Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS) Translation

Each safety data sheet follows a fixed structure of 16 sections, defined by Annex II of the REACH Regulation (amended by Regulation 2020/878). The translation must respect the order, titles and expected content in each section: identification of the substance and supplier, hazard identification, composition, first aid measures, firefighting measures, accidental release measures, handling and storage, exposure controls and personal protection, physical and chemical properties, stability and reactivity, toxicological information, ecological information, disposal considerations, transport information, regulatory information and other information.

Our translators know the terminological conventions of each section and ensure that titles are translated in accordance with the official regulatory texts in each language. Section 2 (hazard identification) and section 8 (exposure controls) require particular attention, as they contain H and P statements, occupational exposure limit values and personal protective equipment indications that must be translated with the exact terminology of local legislation.

Although the GHS provides a harmonised foundation, specific requirements vary by jurisdiction. In the European Union, CLP and REACH define the framework, but each Member State may have additional requirements regarding occupational exposure limits, national hazard classifications or registration requirements with local authorities (for example, poison centres). In the UK, HSE enforces the GB CLP framework with its own workplace exposure limits (WELs). In the US, the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) aligns with GHS but has differences in sections 12 to 15, which are not mandatory under OSHA but are required in other jurisdictions.

M21Industry understands these differences and adapts each SDS to the target market. When a manufacturer needs SDS for multiple jurisdictions, we produce market-specific versions, ensuring that occupational exposure limits reflect local legislation (MAK values in Germany, WELs in the UK, TLVs in the US), that the format of section 15 (regulatory information) includes the applicable national regulatory references and that transport information in section 14 follows local conventions.