Managing chemicals safely starts with getting Safety Data Sheets (SDS) right. But for many businesses, it’s a messy process—scattered files, outdated versions, and complex regulations.
This guide breaks it down simply: what SDSs are, why they matter, and how to manage them better. Whether you’re reviewing your current process or building one from scratch, you’ll find clear, trusted advice here.
CHAPTER 1
What is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
A safety data sheet (SDS) is a document in a set format that is used to inform all employees and safety personnel about how hazardous chemical substances and mixtures of substances can be safely handled, used, stored and disposed of.
The safety data sheet also details any emergency measures needed in case an accident or incident occurs. Previously, they have been known as ‘Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)’.
Most SDS adhere to a standardised 16 section format set out by the UN’s ‘Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)’. These sections must be completed with clear, accurate and up-to-date information. They also must be easily understandable for the employees who use them.
Why SDSs Matter
Protects workers and the environment
Ensures compliance with regulations like REACH, CLP, and OSHA
Supports internal training and safety communication
Minimises business risk during audits or inspections
Chapter 2
Your Chemical inventory – what SDS do you need?
Your first step in understanding your SDS is knowing which chemical products require one. This starts with compiling a comprehensive chemical inventory. To help you structure yours, we have created a free chemical inventory template for you to download.
This template includes guidance on key information to supply to make sure your inventory is as up to date as possible.
Chapter 3
Understanding SDS Sections (At a Glance)
GHS-compliant SDSs follow a 16-section format:
Section 1: Identification of the substance or mixture
Section 2: Hazard(s) identification
Section 3: Composition and information on ingredients
Section 4: First-aid measures
Section 5: Firefighting measures
Section 6: Accidental release measures
Section 7: Handling and storage
Section 8: Exposure controls and personal protection
Section 9: Physical and chemical properties
Section 10: Stability and reactivity
Section 11: Toxicological information
Section 12: Ecological information
Section 13: Disposal consideration
Section 14: Transport information
Section 15: Regulatory information
Section 16: Other information
Safety data sheets must come with every hazardous chemical and can be long and confusing to read. The first and most important step is checking your SDS is complete.
You’ll also find the exact things you should review to make sure your SDSs are compliant with your local legislation and company procedures.
Want access to the full checklist? See our blog below:
Section 2 covers the hazards of the chemical product and how it could potentially harm your employees. In this section you will find the distinctive red, white and black hazard pictograms, which were introduced as part of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS). Designed to be evocative and immediately recognisable, hazard pictograms give vital information on the potential risks of a substance.
Use this section to become familiar with the hazards this chemical product could pose, so you can come up with safety procedures, policies, and training to help mitigate any risks.
Section 2 includes:
The hazard classification of the product (physical, health, environmental)
Signal word
Pictograms
Hazard statement(s)
Precautionary statements
Description of any hazards not otherwise classified
Additional requirements as outlined by specific legislation
For a complete breakdown of hazard pictograms and their meanings, see our blog below:
Navigating your SDS: more key sections to focus on
It’s important you know how to read all the SDS sections because if there is an emergency, you’re prepared. Here are 5 more sections to focus on:
Section 4 – First Aid Measures
This section outlines the exact first aid measure you need to take if one of your employees is exposed to a harmful chemical. (Even if you don’t have any medical background).
Section 6 – Accidental Release Measures
Section 6 outlines what must be done if there is a chemical leak or spill on site. Read this section to learn more about how to properly clean it up, the personal protective equipment (PPE) employees need to wear when cleaning up, and what to do to prevent this from reoccurring.
Make sure you resource the proper tools and PPE needed for employees to deal with such a situation based on the recommendations outlined in the SDS, and develop employee training procedures and policies, so they are prepared if such an event occurs. Don’t forget to communicate these accidental release measures and any documents you develop with your teams.
Section 7 – Handling and storage
This section covers how to safely store and handle chemicals. Understanding this section can help make sure you’ll never need to use section 4.
Section 8 – Exposure controls and personal protection
This section provides information on exposure controls and occupation exposure limits (OELs)/ workplace exposure limits (WELs). Most importantly, it describes what PPE is required to help minimise exposures and keep your employees safe.
Chapter 6
Quiz – How well do you know your safety data sheets?
It’s time to test your SDS knowledge!
With 16 sections, learning to navigate your SDSs can seem like a daunting task. Take this interactive quiz to discover if you’re an SDS student, pro, or expert.
When it comes to managing safety data sheets, many businesses face similar issues:
SDSs stored across different systems or departments
Safety data sheets need to be readily available at all times for employees. There can be a lack of standard systems across different areas of the organisation. This makes distributing SDS and risk assessment information to staff in multiple locations challenging.
No version control—outdated sheets in circulation
New SDS’s and updated versions of safety data sheets are always needed. There is a lot of admin involved if this is done manually. The risk of not doing it is employees working with outdated information.
Time consuming and costly manual processes
Its time consuming and laborious to contact and recontact manufacturers annually to obtain the most recent safety data sheet for a product or substance. Paper copies can become lost, damaged or altered.
No audit trail when regulators ask for proof
Many organisations find that without proper SDS management, there is no real understanding of the scope of risk faced by employees. In the case of an incident involving hazardous chemicals, this would be a key issue for regulators.
Chapter 8
Best Practices for SDS Management
If you are managing hundreds of potentially hazardous chemicals, you not only have to stay on top of your inventory but also the hundreds of safety data sheets that go with them.
In this blog post, we bring you 8 key steps to build an SDS management programme that works for you. You’ll learn your responsibilities as an employer and best practice guidelines on how to design your system and source your SDS.
Here are the first 4 steps to building a successful SDS management programme:
Step 1: Design your template/system
Step 2: Document your structure
Step 3: Build your inventory
Step 4: Source your Safety Data Sheets
This is only the beginning. For the rest of the steps, check out our clog post below:
Here are some of the key regulations governing safety data sheets:
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
The GHS has been adopted by most major countries including the EU, UK, USA, Canada, China and Japan. Most SDS legislation is derived from it.
REACH (EU)
REACH refers to ‘Regulation No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals’. Under REACH, an SDS is legally required for any hazardous chemical products.
Hazard Communication Standard/ HCS (USA)
The HCS has aligned with the GHS since 2012. It mandates that SDSs be provided and accessible for hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
UK REACH
Post Brexit, the EU REACH regulation was brought into UK law as ‘UK REACH’ in 2021.
For a more in-depth look at theses regulations and others, see our blog below:
Valvoline Oil A/S is never going back to a paper system again
Before switching to a digital solution, the team at Valvoline Oil A/S were facing several problems with their manual SDS management system.
Distributing SDSs to their clients and keeping them updated was challenging
No overview of onsite chemical products
Managing paper SDSs was time consuming and difficult to track
Working with EcoOnline to implement a digital SDS management solution has changed Valvoline Oil A/S’ processes for the better. In addition to making distribution to clients easier, it ensures that their SDS are compliant and up-to-date.
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You’re officially an SDS expert and should know everything you need to in order to build an efficient chemical safety process. It takes an expert to offer SDS authoring services.
In these next few sections, we are going to take a closer look into the SDS authoring process and how SDS authoring software can seamlessly stay up to date in an ever-changing landscape of regulations and compliance.
How to write an SDS
Whether you are a chemicals manufacturer or distributor, you are responsible for creating its safety data sheet.
SDS authoring is a complex process that requires high attention to detail. In fact, it’s so complex some people wonder if you need to have a special certification to write an SDS. Sometimes it can be hard to know exactly the best way to start. Inside our blog post on the fundamentals of SDS authoring, you’ll find information on:
What your SDS should contain
Who is responsible for writing a chemical product’s SDS?
15 important topics to evaluate before buying SDS authoring software
If SDS authoring is part of your job, you’ve probably started to wonder if there’s a better way. The problem is when you start to research, there is a myriad of SDS authoring software options available to you, so where do you begin?
Any software is an investment. You need to be able to present a clear case to your senior management team about the software you’ve chosen. And for something as integral to safety as your SDS, you need to be sure you’re making the right decision.
Some of the things you should be looking for in SDS authoring software are:
Automation abilities: How easy will this software be for you AND your team members to use?
Languages: Are the languages available cover your current markets AND the markets you hope to reach in the future?
Legislation updates: Will the software automatically update in line with legislation changes?
System integration: Does this software integrate with your current system AND can you migrate data from one system to another?
Of course, price is another big component of the decision process. You need to make sure you’re choosing software that has competitive pricing but also delivers on its promises.
Webinar: Best practice advice on Safety Data Sheet Authoring
Now that you have a firm grasp on what to look for when you’re evaluating SDS authoring software, are you ready to bring your organisations SDS authoring to the next level?
Get access to a great webinar, ‘Best practice advice on safety data sheet authoring’ where EcoOnline Consulting Manager Sarah Ingle and Solutions Consultant Jack Cleaver took a closer look at some of the most common pitfalls in SDS authoring and how to overcome them.
You can follow along in the blog as we discuss the 4 key tips from our webinar. You’ll also learn how to avoid some of the most common SDS authoring pitfalls.
Significantly improve the creation of your safety data sheets with ALMEGO
ALMEGO is a new generation of SDS authoring software. Used across the world in over 50 countries, ALMEGO is rule-based intelligent authoring that generates sections automatically while taking local legislation and the appropriate GHS version into account.
When you choose ALMEGO you get access to state-of-the-art API and Webhooks with data migration and integration. The dashboard makes this software easy to use and follow along in the process.
“The user-friendly software allows my team the time to work on other tasks while still completing their assigned duties on any given day”
Mark Cuban, Cost Plus Drug Company, Vice President of Quality and Safety
