Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Inspection Checklist

Recent Hazardous Products Regulations amendments affect the hazard information that must be listed in a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). So, it’s imperative that employers ensure that all of their SDSs conform to the new requirements by January 1, 2026. The changes affect Section 9 and Section 14 of the SDS.  Use this Checklist to ensure that all SDSs you receive from hazardous product manufacturers or importers includes all the information that an SDS must have—or that you list all the information required if you prepare your own SDSs. You can also use the Checklist to check the SDSs contained in your current binder.

Inspection Checklist: Safety Data Sheets

Instructions: Vet all shipments of hazardous products from suppliers of hazardous to ensure they include a thorough, proper, and up-to-date Safety Standard Sheets (SDSs) for each hazardous product contained in the shipment. This Checklist may also be used to inspect existing SDSs contained in the current binder to ensure they are up to date and include all of the required information.

Section SDS Heading Required Information
1 Identification
  • Product identifier (e.g., product name).
  • Other means of identification (e.g., product family, synonyms, etc.).
  • Recommended use.
  • Restrictions on use.
  • Canadian supplier identifier(1)
    • Name, full address, and phone number(s).
  • Emergency telephone number and any applicable restrictions on use of that number.
 2 Hazard Identification
  • Hazard classification (class, category) of substance or mixture or description of identified hazard for Physical or Health Hazards Not Otherwise Classified.
  • Label elements:
    • Symbol (image) or name of symbol (e.g., flame, skull and crossbones).
    • Signal word.
    • Hazard statement(s).
    • Precautionary statement(s).
  • Other hazards that don’t result in classification (e.g., molten metal hazard).
 3 Composition/Information on Ingredients
  • If hazardous product is a material or substance:
    • Chemical name.
    • Common name and synonyms.
    • Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) registry number and any unique identifiers.
    • Chemical name of impurities, stabilizing solvents, and/or additives(2).
  • For each material or substance in a mixture classified in a health hazard class(3):
    • Chemical name.
    • Common name and synonyms.
    • CAS registry number and any unique identifiers.
    • Concentration.

Note: Some or all of above information may be protected by confidential business information rules.
 4 First-Aid Measures
  • First-aid measures by route of exposure:
    • Inhalation.
    • Skin contact.
    • Eye contact.
    • Ingestion.
  • Most important symptoms and effects (acute or delayed).
  • Immediate medical attention and special treatment, if necessary.
 5 Firefighting Measures
  • Suitable extinguishing media.
  • Unsuitable extinguishing media.
  • Specific hazards arising from hazardous product (e.g., hazardous combustion products).
  • Firefighter special protective equipment and precautions.
 6 Accidental Release Measures
  • Personal precautions, protective equipment, and emergency procedures.
  • Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up.
 7 Handling & Storage
  • Precautions for safe handling.
  • Conditions for safe storage, including incompatible materials.
 8 Exposure Controls/Personal Protection
  • Control parameters, including occupational exposure guidelines or biological exposure limits and source of those values.
  • Appropriate engineering controls.
  • Individual protection measures (e.g., PPE).
 9 Physical & Chemical Properties
  • Physical state.
  • Colour.
  • Odour.
  • Melting point and freezing point.
  • Boiling point or initial boiling point and boiling range.
  • Flammability.
  • Lower and upper explosion limit or lower and upper flammability limit.
  • Flash point.
  • Auto-ignition temperature.
  • Decomposition temperature.
  • Ph.
  • Kinematic viscosity.
  • Solubility.
  • Partition coefficient — n-octanol/water (logarithmic value).
  • Vapour pressure.
  • Density and relative density.
  • Relative vapour density.
  • (r) Particle characteristics.
 10 Stability & Reactivity
  • Reactivity.
  • Chemical stability.
  • Possibility of hazardous reactions.
  • Conditions to avoid (e.g., static discharge, shock, or vibration).
  • Incompatible materials.
  • Hazardous decomposition products.
 11 Toxicological Information
  • Information on likely routes of exposure (inhalation, ingestion, skin and eye contact).
  • Symptoms related to physical, chemical, and toxicological characteristics.
  • Delayed and immediate effects, and chronic effects from short-term and long-term exposure.
  • Numerical measures of toxicity.
  • Data used to identify above effects.
 12 Ecological Information(4)
  • Ecotoxicity.
  • Persistence and degradability.
  • Bio accumulative potential.
  • Mobility in soil.
  • Other adverse effects.
 13 Disposal Considerations(4) Information on safe handling for disposal and methods of disposal, including any contaminated packaging.
 14 Transport Information(4)
  • UN number.
  • United Nations proper shipping name as provided for in the United Nations Model Regulations.
  • Transport hazard class as provided in the United Nations Model Regulations.
  • Packing group as provided in the United Nations Model Regulations.
  • Environmental hazards according to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code and the United Nations Model Regulations.
  • Special precautions in connection with transport or conveyance either within or outside the premises.
 15 Regulatory Information(4) Environment, health and safety regulations specific to product.
 16 Other Information Date SDS was most recently revised.

Notes

(1) Rule: Must list initial supplier identifier, i.e., name, address, and telephone number of either the Canadian manufacturer or Canadian importer. Exception 1: If a hazardous product is being sold by a distributor, the distributor may replace the name, address, and telephone number of the initial supplier with its own contact information. Exception 2: If an importer imports a hazardous product for use in its own workplace in Canada, i.e., the importer isn’t selling the hazardous product), the importer may retain the name, address and telephone number of the foreign supplier on the SDS instead of replacing it with its own contact information.

(2) These impurities and stabilizing products are those that are classified in a health hazard class and contribute to the classification of the material or substance.

(3) Each ingredient in the mixture must be listed if it’s classified in a health hazard class and present above the concentration limit designated for that hazard class or present in the mixture at a concentration that results in the mixture being classified in any health hazard class.

(4) Supplier has the option to list the information in these Sections but must display the Section heading regardless of whether the information is provided.