Understanding SDS regulations: why reading an SDS matters
Knowing how to read an SDS (Safety Data Sheet) is a core skill for anyone who works with or around hazardous chemicals. Under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom, 29 CFR 1910.1200), employers must ensure employees have access to SDSs and are trained to understand chemical hazards and protective measures. In practice, that means an SDS isn’t just paperwork—it’s the playbook for safe handling, emergency response, and regulatory compliance.
If you’ve ever searched how to read a material safety data sheet, you’re not alone. “MSDS” is the older term; today, OSHA aligns with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) and uses a standardized 16-section SDS format. Reading it correctly helps prevent exposures, injuries, fires, and costly violations.
Compliance takeaway: OSHA requires SDSs to be readily accessible to employees during each work shift (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)). If workers can’t quickly find the SDS, it’s a hazard and a compliance risk.
OSHA HazCom basics: what an SDS is (and isn’t)
An SDS is the manufacturer’s or importer’s standardized hazard document for a chemical product. It explains what the chemical is, what hazards it presents, and how to store, handle, and respond to incidents. Employers must maintain SDSs for hazardous chemicals in the workplace and ensure employees are trained on their use.
SDS access and training requirements
OSHA HazCom (29 CFR 1910.1200) ties SDS reading directly to two obligations:
- SDS availability: Maintain an SDS for each hazardous chemical and make it readily accessible to employees.
- Employee training: Train employees at initial assignment and when new hazards are introduced, including how to understand labels and SDS information.
This is where SDS management breaks down for many workplaces—paper binders go missing, digital files are scattered, and employees waste time searching. SwiftSDS helps by centralizing your SDS library in a secure cloud platform with mobile access, so workers can pull up the correct SDS at the point of use.
How to read an SDS: the 16 sections (what to look for)
The SDS is always organized into 16 sections. You don’t need to memorize every line, but you should know where to look depending on the question—PPE, first aid, spill response, storage, or exposure limits.
Section 1: Identification
Use this section to confirm you have the right SDS.
- Product identifier (name)
- Recommended use and restrictions
- Supplier details and emergency phone number
Tip: If the product name on the container doesn’t match Section 1, stop and verify before use.
Section 2: Hazard(s) identification
This is the fastest snapshot of the chemical’s hazards.
- GHS classification (e.g., flammable liquid, skin corrosive)
- Signal word (Danger or Warning)
- Hazard statements (e.g., “Causes severe skin burns and eye damage”)
- Precautionary statements (prevention, response, storage, disposal)
If you’re learning how to read an SDS, start here to understand the “what can go wrong” before you touch the product.
Section 3: Composition/information on ingredients
Shows what’s in the product.
- Chemical name(s)
- CAS number(s)
- Concentration ranges
This is crucial when evaluating exposure risks, medical concerns, or compatibility issues.
Section 4: First-aid measures
This section tells you what to do immediately after exposure.
- First aid by route of exposure (inhalation, skin, eyes, ingestion)
- Important symptoms/effects
- Need for immediate medical attention
Training tip: Make sure your first-aid responders know how to locate this section quickly.
Section 5: Fire-fighting measures
Used by emergency responders and anyone dealing with incipient fires.
- Suitable extinguishing media
- Specific hazards (e.g., toxic combustion products)
- Special protective equipment and precautions
Section 6: Accidental release measures
Your spill and leak playbook.
- Personal precautions and PPE
- Emergency procedures
- Containment and cleanup methods
Pair this with your internal spill response procedure so workers know what actions are allowed and when to evacuate.
Section 7: Handling and storage
This is where safe daily practices live.
- Precautions for safe handling (e.g., avoid breathing vapors)
- Conditions for safe storage (temperature, ventilation)
- Incompatibilities (what not to store together)
Compliance note: Proper storage and segregation can reduce incidents that trigger reporting, workers’ comp claims, and regulatory scrutiny.
Section 8: Exposure controls/personal protection
Often the most important section for supervisors and safety managers.
- OSHA PELs (Permissible Exposure Limits), ACGIH TLVs (if provided)
- Engineering controls (local exhaust ventilation)
- PPE recommendations (gloves, eye/face protection, respirators)
When workers ask, “What gloves do I need?” Section 8 is usually the first stop—then validate against your site-specific hazard assessment.
Section 9: Physical and chemical properties
Helps you understand how the chemical behaves.
- Appearance/odor
- pH (for corrosives)
- Flash point (flammability)
- Vapor pressure/density (inhalation risk)
These properties inform storage decisions and ventilation needs.
Section 10: Stability and reactivity
Focuses on what can cause dangerous reactions.
- Reactivity and stability
- Conditions to avoid (heat, sparks, moisture)
- Incompatible materials
- Hazardous decomposition products
Section 11: Toxicological information
Explains health effects and exposure routes.
- Likely routes of exposure
- Acute and chronic effects
- Symptoms
- Carcinogenicity listings (when provided)
Use this section to support training and medical surveillance decisions.
Sections 12–15: Environmental, disposal, transport, regulatory
OSHA mandates the SDS format includes these sections, but enforcement focus varies because they touch other agencies’ rules.
- 12: Environmental impacts
- 13: Disposal considerations
- 14: Transport info (DOT alignment)
- 15: Regulatory information (may reference TSCA, SARA, etc.)
Still, they are useful for shipping, waste handling, and audits.
Section 16: Other information
Look for SDS revision dates and other notes.
- Date of preparation or last revision
- Additional details
Best practice: Track revision dates and replace outdated SDSs. SwiftSDS can support this by maintaining a centralized SDS library and helping ensure teams are working from current documents.
Practical steps: how to read a material safety data sheet for compliance
If you’re reading an SDS during onboarding, a task change, or an audit, use a repeatable process.
- Confirm the product in Section 1 matches the container label.
- Identify key hazards in Section 2 (signal word, hazard statements).
- Check PPE and exposure limits in Section 8 before starting work.
- Review handling/storage in Section 7 to prevent incompatible mixing.
- Know emergency actions: first aid (Section 4), fire (Section 5), spill response (Section 6).
- Document and train: ensure employees understand how SDS information ties to your written HazCom program (29 CFR 1910.1200).
Common SDS-reading mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- Only reading Section 2: Hazards are summarized there, but PPE and exposure limits are in Section 8.
- Assuming all glove types work: “Wear gloves” isn’t enough—material compatibility matters.
- Ignoring revision dates: Old SDSs can contain outdated hazard classifications.
- SDS not readily accessible: If employees can’t get it during a shift, you’re out of alignment with 29 CFR 1910.1200(g).
A modern SDS management approach reduces these risks. SwiftSDS keeps SDSs organized by location and supports chemical inventory management (tracking locations, quantities, and expiration dates), which makes it easier to align real-world chemical use with what your HazCom program says you have onsite.
Make SDS access easy with SwiftSDS
SDS reading is a skill—but it’s only effective when the SDS is current, complete, and instantly accessible. SwiftSDS helps you streamline SDS regulations compliance by providing a centralized, cloud-based SDS library, GHS-friendly organization, and mobile access for workers in the field.
Ready to simplify SDS compliance and help employees find the right document fast? Explore SwiftSDS and strengthen your HazCom program today.