Safety data sheets (SDSs) tell you what a hazardous substance can do to people and the environment and how to use, store and dispose of it safely. Every PCBU with hazardous substances at work needs a current SDS for almost every one of them. The people using those substances need to know how to read it.
Understanding Safety Data Sheets
Knowing the hazards of the chemicals used or stored at work is the starting point for keeping people safe around them. That's the job safety data sheets do.
What are Safety Data Sheets?
Safety data sheets are documents prepared by the manufacturer, importer or supplier of a hazardous substance. They set out its hazards and how to handle, store and dispose of it safely, giving workers the information they need to manage the risks.
Picture a laboratory where scientists work with a range of chemicals. Without knowing the hazards of each one they'd be putting themselves and others at risk. With the SDS in hand they can see each chemical's properties, dangers and precautions and get on with the work safely.
The Role of Safety Data Sheets in the Workplace
Safety data sheets give PCBUs and workers the information they need to identify the risks of a hazardous substance and put the right controls in place. They're the reference point for its properties, dangers and precautions. They also feed directly into the duties in the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017.
In a manufacturing plant that handles a wide range of chemicals, each with its own hazards, the SDS acts as a guidebook. It tells workers which personal protective equipment to use and how to store and dispose of each substance, so they can make informed decisions about their own safety.
Safety data sheets also guide the response to spills, accidents and other emergencies involving hazardous substances. That's why the SDS has to be readily accessible at the workplace and not locked away in an office, so workers and emergency services can act quickly.
If a chemical spill happens in a laboratory and nobody knows how to handle it safely, the situation can escalate quickly. With the SDS to hand people can follow the right procedure, limit the harm and respond swiftly.
Safety data sheets only protect people when they're actually used. Read properly, they give workers the knowledge to handle hazardous substances responsibly and help PCBUs and workers keep the workplace safe.
The Legal Requirements for Safety Data Sheets
In New Zealand two sets of rules apply to safety data sheets. The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO) and the EPA's Safety Data Sheets Notice set what an SDS must contain and require importers, manufacturers and suppliers to provide one. The Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017 set what a PCBU must do with them at the workplace.
At the workplace a PCBU must get an SDS for every hazardous substance when it's first supplied, when it's first supplied after its SDS has changed and when five years have passed since it was last supplied. The SDS or a condensed version must be readily accessible to workers, to emergency service workers who could be exposed in an emergency and to anyone else who could be exposed. Consumer products used at work the way you'd use them at home don't need one.
Safety data sheets cover the safe handling, storage and transport of a substance. They describe its hazards along with the protective measures and emergency procedures that go with them.
Safety data sheets aren't static and they change as the information behind them changes. Suppliers update them when a substance's composition or hazard information changes. When an updated SDS arrives with your next delivery, swap it in so decisions are made on accurate information.
Meeting these requirements is a legal duty and it also protects people and the environment. Accurate safety data sheets, used properly, are one of the simplest ways to manage the risks of hazardous substances.
The Structure and Content of Safety Data Sheets
Knowing how a safety data sheet is laid out makes it much quicker to find what you need.
The 16 Sections of a Safety Data Sheet
Safety data sheets are divided into 16 sections, each serving a specific purpose:
Identification of the substance or mixture and its supplier
Hazards identification
Composition/information on ingredients
First aid measures
Firefighting measures
Accidental release measures
Handling and storage
Exposure controls/personal protection
Physical and chemical properties
Stability and reactivity
Toxicological information
Ecological information
Disposal considerations
Transport information
Regulatory information
Other relevant information
These sections provide comprehensive details about the chemical composition, hazards, handling procedures, and other relevant information necessary for safe chemical management.
Interpreting the Information on a Safety Data Sheet
Reading a safety data sheet well means paying close attention to the hazards, precautions and control measures in each section. Look for the signal word, the hazard pictograms and the precautionary statements. Together they show how serious the risk is and which controls to put in place.
It also helps to know the abbreviations and acronyms that turn up in safety data sheets so nothing important gets misread.
The Benefits of Safety Data Sheets for Workplace Safety
Used well, safety data sheets bring several benefits for workplace safety and help keep hazards under control.
Preventing Accidents and Injuries
Accurate information about hazardous substances lets PCBUs and workers identify the risks and control them. Clear instructions on handling, storage and disposal reduce the chance of injuries, ill health or incidents caused by misuse or exposure.
Ensuring Safe Handling and Storage of Chemicals
Following the handling and storage procedures in the SDS means hazardous substances are managed properly and the risk of spills, leaks or other incidents drops.
The SDS also tells you which personal protective equipment (PPE) is needed for each chemical, remembering that PPE is the last line of defence once other controls are in place.
Training Employees on Safety Data Sheets
Training workers to use safety data sheets is part of the job. WorkSafe puts it on the PCBU to make sure workers understand how to use an SDS, so they can handle hazardous substances safely and respond properly when something goes wrong.
The Importance of Training
Workers need to understand the information in an SDS and apply it to the tasks they actually do. Knowing how to identify, assess and control the risks of a hazardous substance helps them protect themselves, their colleagues and the workplace.
Good training also gives workers the confidence to follow the SDS and make sound decisions when they're working with hazardous chemicals.
Best Practices for Safety Data Sheet Training
These practices help safety data sheet training stick with workers:
Use interactive methods such as hands-on demonstrations, case studies and group discussions.
Keep training materials short, clear and easy to find for future reference.
Update your training when regulations change or better practice emerges.
Get workers involved in the training to build a workplace where safety matters to everyone.
Give workers time to ask questions and clear up anything in the training they're unsure about.
Put these practices in place and your training will do more than tick a box. Workers will understand why safety data sheets matter and how to use them on the job.
Conclusion
Safety data sheets are one of the most practical tools a workplace has for managing hazardous substances. Understanding what they're for, meeting the legal requirements, reading them properly and training workers to use them all help keep people safe.
PCBUs that keep their safety data sheets current and invest in training protect their workers, prevent harm and build a stronger safety culture.
Safety Data Sheets in the Folder and in the Hand
In Raise the Standard I describe F.E.E.D., the engine that keeps a safety system honest once it's built. The second E stands for Evidence: proof that a control genuinely works, not just proof that it's present.
Safety data sheets are a good test of that difference. A folder holding an SDS for every substance on the register shows the control is present. Evidence is the worker at the bench who can tell you where the SDS is kept, what PPE it calls for and what to do if a container splits.
So next time you walk the site, pick one substance and ask the person using it to show you its SDS. How long it takes them to find it tells you more than the register ever will.
The free G.A.P.E. Self-Assessment takes the same idea across your whole system, comparing what leaders believe, what the documents say, what people actually do and what you could prove.
Frequently Asked Questions About Safety Data Sheets
Who is responsible for providing safety data sheets in NZ?
Importers, manufacturers and suppliers of hazardous substances must provide a safety data sheet that meets the EPA's requirements under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996. At the workplace the PCBU must obtain the SDS for each hazardous substance and make sure it's readily accessible. If a supplier doesn't give you one, ask them for it.
How often do safety data sheets need to be updated?
WorkSafe says a PCBU must get an SDS when a substance is first supplied to the workplace, when it's first supplied after its SDS has changed and when five years have passed since it was last supplied. In practice, check the date on each SDS when you review your hazardous substances inventory and ask the supplier for the current version of anything that looks out of date.
Where should safety data sheets be kept?
Safety data sheets or a condensed version must be readily accessible to workers, to emergency service workers who could be exposed in an emergency and to anyone else who could be exposed. WorkSafe advises against locking them away and to make sure people know where they are. Paper copies near where substances are used or stored work well, as does an electronic system workers can reach on site.
About the Author
Matt Jones is the founder of Advanced Safety and a HASANZ-registered health and safety consultant. He's a Professional Member of NZISM and holds a Graduate Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health.
He created Compliance Compass, the independent audit Advanced Safety uses to show leaders what's actually happening on site against what the documents say. The thinking behind it sits in his book Raise the Standard: Why Good Organisations Go Blind and How Leaders Restore Visibility, built on three frameworks: G.A.P.E.™ finds where visibility is lost, S.A.F.E.T.Y.™ designs the leadership architecture that closes the gap and F.E.E.D.™ keeps it closed.
He also hosts the Health & Safety Unplugged podcast.
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Latest update: 5 November 2026
