Material safety data sheet (MSDS) to safety data sheet (SDS) conversion will be a very real part of the business plan for coatings manufacturers in the upcoming year. The June 1, 2015 deadline is less than a year away, and every hazardous chemical that a company uses must be classified, relabeled and given a new safety data sheet to match the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).
In addition to modifications in classification and labeling, converting from the MSDS format to the new GHS-based SDS format requires new pictograms, terminology and 16 sections calling for specific chemical information.