SDS, GHS and chemical inventories explained: the 16 sections and how they fit together

GHS is the international system for classifying and labeling chemicals. A safety data sheet (SDS) is the 16-section document that carries that information to the people who use the chemical. A chemical inventory is the list of what you hold on site. This guide explains each one and shows how they work together.

What is GHS?

GHS stands for the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. The United Nations developed it so that countries describe chemical hazards in the same way. It sets common rules for classifying hazards, labeling containers and writing safety data sheets.

GHS is not a law by itself. Each country adopts it into its own rules, and some adopt different revisions or only parts of it. The US applies it through the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200). Great Britain applies it through GB CLP and the EU applies it through the CLP Regulation. Check the rules for every country where you operate.

The three parts of GHS

• Classification: sorting a chemical into hazard classes and categories, such as flammable liquids or acute toxicity
• Labeling: putting standard elements on the container
• Safety data sheets: giving a standard 16-section document to users

Hazard classes

Group	Examples
Physical hazards	Explosives, flammable gases and liquids, oxidizers, corrosive to metals
Health hazards	Acute toxicity, skin corrosion, eye damage, respiratory sensitization, carcinogenicity
Environmental hazards	Hazardous to the aquatic environment

GHS label elements

• Product identifier: the name or number of the chemical
• Signal word: Danger for more severe hazards or Warning for less severe ones
• Hazard statements: standard phrases such as Highly flammable liquid and vapor
• Precautionary statements: advice on prevention, response, storage and disposal
• Pictograms: red-bordered diamond symbols, with nine in total
• Supplier identification: name, address and phone number

Labels on workplace containers must match the hazard information on the SDS. If you decant a chemical into another container, label that container as well.

What is a chemical inventory?

A chemical inventory is a current list of every hazardous chemical stored or used at a site. It is the starting point for chemical safety because you cannot manage what you have not recorded.

What a chemical inventory records

• Product name and supplier
• Where it is stored and used
• Maximum quantity held
• Container size and type
• Hazard classes and pictograms
• Link to the current SDS
• Responsible person or department

Why keep an inventory

• Safety: responders and workers know what is on site and where
• Compliance: it supports hazard communication duties and the chemical risk assessment
• Emergency planning: it shows which chemicals need specific response steps
• Reporting: some rules require reports when quantities pass set thresholds
• Cost: it reveals duplicates and expired stock

How to keep it accurate

• Check new chemicals before they enter site, and record them on arrival
• Walk the site on a schedule and compare what you see to the list
• Remove items that have been used up or disposed of
• Review SDS versions when suppliers issue updates
• Assign an owner for each storage area

Spreadsheets work for small sites but get out of date quickly across several locations. Ideagen's article on how comprehensive chemical management software supports the entire chemical lifecycle describes how software can support this work from purchase through to disposal.

The 16 sections of an SDS

A safety data sheet is a standard document from the supplier that explains a chemical's hazards and how to handle it safely. GHS sets a 16-section format, and the order is the same for every chemical. Sections 1 to 8 cover emergency use and handling. Sections 9 to 11 give technical data. Sections 12 to 16 add environmental and regulatory detail.

Section	Title	What it tells you
1	Identification	Product name, supplier details, emergency phone number and recommended use
2	Hazard identification	Classification, label elements, signal word and hazard statements
3	Composition and information on ingredients	Chemical names and concentrations of hazardous ingredients
4	First-aid measures	What to do after inhalation, skin or eye contact or swallowing
5	Fire-fighting measures	Suitable extinguishing media and hazards from combustion
6	Accidental release measures	Spill clean-up steps, protective equipment and containment
7	Handling and storage	Safe handling practices and storage conditions, including incompatibilities
8	Exposure controls and personal protection	Exposure limits, engineering controls and PPE
9	Physical and chemical properties	Appearance, odor, flash point, pH and boiling point
10	Stability and reactivity	Conditions to avoid and incompatible materials
11	Toxicological information	Health effects, routes of exposure and toxicity data
12	Ecological information	Effects on aquatic life, persistence and bioaccumulation
13	Disposal considerations	Safe disposal methods and waste handling
14	Transport information	UN number, shipping name and transport hazard class
15	Regulatory information	Safety, health and environmental rules that apply
16	Other information	Date of preparation or last revision and other notes

In the US, OSHA requires sections 1 to 11 and 16 to be present and does not enforce the content of sections 12 to 15. The sections must still appear in the standard order, so the sheet is complete for international use.

Sections to read first

• Section 2 to understand the hazards
• Section 4 to know what to do if someone is exposed
• Section 5 and section 6 for fire and spill response
• Section 7 and section 8 for storage and PPE

Keeping SDSs available and current

• Make SDSs accessible to workers in every work area during their shift
• Match each SDS to a product in the inventory
• Replace the SDS when the supplier issues a new version
• Check that SDSs are in the language workers read
• Remove old versions so nobody relies on them

Large sites can hold hundreds or thousands of SDSs, and keeping them current is a steady task. Ideagen's guide to SDS management software for US manufacturers looks at how teams manage that workload.

How GHS, SDSs and inventories fit together

Item	Role	Question it answers
GHS	The common rules for hazard classification, labels and SDS format	How can every country describe chemical hazards the same way?
SDS	The detailed document for each chemical	What are this chemical's hazards and how should it be handled?
Chemical inventory	The site-level list of chemicals held	What chemicals does the site hold, how much and where?

The inventory tells you which chemicals to manage. The SDS tells you how to manage each one. GHS makes sure the labels and SDSs follow a common format. Together they feed risk assessments, training, storage rules and emergency plans.

Frequently asked questions

What does GHS stand for?

GHS stands for the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.

What is the difference between an SDS and an MSDS?

MSDS is the older term for a material safety data sheet. SDS is the current GHS term, and the SDS has a fixed 16-section format.

How many pictograms does GHS use?

GHS has nine pictograms. Some, such as the environment pictogram, are not mandatory in every country.

Who must provide an SDS?

The chemical manufacturer or supplier must provide it. Employers must keep it available to workers who use the chemical.

How often should a chemical inventory be reviewed?

Review it at least once a year and whenever chemicals are added or removed.