What a safety data sheet is, who has to provide one, when, in which language and what it must contain – explained in plain language, with every rule linked to REACH on EUR-Lex.
A safety data sheet (SDS) is the main document for passing safety information about a chemical substance or mixture down the supply chain. It tells professional users what the hazards are, how to handle, store and dispose of the product, what to do in an emergency and which rules apply.
In the EU, the requirements are set by Article 31 and Annex II of the REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. The format currently in force was introduced by Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/878 and applies to all safety data sheets since 1 January 2023. The hazard classification it reports comes from the CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.
You may also see the names MSDS (material safety data sheet), KBÚ in Slovak or bezpečnostní list in Czech. They refer to the same type of document; in EU law the official English term is “safety data sheet”.
Source: Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Art. 31 · Regulation (EU) 2020/878Under Article 31(1) of REACH, a supplier must provide a safety data sheet to the recipient in any of these three cases:
If a professional recipient asks for it, the supplier must also provide an SDS for a mixture that is not classified as hazardous but contains (Art. 31(3)):
For hazardous substances and mixtures offered or sold to the general public, an SDS is not required when enough information is provided for users to protect their health, safety and the environment – unless a downstream user or distributor asks for one (Art. 31(4)).
The duty lies with the supplier – the manufacturer, importer, downstream user or distributor who places the substance or mixture on the market. Each actor in the supply chain passes the SDS on to the next professional recipient.
Annex II requires the SDS to be prepared by a competent person who takes into account the specific needs of the users. The supplier remains responsible for its content, also when the SDS is prepared by an external service.
Source: Annex II to REACH, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2020/878Every SDS uses the same headings in the same order, so users always know where to find, for example, first-aid measures (section 4) or transport information (section 14).
An SDS has no fixed expiry date. Under Article 31(9) the supplier must update it without delay when:
The new version is dated, marked as a revision and provided free of charge to every former recipient supplied within the preceding 12 months.
Source: Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, Art. 31(9)We prepare new safety data sheets, update existing ones to Regulation (EU) 2020/878 and translate them into the official languages of the countries you sell in.
