MSDS and SDS refer to the same type of document, a chemical safety sheet, but they are not identical. In 2012, OSHA replaced the older Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) with the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) to align with a global standard. The core purpose is unchanged: both communicate the hazards of a chemical and how to handle it safely. What changed is the format, consistency, and readability of that information.
Why OSHA Made the Switch
The old MSDS system had a significant problem. There was no required format, so every manufacturer could organize their safety information differently. One company’s MSDS might list first-aid measures on page two while another buried them on page six. If you worked with chemicals from multiple suppliers, you had to hunt through differently structured documents to find the same basic information.
In 2012, OSHA updated its Hazard Communication Standard to align with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, an international framework known as the GHS. This created a universal structure for safety data sheets used across countries. The term “MSDS” was officially retired, and all chemical manufacturers were required to convert their documents to the new SDS format by June 1, 2015.
What Actually Changed in the Document
The information in an SDS is largely the same as what appeared in the old MSDS. The critical difference is that every SDS now follows a mandatory 16-section format, in a fixed order. This means you always know exactly where to look, regardless of the manufacturer or chemical.
The 16 required sections are:
- Section 1: Identification (product name, manufacturer, emergency phone number)
- Section 2: Hazard identification
- Section 3: Composition and ingredients
- Section 4: First-aid measures
- Section 5: Firefighting measures
- Section 6: Accidental release measures (spill cleanup)
- 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
- Sections 12–15: Ecological, disposal, transport, and regulatory information
- Section 16: Other information, including the date of last revision
Sections 12 through 15 are included to stay consistent with the international GHS format, but OSHA doesn’t enforce their content because those topics (environmental impact, transportation rules) fall under other federal agencies like the EPA and DOT.
Standardized Hazard Pictograms
The GHS alignment also introduced a set of standardized pictograms, red-bordered diamond symbols that appear on both SDS documents and chemical labels. These give you a quick visual warning about a chemical’s hazards before you read the full document. There are eight mandatory symbols covering categories like flammability (a flame icon), acute toxicity (skull and crossbones), corrosion (a corroding surface), and longer-term health hazards like cancer risk (a silhouette with a starburst on the chest). A ninth pictogram for environmental hazards is optional.
These pictograms are the same worldwide, so a worker in Germany sees the same warning symbols as a worker in Texas. That was one of the main goals of the GHS: make chemical safety communication work across borders and languages.
What Employers Need to Do
OSHA requires every employer to maintain an SDS for each hazardous chemical in the workplace and make those sheets readily available to employees. “Readily available” means during a work shift, not locked in an office or stored on a computer that’s hard to access.
When a manufacturer sends an updated SDS, employers must replace the old version. If you still have legacy MSDS documents on file for chemicals whose manufacturers haven’t provided an updated SDS (for instance, if the company went out of business), OSHA says you should keep the most recent version you have. But your hazard communication program and employee training need to explain the differences between the old MSDS format and the newer SDS format so workers can navigate both.
Manufacturers are required to revise an SDS within three months of learning significant new information about a chemical’s hazards. So these documents aren’t static. If your workplace uses hazardous chemicals, periodically checking that your SDS library is current is part of staying in compliance.
If You Still See the Term “MSDS”
The transition deadline passed years ago, so any newly produced safety document should be titled “Safety Data Sheet” and follow the 16-section format. If you encounter a document still labeled “MSDS,” it’s outdated. It may still contain useful hazard information, but it doesn’t meet current OSHA requirements, and you should request an updated SDS from the chemical supplier.
In casual conversation, many people still say “MSDS” out of habit. The terms are often used interchangeably in workplaces that dealt with the old system for decades. But from a regulatory standpoint, the SDS is the only accepted format. If you’re setting up a hazard communication program, ordering safety binders, or training new employees, use “SDS” and make sure all your documents follow the 16-section structure.