Your quick guide to navigating safety data sheets (SDS).

Not sure how to store a specific reagent or safely dispose of one? Need to know if a certain chemical may be hazardous? Maybe you need to send a solution to another lab and aren’t sure how to safely transport it. In these cases, the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is the place to look. An SDS is a detailed document created for any chemical that poses a health or safety risk. Not every product will have one – if it doesn’t contain hazardous components, an SDS isn’t required. While these documents can sometimes be long and tricky to navigate, they all follow a standard format to make it easier to find what you’re looking for. Here’s a quick breakdown of key sections and tips to understand the information.

Section 1: Identification – Provides product details, its intended use, and supplier information.

Section 3: Composition/Information on Ingredients – Lists hazardous ingredients and their concentrations, typically shown as w/w % (weight of solute in grams per 100 grams of solution). If an ingredient isn’t hazardous, it won’t be listed. Only hazardous ingredients that make up 1% or more of a solution are listed on an SDS, in accordance with OSHA regulations, not StatLab policy. Therefore, SDSs aren’t a great place to find stain recipes. Check the product label for specific ingredients, or the IFU (Instructions for Use) for procedures.

Non-hazardous components like distilled water and solid items like cassettes and slides do not require SDSs.

Section 4: First Aid Measures – Check here for what to do if the product is accidentally inhaled, ingested, or comes into contact with skin or eyes.

Section 7: Handling and Storage – Outlines proper storage conditions, including whether it needs to be stored in a fireproof cabinet or away from incompatible materials.

Section 13: Disposal Considerations – Offers general guidance for waste disposal. Since disposal regulations vary by region, it’s good to check SOPs already in place or ask your safety or environmental officer for guidelines on disposal.

What else do you need to know?

Hazard Categories
Be aware of which hazard categories and scores are used on each SDS. OSHA scores and NFPA scores are different:
OSHA HazCom Categories: Informs workers of hazards of chemicals under normal conditions of use.
1-4: 1 – most hazardous to 4
Will be in a rectangular box

NFPA Categories: Basic information for emergency personnel responding or planning for
emergency response.
0-4: 0 – least hazardous to 4 - most hazardous
Will be shaped like a diamond. This is what is used by StatLab.