OSHA MSDS & OSHA GHS
OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration
MSDS – Material Safety Data Sheets
Material Safety Data Sheets, now known only as Safety Data Sheets.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) have been updated to now be known as Safety Data Sheets (SDS). MSDS sheets have nine specific data points on them, but failed to adhere to the standards set forth with GHS, which is why they have been replaced by SDS sheets.
MSDS Format – on June 1, 2015, the Hazard Communication Standard requires that SDSs have uniform formatting, detailing each of the safety data sheet sections along with the necessary information.
GHS – The Globally Harmonized System
The Globally Harmonized System of Classification of Labeling of Chemicals was enacted in the EU in 2003. Since then, the United States of America have updated the laws and regulations within OSHA to correspond with the requirements set forth by GHS.
GHS has many regulations that overlap those of OSHA, and has 3 core goals for the organization1 1 (GHS Goals Guide):
- Defining health, physical and environmental hazards of chemicals
- Creating classification processes that use available data on chemicals for comparison with the defined hazard criteria.
- Communicating hazard information, as well as protective measures, on labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS).