Safety Data Sheets

Safety Data Sheets, formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), provide essential information about the hazards, safe handling, storage, emergency response, and disposal of chemicals used in science; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); engineering; and related instructional spaces. Under Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Hazard Communication Standard, chemical manufacturers and importers must classify chemical hazards, and employers must provide employees with information about hazardous chemicals through labels, SDSs, and training. OSHA’s Laboratory Standard also identifies SDSs and other reference materials as part of the information employees must be able to access for hazardous chemicals used in laboratory settings.

In kindergarten through grade twelve (K–12) science and STEM settings, SDSs should be readily accessible to educators, laboratory staff, paraprofessionals, administrators, and other employees who may use or be exposed to hazardous chemicals. Schools should maintain an organized SDS system, either in hard copy, electronic format, or both, for all chemicals present in laboratories, classrooms, preparation rooms, storage areas, and related instructional spaces. When chemicals are used in an investigation or demonstration, the relevant SDS should be immediately available so that accurate hazard, first aid, spill response, and emergency information can be provided without delay.

Schools and local educational agencies should establish procedures to ensure that an SDS is obtained before or at the time a chemical is purchased, including chemicals obtained through local retailers. Purchase orders and procurement procedures may specify that SDSs are required for all chemical purchases. SDS access should also be considered as part of the Chemical Hygiene Plan, chemical inventory management, emergency planning, and communication with local emergency response agencies, as appropriate.

Employees must receive information and training about hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of initial assignment and before new chemical exposure situations occur. Training should address how to access and use SDSs, the hazards of chemicals present, safe handling and storage procedures, required personal protective equipment, spill and exposure response, and applicable provisions of the Chemical Hygiene Plan. Schools should document training and consider including chemical safety updates as a standing item in science department meetings, grade-level meetings, or other applicable scheduled professional learning opportunities.

Safety Data Sheet Components

A SDS provides essential health and safety information for chemicals used in science laboratories and related instructional spaces. SDSs help educators, staff, supervisors, and administrators understand chemical hazards, safe handling and storage requirements, exposure controls, first aid measures, spill response procedures, and disposal considerations.

Current SDSs follow a standardized 16-section format. This format supports consistent access to information about chemical identity, hazards, composition, emergency response, personal protective equipment, physical and chemical properties, stability and reactivity, toxicological information, and other relevant safety data. Schools should ensure that SDSs are available for all hazardous chemicals present in science and STEM instructional spaces and that employees know how to access and use them as part of the Chemical Hygiene Plan.

• Section 1—Product and company identification
  This section provides information about the chemical manufacturer, including emergency contacts. In addition, product information, such as code and registration numbers, may be provided.
  
  
• Section 2—Hazard(s) Identification
  This section identifies the hazards of the chemical and warning information. The required information in this section includes:
  • Hazard classification
  • Signal word
  • Hazard statement(s)
  • Pictograms
  • Precautionary statement(s)
  • Description of hazards not otherwise classified
  • For a mixture, the percentage of the mixture of unknown toxicity
    
    
• Section 3—Composition/Information on Ingredients
  This section identifies the ingredients contained in a product, including impurities and stabilizing additives that may affect the chemical’s classification or hazards. It provides information for substances and mixtures and includes required information for chemicals when a trade secret is claimed.
  
  
• Section 4—First-Aid Measures
  This section describes the first-aid measures that should be provided after a chemical exposure, including care that may be given by any responder until trained medical assistance is available. It includes first-aid instructions based on the route of exposure, such as inhalation, skin contact, eye contact, or ingestion; identifies the most important symptoms or effects, including acute or delayed symptoms; and provides recommendations for immediate medical attention or special treatment when needed.
  
  
• Section 5—Firefighting Measures
  This section provides information for responding to fires involving the chemical. It identifies suitable extinguishing methods, describes specific hazards that may occur during a fire, including hazardous combustion products, and outlines protective equipment or precautions needed by firefighters or emergency responders.
  
  
• Section 6—Accidental Release Measures
  This section provides guidance for responding to spills, leaks, or accidental releases of the chemical. It describes personal precautions, protective equipment, and emergency procedures needed to reduce exposure and prevent contamination. It also identifies appropriate methods and materials for containment and cleanup, including any differences in response procedures for small and large spills when spill volume affects the level of hazard.
  
  
• Section 7—Handling and Storage
  This section provides guidance for the safe handling and storage of the chemical. It includes precautions for handling the material, including measures needed to avoid unsafe contact with incompatible chemicals, and identifies appropriate storage conditions. Storage guidance may include requirements related to temperature, ventilation, container integrity, segregation from incompatible materials, and other conditions needed to reduce risk.
  
  
• Section 8––Exposure Controls/Personal Protection
  This section of the SDS describes the exposure controls and personal protective measures needed to minimize exposure to hazardous chemicals. It includes applicable exposure limits, such as OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits and Threshold Limit Values, as well as recommended engineering controls, such as ventilation or containment. This section also identifies appropriate personal protective equipment, including eye and face protection, gloves, protective clothing, and respiratory protection when required.
  
  
• Section 9—Physical and Chemical Properties
  This section of the SDS identifies the physical and chemical properties of a substance or mixture. Information may include appearance, odor, odor threshold, pH, melting and freezing points, boiling point or boiling range, flash point, evaporation rate, flammability, flammability or explosive limits, vapor pressure, vapor density, relative density, solubility, partition coefficient, auto-ignition temperature, and decomposition temperature.
  
  Not every SDS will include data for each property; when information is not available or not applicable, the SDS should indicate that. Manufacturers may also include additional properties when they are relevant to safe handling, storage, use, or emergency response.
  
  
• Section 10—Stability and Reactivity
  This section of the SDS describes the chemical’s reactivity and stability. It identifies whether the chemical is stable under normal conditions of use, handling, and storage, and notes any stabilizers needed to maintain stability. It may also describe safety concerns that could arise if the product’s physical appearance changes, such as changes in color, clarity, consistency, or the presence of crystals or sediment.
  
  This section also identifies conditions that should be avoided, such as heat, light, shock, friction, moisture, or incompatible storage conditions. It lists materials or classes of materials that may react with the chemical and describes hazardous reactions or decomposition products that could occur during use, storage, heating, or accidental release. This information should be used to guide storage compatibility, handling procedures, and emergency planning.
  
  
• Section 11—Toxicological Information
  This section of the SDS provides toxicological information about the chemical and identifies when such information is not available. It describes likely routes of exposure, such as inhalation, skin contact, eye contact, or ingestion, and summarizes potential health effects from short-term or long-term exposure, including immediate, delayed, and chronic effects.
  
  This section may also include signs and symptoms of exposure, numerical toxicity data, and information about whether the chemical is listed as a carcinogen or potential carcinogen by recognized authorities, such as the National Toxicology Program. This information should be used to inform hazard analysis, risk assessment, required personal protective equipment, exposure controls, first-aid planning, and emergency response procedures.
  
  
• Section 12—Ecological Information (non-mandatory)
  This section of the SDS provides ecological information that may be used to evaluate the potential environmental effects of a chemical release. Information may include toxicity data for aquatic or terrestrial organisms, the chemical’s potential to persist or degrade in the environment, and its potential to bioaccumulate.
  
  This section may also describe whether the chemical can move through soil into groundwater and identify other possible adverse environmental effects. This information should be considered when planning storage, spill response, waste collection, disposal procedures, and any activity where a chemical could be released to the environment.
  
  
• Section 13—Disposal Considerations (non-mandatory)
  This section of the SDS provides guidance on the safe disposal of the chemical and any contaminated containers or materials. It may include recommendations for appropriate waste containers, disposal methods, recycling or reclamation options, and handling procedures needed to reduce exposure or environmental release.
  
  This section may also identify physical or chemical properties that affect disposal, discourage disposal through sinks or drains, and describe special precautions for landfill, incineration, or other waste treatment methods. Disposal decisions should be consistent with the SDS, the school or district Chemical Hygiene Plan, and applicable federal, state, local, and district hazardous waste requirements.
  
  
• Section 14—Transport Information (non-mandatory)
  This section of the SDS provides transportation information for hazardous chemicals. It includes classification and shipping information used by manufacturers, distributors, carriers, and other personnel involved in transporting the material. While this section is most directly applicable to shipping and distribution, schools should consult it when chemicals are being moved, received, returned, or prepared for disposal through an approved hazardous waste process.
  
  
• Section 15—Regulatory Information (non-mandatory)
  This section of the SDS provides regulatory information related to health, safety, and environmental requirements that may not be addressed elsewhere in the document. It may include applicable national, state, regional, or local regulations governing the chemical’s use, storage, handling, reporting, transportation, or disposal. This information should be reviewed as part of chemical inventory management, hazard analysis, risk assessment, and compliance with school, district, and regulatory requirements.
  
  
• Section 16—Other Information
  This section of the SDS identifies when the SDS was prepared or last revised. It may also include other useful information, such as the source of the data, changes from previous versions, or additional notes provided by the manufacturer or supplier. Schools should use the most current SDS available and review revision dates as part of chemical inventory and safety documentation procedures.

Employers are responsible for ensuring that SDSs are readily available and accessible to all employees who may use or be exposed to hazardous chemicals. Schools should maintain an organized SDS system for chemicals used or stored in instructional spaces, preparation rooms, storerooms, custodial areas, and other relevant locations.

Schools should also ensure that SDS information is available to appropriate personnel who may need it during an exposure, spill, or emergency response. This may include the school nurse, site administrators, the Chemical Hygiene Officer, custodial or maintenance staff, and local first responders, consistent with district procedures and applicable requirements.