Safety data sheet (SDS)

For hazardous substances and mixtures, the supplier must provide the safety data sheet unprompted, free of charge and in the official language of the country – in Germany, in German – and update it when new findings become available. Since 2023, the format of Regulation (EU) 2020/878 has applied. For the company, section 2 (classification, pictograms, H statements), section 7 (handling and storage) and section 8 (limit values, protective measures, PPE) are the most important.

The employer uses the safety data sheet for the risk assessment, the hazardous substances register and the operating instructions and must give employees access to it. It replaces neither the risk assessment nor the operating instructions.

This glossary entry gives a general overview of German occupational safety law and does not replace legal advice. The regulations in force and the rules of the statutory accident insurance institutions are authoritative.