The manual for every hazardous substance you hold
A safety data sheet (SDS) is the detailed information sheet for a hazardous substance — how it can harm you, and how to use, store, transport and dispose of it safely, plus first aid, PPE and emergency response. In New Zealand it is mandatory to have a current SDS for every hazardous substance in your workplace, regardless of quantity, set out under 16 standard sections. Your supplier must provide one, and you must keep it readily accessible to workers and emergency services — searching for it online when something goes wrong is not good enough.
A safety data sheet gives comprehensive information about a hazardous substance: its properties, how it affects health and safety, and how to manage those risks — safe use, storage, transport and disposal, first aid, the personal protective equipment to wear, and what to do in a spill or fire. It is the go-to reference behind your wider hazardous substances management.
It is mandatory to have a current SDS for each hazardous substance at your workplace, whatever the quantity. The supplier must provide a compliant SDS with the substance, and you have a duty to obtain one when a substance is first supplied — if you don't have it, ask your supplier. There are a couple of exceptions: a consumer product used in household-type quantities and ways, and hazardous waste, don't require an SDS. Keep your SDSs with your hazardous substances inventory.
The format and content are set by the Hazardous Substances (Safety Data Sheets) Notice 2017, aligned to the global GHS system, under 16 standard headings — so workers and emergency responders can find what they need fast.
| Sections 1–8 | Sections 9–16 |
|---|---|
| 1 Identification · 2 Hazards · 3 Composition · 4 First aid · 5 Firefighting · 6 Accidental release · 7 Handling & storage · 8 Exposure controls / PPE | 9 Physical & chemical properties · 10 Stability & reactivity · 11 Toxicological · 12 Ecological · 13 Disposal · 14 Transport · 15 Regulatory · 16 Other information |
The current SDS — or a condensed version of the key information — must be readily accessible to any worker in their work area and to emergency service workers or anyone else likely to be exposed, in hard copy, electronic or other form that can be reached without difficulty. For workers who move between sites, the SDS can be held at your principal place of business as long as they can get the key information immediately in an emergency. Train workers on a new substance, and again whenever its SDS changes — and get a fresh SDS each time it does. Use the right PPE as set out in the sheet.
Keep your SDS and chemical records in one place and up to date. Book a demo and we'll show you how it works — free 30-day trial included.
Yes. It is mandatory to have a current SDS for each hazardous substance at your workplace, regardless of the quantity you hold. The main exceptions are consumer products used in household-type quantities, and hazardous waste.
The supplier must provide a compliant SDS with the substance they supply. You, as the PCBU receiving it, have a duty to obtain an SDS when a substance is first supplied — if you don't have one, ask your supplier.
They run from identification, hazards, composition and first aid, through firefighting, accidental release, handling and storage, and exposure controls, to physical and chemical properties, stability, toxicological and ecological information, disposal, transport, regulatory information and other information.
Readily accessible — reachable without difficulty by any worker in their work area and by emergency services, in hard copy, electronic or other form. Planning to search for it online when you need it is not good enough; keep it with your inventory.
Whenever the substance's SDS changes, get a new one and make workers aware of the change. SDSs should be kept current, not left to go out of date.
