Safety Data Sheet (SDS)/WHMIS Label Request to Supplier

Revising, correcting, and replacing SDSs and WHMIS labels is a perennial challenge for OHS coordinators. There’s also an immediate issue to consider. Starting January 1, 2026, all SDSs must comply with the revised GHS 7 requirements affecting the hazard information listed in Sections 9 and 14 of the document. Hopefully, the SDSs in your current binders and electronic systems are good to go. If not, you’ll have to reach out to your suppliers for the new GHS 7-compliant versions much the way you did when the original GHS SDS and supplier label rules took effect back in 2018. If suppliers don’t cooperate, you could be left out on a limb. To guard against liability for WHMIS violations, you’ll need to be able to show that you took reasonable efforts to obtain the updated SDSs from your supplier.

While the current transition to GHS 7 is the immediate concern, these same principles apply any time you need to obtain missing, revised, or corrected SDSs and WHMIS labels from your suppliers.  Here’s a Written Request Template you can adapt for these situations.

MODEL WRITTEN REQUEST TO SUPPLIER FOR GHS-COMPLIANT SDS/WHMIS SUPPLIER LABEL 

[Your company letterhead]

Date

Via Regular Mail

Cam Mickel, Distribution Manager

Hazardous Products Chemical Suppliers (HPCS)

123 Toxic Drive

Any Town, Province 666666

Re: Request for Safety Data Sheet/GHS Supplier Label

Dear Cam:

On [date], we received a shipment from you containing 36 barrels of Chloroform, Technical Alcohol Free, a chemical designated as a hazardous product under the federal Hazardous Product Act and associated regulations. With the shipment, you included a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) listing safety information about the product.

While we appreciate the service, we are also concerned that the SDS you provided lists the information and follows the format required for an SDS under the previous WHMIS rules, which was based on GHS 5. As you know, effective April 4, 2023, suppliers are required to furnish an SDS that complies with new Hazardous Product Regulations governing the information listed in Section 9 and Section 14 of the document in accordance with GHS 7. The transition from GHS 5 to GHS 7-compliant SDSs must be completed by January 1, 2026. Accordingly, we need you to send us the revised GHS 7 version of the SDS as soon as possible.

Having done business with HCPS for so many years, we are sure that there is a simple and reasonable explanation for the delay, if there is even such a delay. Nevertheless, we do need either the revised documents or your assurances that you will provide them to us before January 1.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Very truly yours,

Ethel Lean

OHS Director

ABC Company

Signature: ______________________________________