Creation of safety data sheets
You need up-to-date and legally compliant safety data sheets so that your chemical products can go on their travels.
With our in-house software solution, the UHCS*, we create and maintain your safety data sheets (SDS) for the EU area and combine them with corresponding exposure scenarios (eSDS) in accordance with the REACH regulation if required. You can access your documents at any time via a clear, easy-to-use application. The transfer of product data and documents to or from your IT system can be realised quickly thanks to innovative solutions.
With us, your safety data sheets are in the best hands!
*The UMCO Hazard Communication System(UHCS) is a software solution developed and continuously expanded by us.
This is why we are the right choice for you
"Increasing regulatory complexity, high documentation requirements, rapid availability of information and data: These are just some of the current challenges facing trade and the chemical industry. We know that hazardous substance management does not end with the validation, creation and maintenance of safety data sheets and our modular adapter and software solutions make you fit for the future. Customised, strategic, Hanseatic and SME-oriented, we develop the optimum long-term solution for you!"
Dr Clemens Jochem | Head of Business Unit Development and Product Management in Hazardous Substance Management
Questions & Answers about SDSs
A safety data sheet (SDS) is a technical document that provides information on the properties of a chemical substance or mixture to ensure its safe handling. It serves as a primary communication tool between manufacturers, suppliers and users by providing important details about potential hazards, protective measures and handling guidelines.
An SDS consists of 16 sections, which are specified in the EU by REACH Annex II. These cover all the information necessary for professional users to protect health and the environment and are an essential source for workplace safety and the correct behaviour in an emergency.
The REACH Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) is the central law in the EU for chemicals and their safe use. Article 31 of the REACH Regulation (EC No. 1907/2006) regulates the specific requirements for the provision of safety data sheets for substances and mixtures in the European Union. Manufacturers, importers and downstream users of chemicals must provide a safety data sheet if substances or mixtures are classified as hazardous.
Important obligations are therefore the provision of a safety data sheet upon the first delivery of a hazardous substance or mixture in the respective official language(s) of the respective EU member state and its regular updating as soon as new information on the hazards posed by the product or its ingredients becomes available.
The CLP Regulation (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) supplements REACH and regulates the classification, labelling and packaging of chemical substances and mixtures. It is based on the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and ensures that chemicals are labelled uniformly. Classification in accordance with CLP is the basis for the creation of safety data sheets, as the hazard classes and categories must be specified in the safety data sheets in accordance with CLP. In particular, the hazard pictograms, signal words, hazard and safety statements (H and P phrases) must be mentioned.
A safety data sheet contains 16 standardised sections:
- Name of the substance or mixture and company name:
Information such as product name, manufacturer/supplier with contact details, uses of the substance or mixture and an emergency telephone number - Potential hazards:
Physical, health and/or environmental hazards posed by the substance or mixture and labelling elements such as hazard pictograms and statements - Composition/information on ingredients:
List of ingredients to be mentioned according to Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH) Annex II, including impurities and additives, and information on their concentrations and hazards - First aid measures:
Instructions for first aid in case of contact with the chemical e.g. measures for skin cleansing or eye rinsing and any necessary measures after inhalation or ingestion - Fire fighting measures:
Firefighting information such as suitable extinguishing agents and special precautions - Accidental release measures:
Recommendations for handling leaks or spills of the substance/mixture, including instructions for clean-up and disposal - Handling and storage:
Information on safe handling and storage of the substance/mixture, including special precautions and storage conditions - Exposure controls/personal protective equipment:
Indication of exposure limits, engineering controls and recommendations for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as protective gloves, goggles and respirators - Physical and chemical properties:
Information on basic physical and chemical properties - Stability and reactivity:
Possibility of hazardous reactions, conditions to avoid, incompatible materials, hazardous decomposition products - Toxicological information:
Information on the toxicological effects of the substance
or mixture on humans - Environmental information:
Information on the effects of the substance or mixture on the environment. - Disposal considerations:
Waste treatment methods - Transport information:
UN number or ID number, information on transport conditions - Legal regulations:
Safety, health and environmental regulations/legislation specific for the substance or mixture - Other information:
Any other information not previously listed but which may be relevant to the safety of the user (e.g. training advice, recommended restriction of use, listing of full H-phrases)
The safety data sheet is a central element in the chemical supply chain, as it systematically passes on comprehensive information about the hazards, handling and protective measures of a product. It ensures that all stakeholders, from manufacturers and suppliers to transporters and end users, are informed about the risks of a chemical substance or mixture and can take appropriate measures to protect people and the environment.
Throughout the supply chain, the SDS helps to clearly communicate health, physical and environmental hazards. This is particularly important as every actor who comes into contact with the product must take specific safety precautions, for example during storage, transport or use. This prevents risks arising from ignorance or a lack of information. The SDS ensures a high degree of transparency and safety, particularly with regard to the different safety requirements along the production and utilisation chain.
According to the REACH Regulation, safety data sheets may only be prepared by competent persons.