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Biology

Government Agencies and Chemical Safety

MSDS

Safety Data Sheets (SDS), or Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), are guides to hazardous materials. These are often created and distributed by chemical manufacturers, distributors, or importers.

In 2012 the Occupational Safety & Health Administration required SDSs to be presented in a standardized 16 section format. These sections include: 

  • Properties of each chemical
  • Physical, health, and environmental hazards
  • Protective measures
  • Safety precautions for handling, storage, and transportation 

There is no single source or databases that collects all SDSs for all possible chemicals and solutions; however, below are some resources for finding MSDSs or SDSs. You can find similar property information in databases like SciFinder Scholar. 

Lab Safety