A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a manufacturer/importer’s informational document produced for chemicals that describes their hazards, chemical and physical properties, and recommended precautions for handling and storage.
Information on how to read an SDS is available at OSHA’s Hazard Communication website. (EHS has also published its own SDS Guide.) Below are several links to SDS databases and other toxicological and hazard information resources. LBNL’s preferred source of SDSs is the ChemWatch (GoldFFX) Safety Data Sheets database. LBNL personnel may also obtain SDSs from chemical manufacturers’ websites and other credible online resources.
If an SDS for a chemical or product cannot be located, immediately contact the EHS Health and Safety Representative providing service to your Division to provide assistance. Within 7 working days, EHS will send a written request to the party responsible for the SDS (the manufacturer or importer of the chemical) for a complete SDS. You will be notified of the availability of the safety data sheet within 15 days of receipt from the manufacturer, producer, or seller. Personnel are requested to forward copies of SDSs obtained from manufacturers and other sources to chemsafety@lbl.gov for uploading to the online ChemWatch database.
SDS Resources
- ChemWatch (GoldFFX) Safety Datasheets
- GoldFFX Quick Start Guide
- SDSs for Janitorial and Household Products
- Sigma-Aldrich
- Interactive Learning Paradigms Incorporated (ILPI)
- LBNL SDS Guide
Toxicological Databases, Carcinogen Lists, Chemical Fact Sheets and Other Chemical Safety Information Sites
- UCOP-Provided Resources
- The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
- National Toxicology Program (NTP) Report on Carcinogens
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
- UC Center for Lab Safety
- Cameo Chemicals
- GHS Classification Hazard Class Pictograms, Hazard Statements, and Precautionary Statements
