Find hazards, PPE, storage, spill and first-aid information in the 16 sections of a Safety Data Sheet.
Awareness level only. This lesson explains the ideas so you recognise them. It does not qualify you to do this work. Before you handle chemicals, biological materials or lab equipment for real, you need the training your employer or institution requires, and you must work under supervision until they sign you off.
Why it matters
The label on a bottle gives you a summary. The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) gives you everything else: what is in it, how it can hurt you, what to wear, how to store it, what to do in a spill or fire, and first aid. Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, manufacturers and importers must provide an SDS for every hazardous chemical, and employers must keep them readily accessible to workers on every shift. Knowing your way around one is a basic skill for every lab job, and you will be expected to read the SDS before using an unfamiliar chemical.
One format, 16 sections
GHS fixed the order of the sections, so every SDS looks the same no matter who wrote it. (Older documents called "MSDS" had no standard layout.)
| # | Section | What you find |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Identification | product name, uses, supplier, emergency phone |
| 2 | Hazard identification | GHS classification, signal word, pictograms, H and P statements |
| 3 | Composition | ingredients, CAS numbers, concentrations |
| 4 | First-aid measures | eyes, skin, inhalation, ingestion; symptoms |
| 5 | Fire-fighting measures | suitable extinguishers, combustion hazards |
| 6 | Accidental release measures | spill clean-up, PPE for the clean-up, containment |
| 7 | Handling and storage | safe handling, storage conditions, incompatibilities |
| 8 | Exposure controls / PPE | exposure limits (OSHA PEL, ACGIH TLV), ventilation, gloves, eye and respiratory protection |
| 9 | Physical and chemical properties | appearance, odour, pH, flash point, boiling point, vapour pressure |
| 10 | Stability and reactivity | conditions to avoid, incompatible materials, hazardous decomposition |
| 11 | Toxicological information | routes of exposure, effects, LD50 values |
| 12 | Ecological information | effects on the environment |
| 13 | Disposal considerations | how to dispose of it |
| 14 | Transport information | UN number, shipping class |
| 15 | Regulatory information | regulations that apply |
| 16 | Other information | revision date and notes |
OSHA does not enforce sections 12 to 15 (they fall under other agencies), but they are usually filled in.
How to read one quickly
You rarely read an SDS top to bottom. Go to the section that answers your question:
- "Is this dangerous, and how?" Section 2.
- "What do I wear?" Section 8 (gloves often name a material and a breakthrough time).
- "Where and how do I store it? What must it not touch?" Sections 7 and 10.
- "Someone got it on them." Section 4, and call for help.
- "It spilled." Section 6, then your lab's spill procedure.
- "How do I get rid of it?" Section 13, then your institution's waste rules.
Worked example: isopropyl alcohol (70%)
Looking up a typical SDS for 70% isopropyl alcohol:
- Section 2: Danger. Flammable liquid category 2, eye irritation category 2A, may cause drowsiness. Pictograms: flame, exclamation mark.
- Section 4: eyes: rinse with water for several minutes, remove contact lenses if easy, continue rinsing, get medical advice if irritation persists.
- Section 7: keep away from heat and ignition sources, keep container closed, store in a cool, well-ventilated place.
- Section 8: safety glasses; gloves such as nitrile for incidental contact; use with good ventilation; an exposure limit (for isopropanol, OSHA lists a PEL of 400 ppm as an 8-hour average).
- Section 9: flash point around 20 °C (68 °F): it can give off enough vapour to ignite at room temperature.
- Section 10: incompatible with strong oxidisers.
Putting it together: store it in a flammables cabinet away from oxidisers, keep it away from hot plates, and wear eye protection.
Where to find SDSs
- Your lab's SDS binder or electronic SDS system (ask where it is on your first day).
- The supplier's website (search the product name and "SDS").
- Reference resources such as PubChem's Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary for background. Always use the SDS for the exact product and supplier you have, because mixtures and concentrations differ.
Beyond the SDS
An SDS describes the chemical, not your procedure. Heating, mixing or scaling up can create hazards the SDS does not cover. That is why labs also use standard operating procedures and risk assessments (module 3), and why you ask your supervisor before using a chemical in a new way.
Common mistakes
- Using an SDS for a different concentration or supplier.
- Reading only section 2 and missing incompatibilities in section 10.
- Not knowing where the lab's SDSs are kept until there is an emergency.
- Trusting an out-of-date SDS. Check the revision date in section 16.
Quick recap
- Every hazardous chemical has an SDS with 16 sections in a fixed order.
- Section 2 hazards, 4 first aid, 6 spills, 7 storage, 8 PPE, 10 incompatibilities, 13 disposal.
- Use the SDS for the exact product you have, and find your lab's SDS collection on day one.
Official source: OSHA Hazard Communication, https://www.osha.gov/hazcom (Checked on 2026-10-23.)
Try it
Open the Do tab and find key facts in the SDS of a household product.