Safety Data Sheet Search

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What is a Safety Data Sheet?

A Safety Data Sheet (SDS), or Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), is a standardised document that contains crucial occupational safety and health information. In Great Britain, SDS are required under the UK REACH Regulation. According to this framework, suppliers must provide an up-to-date SDS where required, so that hazard information is communicated to those who handle or use hazardous chemicals. These sheets are comprehensive and cover essential details such as chemical properties, potential health and environmental hazards, recommended protective measures, as well as safety precautions for proper storage, handling, and emergency measures.

Globally Harmonized System

The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) is a comprehensive set of international guidelines developed by the United Nations. Its primary objective is to help ensure the safe manufacture, handling, use, disposal, and transportation of hazardous chemicals. GHS underpins hazard classification and communication systems used in many jurisdictions, including the GB CLP regime. The GHS system serves several key purposes:

Classification of Chemical Data and Hazard Criteria: The GHS provides a standardised approach to classifying chemical substances and mixtures based on their inherent hazards. This classification helps in identifying and communicating the potential risks associated with specific chemicals.
Identification of Health, Physical, and Environmental Hazards: By utilising the GHS, it becomes possible to identify and understand the health, physical, and environmental hazards posed by a particular chemical. This information is crucial for ensuring proper handling, storage, and disposal practices.
Communication of Hazard Information and Protective Measures: The GHS establishes a well-defined system that enables chemical manufacturers and distributors to effectively communicate the hazards associated with their products. This includes providing clear information on recommended protective measures to minimise risks.

SDS Structure and Format

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) follow a standardised structure consisting of sixteen sections. These sections are designed to provide quick access to essential information necessary for chemical users to ensure safe handling practices and to aid emergency response personnel. Here is an overview of the different sections:

Sections 1-8: These early sections focus on providing key information that may be required urgently. They cover topics such as identification, hazards, composition, first aid measures, and firefighting measures.

Sections 9-11: These sections contain technical and scientific data related to the substance or mixture. Information regarding stability, reactivity, physical and chemical properties, and other relevant data is included here.

Sections 12-15: These sections are part of the standard 16-section SDS format. They typically cover ecological information, disposal considerations, transport information, and regulatory information.

Section 16: The final section provides details about the SDS itself. It includes information such as the revision date and any changes made since the previous version.

You may visit HSE guidance on Safety Data Sheets and COSHH requirements for more information.

SDS Information for Employers

Employers must ensure that employees have access to the information needed to work safely with hazardous substances, and SDS help employers carry out the COSHH risk assessment where chemical products are used. Employers may keep this information in paper files or electronic systems, provided it is accessible to workers who need it. If the employer does not have an SDS for a supplied hazardous chemical where one is required, they should contact the supplier to obtain the current version. In this sense, online SDS databases can offer practical advantages over binder-based systems by helping users locate current documents more efficiently. However, an SDS is not itself a COSHH risk assessment.

Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram

The COSHH Regulations require suitable hazard information on labels and packaging to alert users to the chemical hazards to which they may be exposed. Under GB CLP, the hazard pictogram on the label is determined by the chemical hazard classification. The pictogram consists of a symbol on a white background framed within a red border and represents a distinct hazard or hazards.

GHS Hazard	Pictogram	Hazard Class & Hazard Category
Explosive		Unstable Explosives Explosives, Divisions 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 Self-reactive Substances and Mixtures, Types A, B Organic peroxides, types A, B
Flammable		Flammable gases, category 1 Flammable aerosols, categories 1, 2 Flammable liquids, categories 1, 2, 3 Flammable solids, categories 1, 2 Self-reactive substances and mixtures, types B, C, D, E, F Pyrophoric liquids, category 1 Pyrophoric solids, category 1 Self-heating substances and mixtures, categories 1, 2 Substances and mixtures, which in contact with water, emit flammable gases, categories 1, 2, 3 Organic peroxides, types B, C, D, E, F
Oxidizing		Oxidizing Gases, Category 1 Oxidizing Liquids, Categories 1, 2, 3 Oxidizing Solids, Categories 1, 2, 3
Compressed Gas		Compressed Gases Liquefied Gases Refrigerated Liquefied Gases Dissolved Gases
Corrosive		Corrosive to Metals, Category 1
Toxic		Acute Toxicity (oral, dermal, inhalation), Categories 1, 2, 3
Corrosive		Skin Corrosion, Categories 1A, 1B, 1C Serious Eye Damage, Category 1
Irritant		Acute Toxicity (oral, dermal, inhalation), Category 4 Skin Irritation, Categories 2, 3 Eye Irritation, Category 2A Skin Sensitization, Category 1 Specific Target Organ Toxicity Following Single Exposure, Category 3 Respiratory Tract Irritation Narcotic Effects
Health Hazard		Respiratory Sensitization, Category 1 Germ Cell Mutagenicity, Categories 1A, 1B, 2 Carcinogenicity, Categories 1A, 1B, 2 Reproductive toxicity, categories 1A, 1B, 2 Specific Target Organ Toxicity Following Single Exposure, Categories 1, 2 Specific Target Organ Toxicity Following Repeated Exposure, Categories 1, 2 Aspiration Hazard, Categories 1, 2
Environ- mentally Damaging		Acute hazards to the aquatic environment, category 1 Chronic hazards to the aquatic environment, categories 1, 2

Class 1: Explosives

GHS Hazard	Pictogram	Hazard Class & Hazard Category
Divisions 1.1–1.3		Explosives Division 1.1: Substances and articles which have a mass explosion hazard Division 1.2: Substances and articles which have a projection hazard but not a mass explosion hazard Division 1.3: Substances and articles which have a fire hazard and either a minor blast hazard or a minor projection hazard or both, but not a mass explosion hazard
Division 1.4		Explosives Substances and articles which are classified as explosives but which present no significant hazard
Division 1.5		Explosives Very insensitive substances which have a mass explosion hazard
Division 1.6		Explosives No hazard statement

Class 2: Gases

GHS Hazard	Pictogram	Hazard Class & Hazard Category
Division 2.1		Flammable Gases Gases which at 20 °C and a standard pressure of 101.3 kPa: are ignitable when in a mixture of 13 per cent or less by volume with air; or have a flammable range with air of at least 12 percentage points regardless of the lower flammable limit.
Division 2.2		Non-flammable Non-toxic Gases Gases which are asphyxiant – gases which dilute or replace the oxygen normally in the atmosphere. Gases which are oxidizing – gases which may, generally by providing oxygen, cause or contribute to the combustion of other material more than air does. Gases which do not come under the other divisions.
Division 2.3		Toxic Gases Gases which are known to be so toxic or corrosive to humans as to pose a hazard to health. Gases which are presumed to be toxic or corrosive to humans because they have an LC50 value equal to or less than 5000 ml/m3 (ppm).

Classes 3 and 4: Flammable Liquids and Solids

GHS Hazard	Pictogram	Hazard Class & Hazard Category
Class 3		Flammable Liquids Liquids which have a flash point of less than 60 °C and which are capable of sustaining combustion.
Division 4.1		Flammable Solids, Self-reactive Substances and Solid Desensitized Explosives Solids which, under conditions encountered in transport, are readily combustible or may cause or contribute to fire through friction; self-reactive substances which are liable to undergo a strongly exothermic reaction; solid desensitized explosives which may explode if not diluted sufficiently.
Division 4.2		Substances Liable to Spontaneous Combustion Substances which are liable to spontaneous heating under normal conditions encountered in transport, or to heating up in contact with air, and being then liable to catch fire.
Division 4.3		Substances Which in Contact with Water Emit Flammable Gases Substances which, by interaction with water, are liable to become spontaneously flammable or to give off flammable gases in dangerous quantities.

Other GHS Transport Classes

GHS Hazard	Pictogram	Hazard Class & Hazard Category
Division 5.1		Oxidizing substances Substances which, while in themselves not necessarily combustible, may, generally by yielding oxygen, cause, or contribute to, the combustion of other material.
Division 5.2		Organic Peroxides Organic substances which contain the bivalent –O–O– structure and may be considered derivatives of hydrogen peroxide, where one or both of the hydrogen atoms have been replaced by organic radicals.
Division 6.1		Toxic Substances Substances with an LD50 value ≤ 300 mg/kg (oral) or ≤ 1000 mg/kg (dermal) or an LC50 value ≤ 4000 ml/m3 (inhalation of dusts or mists)
Class 8		Corrosive Substances Substances which cause full thickness destruction of intact skin tissue on exposure time of less than 4 hours. Substances which exhibit a corrosion rate of more than 6.25 mm per year on either steel or aluminium surfaces at 55 °C.

Basic Searches

Enter the chemical name in the Substance field and click on the Submit button. A list of matching results from one or more manufacturers will be returned if the chemical is found in the database. You can then click on the desired result and a summary page will open.

GHS labels and safety data sheets can be printed or downloaded. Click on the View GHS Label button at the bottom left of the summary page to open the GHS label. Click on the View SDS button at the bottom right of the summary page to open the safety data sheet.

Advanced Searches

More advanced searches can be performed by populating multiple fields with data. For example, enter the chemical name in the Substance field and enter the manufacturer name in the Manufacturer field. This will return fewer, but more precise results. Also, the Search Type can be manipulated using the “begins with” and “contains” drop-down selections.

You can search for SDS’s using the CAS number. This will return only pure chemicals and not mixtures that contain that CAS number.

Use Guidelines

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