A safety data sheet, or SDS, is the standard document that sets out a chemical's hazards and how to handle, store, transport and dispose of it safely. Whoever supplies a hazardous chemical must give one to the customer, and the importer is usually responsible for an SDS that meets local law.
You may still see the older name, material safety data sheet or MSDS. The format has largely moved to the 16-section SDS under the UN Globally Harmonized System, known as GHS.
What it is for
The SDS is written for people who handle the product: warehouse staff, plant operators, emergency services and transport companies. It tells them what the hazards are, what protective equipment to wear, how to fight a fire, how to clean up a spill and how to transport the product.
It is also a compliance document. Customs brokers, freight forwarders and shipping lines ask for it before they accept chemical cargo. Your customers will ask for it before they let the product on site. The full layout is covered in the 16 sections of an SDS.
Who must provide it
The rule in most markets is the same: the supplier who places a hazardous chemical on the market must give an SDS to the recipient. In practice this creates a chain.
- The Indian manufacturer writes an SDS for the product. Indian rules on hazardous chemicals also expect one for listed substances.
- In the EU, REACH makes the supplier responsible for an SDS in the format of its Annex II and in the official language of the country of supply. When you import, that supplier is usually you.
- In the US, OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard places the duty on manufacturers and importers.
- Other markets, such as the UK, Australia and the Gulf states, have their own versions based on GHS.
So the SDS from India is a starting point, not the finished document. You or a consultant may need to adapt it to your market's format, classification and language. Confirm the exact duty with your national chemicals regulator.
What to check on the supplier's SDS
- The product name and company match the COA and invoice.
- The revision date is recent and the format follows the GHS 16 sections.
- The classification and hazard statements are consistent with the substance and its concentration.
- Section 14 gives a UN number and transport class, or clearly states the product is not regulated for transport.
- There is a working emergency telephone number.
An SDS that says not hazardous for a product you know is corrosive or flammable is a serious warning sign. It can lead to undeclared dangerous goods, which is a legal and safety problem for everyone in the chain.
Keeping the SDS current
An SDS is a living document. It must be revised when new hazard information appears, when the classification rules change, or when the product formulation changes. Ask your supplier to send updated versions automatically and to tell you what changed. Keep a dated record of each version you receive and each version you pass to your customers. In many markets you must also supply the SDS again to customers after a significant revision. A regulator checking your records will expect to see that trail.
Next step
We check SDS documents against the product and the COA before anything ships. Book a free sourcing review to see how we handle the document set.