The global harmonization system ghs is a product of the united nations that embodies an international approach to hazard communication using an agreed upon criteria for classifying hazardous chemicals and a standardized method to communicate the hazards through use of container labels and safety data sheets sds.
Ghs compliant safety data sheets have how many sections.
And a good rule of thumbs is to review sdss more than two years old regardless.
The sixteen 16 sections of the safety data sheet sds daniel stoehr.
This is critical especially in sections 2 and 3.
The annex covers the strict formatting specifications and offers detailed instructions on the content of each of the 16 sections which includes new standards on the correct way to communicate the hazards of your chemical product.
Safety data sheets are an essential component of the ghs and are intended to provide comprehensive information about a substance or mixture for use in workplace chemical management.
There are 16 sections in standard ghs safety data sheets as shown below.
Ghs has also set the minimum info required for each section.
As an example the ghs refers to safety data sheets as sdss dropping the m from material safety data sheets or msdss as most american companies are used to.
In the ghs they serve the same function that the material safety data sheet or msds does in osha s hazcom standard.
Section 2 hazard identification.
The old osha format was eight sections.
The ghs also standardizes the content and formatting of sdss into 16 sections with a strict ordering.
Anything before those dates is likely not compliant.