What is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?

An SDS is a standardised, 16-section document that tells anyone who handles a chemical what the hazards are and how to work with it safely. It is required by law in most jurisdictions, including OSHA HazCom 2012 in the United States and the CLP/REACH framework in the European Union.

Why the SDS exists

Before the UN Globally Harmonized System (GHS), every country used its own format. A drum of acetone shipped from Germany to Texas arrived with three different data sheets and no shared vocabulary. The SDS format fixes that: same 16 sections, same order, same pictograms, whether the sheet was written in Osaka or Ohio.

The 16 SDS sections

Identification of the substance and supplier
Hazards identification (GHS classification, pictograms, signal word)
Composition / information on ingredients
First-aid measures
Fire-fighting measures
Accidental release measures
Handling and storage
Exposure controls / personal protection (PPE, PEL, TLV)
Physical and chemical properties
Stability and reactivity
Toxicological information
Ecological information (non-mandatory in US, mandatory in EU)
Disposal considerations (non-mandatory in US)
Transport information (UN number, class, packing group)
Regulatory information (non-mandatory in US)
Other information (revision date, abbreviations)

A deep-dive on each section lives at /sds-sections-16.

Who must provide one

The producer, importer or distributor of any classified chemical must give the customer an SDS free of charge, in the local language, at or before first delivery, and must send an updated version whenever the classification changes.

Who must keep one

Every employer whose staff can be exposed to the chemical must keep the SDS accessible during every shift. Paper binder, intranet, QR code on the drum: format is up to you, but access must be immediate.

Reading an SDS in 60 seconds

Section 2: look at the pictograms and signal word. Danger + flame = flammable, act accordingly.
Section 4: know the first-aid response before you open the container.
Section 7 and 8: storage rules and PPE. Do you have the right gloves?
Section 10: what must never touch this substance.

FAQ

What is a Safety Data Sheet?

A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a standardised 16-section document that describes the hazards of a chemical product and the precautions needed to handle, store, transport and dispose of it safely.

Who has to provide an SDS?

Manufacturers, importers and distributors of hazardous chemicals must provide an SDS free of charge to downstream users, in the local language, at or before first delivery.

What is the difference between an SDS and an MSDS?

MSDS is the older, pre-2012 format. Since the UN GHS harmonisation, all new sheets follow the 16-section SDS format required by OSHA HazCom 2012 in the US and CLP/REACH in the EU.

How often must an SDS be updated?

The supplier must revise the SDS without delay when new hazard, classification or precautionary information becomes available, and archive prior versions for at least 10 years.

Where should SDSs be kept in the workplace?

Employees must have direct access during every work shift, either on paper in the work area or through a computer terminal, never behind a locked office.