The Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(1)) states: “Chemical manufacturers and importers shall obtain or develop a safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical they produce or import. Employers shall have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they use.” Each data sheet must include the following sections and headings, and the associated information under each heading (Appendix D to §1910.1200—Safety Data Sheets specifies the minimum mandatory content for each section):
In order for these SDSs to be available to customers, manufacturers and distributors of the chemicals provide access to them on their websites.
Companies that manufacture chemicals are required to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals and create Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) — previously referred to as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) — to communicate those hazards to their consumers. Most, if not all such companies, make their SDSs available on their websites. Depending on the company, the location of the SDSs may be easier or more difficult to find. A relatively easy way to find them, without clicking all around the company's website, is to use your favorite search engine and search for "company-name SDS" (for example, "exxonmobil SDS") or "company-name MSDS" (for example, "exxonmobil MSDS"). Here are the URLs of the SDS search for a few major companies:
3M – Search by product name, product number, product UPC, or 3M ID number.
BASF – Search by product name or product information; browse by product.
Dow Corning – Search by product name, product number, or product description.
ExxonMobil – Search by product name, trade name, or product code.
Shell – Search by product code, product name, product acronym, SDS number, or CAS number.
Many chemical manufacturing and distribution companies also have SDSs available for a wide variety of substances. If the information you need is not company-specific, you can use your favorite search engine and search for "chemical-name SDS" (for example, "dichloromethane sds") or "chemical-name MSDS" (for example, "dichloromethane msds"). You can also search for the chemical name in the search bar on the websites for these companies. Here are the URLs for a few major chemical companies:
Sigma-Aldrich – Search for "Product" by product name, product number, or CAS number. Each listed result should have a SDS file available.
There is also a more advanced product search for very specific identifying information.
Fisher Scientific – Search by Fisher Scientific catalog number, CAS number, chemical name or supplier part number. Click on the Fisher Scientific catalog number of any result to open its SDS as a PDF in a new window.
Flinn Scientific – Search by chemical name or item number. When you click on an item that matches what you're looking for, there is a button labeled "View SDS" that will launch the SDS as a PDF for that material on the item's page.
There are several search websites that include very large collections of SDSs from numerous manufacturers. They vary in how complete their collection and how current the versions of SDSs they include.
Chemical Safety – Search by product keyword, manufacturer keyword, or CAS number.
Note: Chemical Safety’s Global database may contain SDS that have been discontinued or have an outdated version. It is up to the user to double-check directly with the manufacturer to make sure they are acquiring the latest SDS per product.
MSDS Digital: Online (M)SDS Search – Search by product name followed by MSDS or SDS. This search engine “crawl[s] the internet [and] brings back filtered results to the top of the list for msds sheets and sds sheets.”
MSDS Digital: (M)SDS Online Database – This is a collection of over 130,000 MSDSs and SDSs. The list can be sorted by product, manufacturer, or date the SDS was included. It built on queries submitted to their online search engine.
Verisk 3E SDS Search – Search by product keyword or manufacturer keyword. You must register to view documents. [Currently a new version is being developed, and all you will get is a search results list. You can't view product records or SDSs.]
Consumer Products Information Database – This database provides information on health effects and on safety and handling of household products, taken from the product label and/or MSDS/SDS. Some have links to the actual MSDS/SDS. The database can be browsed by products, manufacturers, and ingredients, or searched by health effects or first aid.
Note: This database was the source of information that was once hosted by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) of the National Institute of Health (NIH) as the "Household Products Database."
The design of this page was partly adapted from Research: By Course, Subject, or Topic, by University of Arizona Libraries, © 2020 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.