SDS (Safety Data Sheet)
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a standardized 16-section document, required under GHS and OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, that a manufacturer or distributor must supply for a hazardous chemical — covering composition, hazards, handling, storage, and emergency response. Sections 1 through 11 and 16 are mandatory under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard; sections 12 through 15 (ecological, disposal, transport, and other regulatory information) fall outside OSHA's jurisdiction but are commonly included for GHS completeness and are required in other jurisdictions. It replaced the older, non-standardized Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) format.
The 16 sections, in order
- Identification (product, manufacturer, emergency contact); 2. Hazard(s) identification (GHS classification, signal word, pictograms); 3. Composition/information on ingredients; 4. First-aid measures; 5. Fire-fighting measures; 6. Accidental release measures; 7. Handling and storage; 8. Exposure controls/personal protection; 9. Physical and chemical properties; 10. Stability and reactivity; 11. Toxicological information; 12. Ecological information; 13. Disposal considerations; 14. Transport information; 15. Regulatory information; 16. Other information (revision date, disclaimers). The order is fixed — an SDS that reorganizes or omits a section number, rather than marking it "not applicable," isn't compliant with the format even when the content is technically present elsewhere.
Who has to provide one, and to whom
Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, manufacturers, importers, and distributors of hazardous chemicals must provide an SDS to downstream users — typically the business buyer, not the end consumer directly, though many retailers publish SDS PDFs on the product page anyway for compliance and buyer research. An SDS travels with the chemical through the supply chain: a distributor reselling a hazardous product is expected to pass along the current SDS it received from the manufacturer, not an outdated copy or one it authored itself.
SDS as a product-data object, not just a PDF
For catalog and PIM purposes, the SDS is usually managed as a linked digital asset tied to a SKU or a hazmat classification group rather than authored per product — many SKUs sharing the same formulation share one SDS. What belongs in structured product data is the metadata: whether an SDS is required at all, its current revision date, and a stable, resolvable link to the latest version, since an expired or superseded SDS linked from a live PDP is itself a compliance gap.
SDS vs. label vs. GHS
GHS is the classification standard; the SDS is the detailed 16-section document aimed at handlers, storage, and emergency responders; the label is the abbreviated version that ships on the container itself, carrying the pictogram, signal word, and key hazard/precautionary statements pulled from the same underlying classification. A product's PDP ideally surfaces both — the label-equivalent warning where a buyer is likely to see it, and a link to the full SDS for handling and storage detail.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an SDS and an MSDS?
They cover the same purpose — communicating chemical hazard and handling information — but MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) was the older, non-standardized US format that predated GHS adoption, with content and layout that varied by manufacturer. SDS is the current, GHS-aligned 16-section format that replaced it after OSHA's 2012 Hazard Communication Standard update.
Are all 16 SDS sections legally required?
Under OSHA, sections 1-11 and 16 are mandatory; sections 12-15 (ecological information, disposal, transport, other regulatory information) fall outside OSHA's jurisdiction, though most SDS authors include them anyway for GHS completeness and because other regulations or jurisdictions require them.
How often does an SDS need to be updated?
There's no fixed calendar requirement — an SDS must be revised whenever the manufacturer becomes aware of significant new hazard information, and the revision date in Section 16 is what buyers and safety teams check to confirm they have the current version.
Does every product need an SDS?
No — only substances and mixtures that meet GHS hazard classification criteria. A non-hazardous product doesn't require one, though some retailers request a letter of non-hazard in its place for their own compliance recordkeeping.