Safety data sheets: a guide to the document’s structure
A safety data sheet, or SDS, organises information about a chemical substance or mixture, its hazards and handling-related precautions. It is a technical communication document. It answers different questions from an ingredient label or a product’s application instructions. [1]
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The EU framework: REACH Annex II
In the EU, the safety data sheet format is set by REACH Annex II, as amended by Regulation 2020/878. It has 16 sections and is not a fixed-length certificate. It communicates hazard, handling and exposure information for the identified substance or mixture. The current-format transition ended on 31 December 2022. [1]
Match section 1’s product identifier and supplier to the actual product. Keep the revision date and document language with the file; a newer sheet for a different formula is not an update for your bottle. The document should identify the version it replaces. [1]
Where to find the relevant information
Section 2 identifies hazards; section 3 describes composition or hazard-relevant ingredients. Sections 4–6 cover first aid, firefighting and accidental release. Sections 7 and 8 address handling, storage, exposure controls and personal protection. Sections 9–15 cover physical properties, stability, toxicology, environment, disposal, transport and regulation; section 16 holds other information and revisions. The sheet’s structure separates these questions rather than making its composition section a complete cosmetic recipe. [1]
Do all salon products require an SDS?
No single answer applies to every bottle. Ireland’s HSA explains that finished cosmetic mixtures intended for the final user are exempt from REACH Title IV supply-chain information duties. A salon can also use non-cosmetic chemicals, such as certain cleaning products, for which SDS duties may apply. “Used in a salon” does not classify a product as a cosmetic. [2]
This distinction prevents two mistaken conclusions: that every cosmetic without an SDS is unlawful, or that every salon chemical is exempt. Identify the product category and applicable requirements. An SDS does not replace the cosmetic label, manufacturer instructions or the workplace’s own risk assessment. [2]
Article Sources
- European Commission / EUR-Lex — Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/878 of 18 June 2020
Regulatory source
Annex II Part A 0.2–0.4; sections 1–3, 7–8, 16; Part B lists 16 sections. Articles 2–3: applies 1 January 2021, old-format transition ended 31 December 2022.
Adopted:
- Health and Safety Authority, Ireland — Questions and Answers
Primary source
Ireland’s regulator Q&A on REACH safety data sheets. Format answer: 16 headings, Section 1 identification and issue/revision date on the first page. Update answer: changes may be identified in Section 16. Separate provision and exemption answers explain the scope of SDS supply duties.
Written and reviewed with AI assistance using the linked sources. No hands-on product testing or independent specialist review was performed.
