Finding Safety Data Sheets (2024)

FAQs

How do I find safety data sheets? ›

Hazardous chemical manufacturers and importers make SDS. You can get an SDS from: the manufacturer's website. the manufacturer, supplier or importer, if you ask for one.

Any MSDS would be accessible via the INTERNET simply by typing the address from the label. The postings could be at any address such as the manufacturer's home page or the site of someone providing this service.

If you cannot locate the manufacturer specific SDS, you can contact HSE to assist you in obtaining the information.

All suppliers of products that contain chemicals are required by law to provide Safety Data Sheets to their customers. Some suppliers will publish their SDS (MSDS) on their website where you can download them.

The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)), revised in 2012, requires that the chemical manufacturer, distributor, or importer provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) (formerly MSDSs or Material Safety Data Sheets) for each hazardous chemical to downstream users to communicate information on these hazards.

By law (see REACH , Chemical classification) suppliers of chemicals must provide an up to date safety data sheet if a substance is dangerous for supply.

Steps to writing an SDS

Collect as much data as possible pertaining to the physical and chemical properties and toxicity data for chemical. All potential health hazards must be determined, not just those identified by OSHA. Analyze existing data to determine the physical and health hazards.

Employers are required by law to provide workers with access to SDSs. UC San Diego facilities where hazardous materials are handled are also required by law to either retain hard copies of SDSs provided by manufacturers or teach all personnel how to obtain SDSs electronically.

Who keeps the Safety Data Sheets and where are they kept? ›

The owner or manager of the workplace keeps them. If needed, they can keep a list instead of actual sheets to protect sensitive information. OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, says workplaces must have MSDSs. It tells people how to work safely with hazardous substances.

Employers: Leaders must ensure that employees can promptly access the most up-to-date SDSs for materials used and stored in the workplace. OSHA Requirements: Employers must maintain copies of SDSs for each hazardous chemical in the workplace.

SDS Information for Employers

What's important is that employees have access to the safety data sheets for all of the chemicals that they are using. If the employer does not have an SDS for one of these chemicals they should contact the manufacturer to obtain the current version of the SDS for that chemical.

SDSs can't be stored behind a locked door that only certain people have access to, or in a box on the wall with a lock on it, or with a supervisor that you have to ask permission to get to them, or in an electronic system that's so password protected that no one can get to them, or so borrowed in an electronic system ...

1910.1200 App D - Safety Data Sheets (Mandatory) | Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Where do you get MSDS Certificate? Various laboratories conduct detailed chemical analysis to prepare and provide MSDS certificate for manufacturers and suppliers. Sigma Test and Research Centre provide a wide range of chemical analysis services within their chemical analysis laboratories issuing MSDS certificate.

Any product that is considered a hazardous chemical requires a safety data sheet. A hazardous chemical, as defined by the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), is any chemical which can cause a physical or a health hazard.

Employers will be required to make sure that all hazardous products (as defined by the Hazardous Products Regulations have an up-to-date SDS when it enters the workplace. The SDSs must be readily available to the workers who are exposed to the hazardous product, and to the health and safety committee or representative.