employers who use hazardous products in the workplace are also obliged to maintain and make SDSs available to the workers.

What information is contained in an SDS?

A standard SDS, following the internationally accepted format of Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)-commonly consists of 16 sections:

1. Identification – product name, supplier, recommended uses, emergency contacts

2. Hazard identification (hazard classification, labels, warning information)

3. Composition / Information on ingredients (incl. dangerous components)

4. First-aid measures

5. Fire-fighting measures

6. Accidental release measures (spill/leak)

7. Instructions for handling and storage

8. Exposure controls/ personal protective equipment PPE recommendations

9. Physical and chemical properties: appearance, odor, solubility, pH, flash point, etc.

10. Information on stability and reactivity

11. Data on toxicological/health effects: routes of exposure; acute and chronic effects

12. Ecotoxicity / Environmental Effects: Bioaccumulation potential, biodegradability, etc.

13. Recommendations on disposal and waste treatment

14. Information on transportation (UN number, transportation hazards, precautions)

15. Regulatory information relevant to target market – for example, local chemical regulations and compliance

16. Other relevant information, such as: date of last revision; revision history

While SDSs follow the same GHS format and a total of 16 sections worldwide, there are some regional differences. For instance:

In the United States, SDSs must also meet the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, HazCom 29 CFR 1910.1200.

SDSs in the EU also follow the REACH Regulation Annex II and the CLP Regulation.

Under WHMIS 2015, in Canada, SDSs must be bilingual (English/French) depending on jurisdictional rules.

When is an SDS required?

SDS is required when a product, substance, or mixture, as the case may be, is classified under the applicable regulating legislation as a “hazardous product” and is intended for use, handling, or storage in a workplace. Consumer products not provided for industrial use are not strictly required to have an SDS, but if a product is repackaged, handled, imported, or utilized in a professional/work scenario, an SDS may still be obligatory.

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