Why Do Some MSDSs Look So Different?

When looking at material safety data sheets, or MSDSs, you may notice that they don’t all look the same. This often seems odd to many people because when it comes to safety information, most things try to fit into specific standards so that they can be used easily across multiple different industries. The reason why some MSDSs look so different is because of what is legally required to be on these sheets and how they are made.

In general, the manufacturer of a chemical is going to be responsible for creating an MSDS. Most facilities that use the various chemicals will either be given the sheets by the manufacturer or they will download them and print them off to keep them on site. Either way, it is up to the manufacturer to create the sheet itself. While all chemical manufacturers and suppliers will include all of the information that is legally required to be on an MSDS, many will go beyond this minimum requirement and add additional information.

There are a lot of optional items that can be added to these sheets. The more that a supplier or manufacturer adds to the sheet, the more it will look different from the standard. This is why you can even get an MSDS from two or more different chemical manufacturers for the same chemical, and see differences in the MSDS. The important thing is to make sure that you have an approved MSDS on site and that it is available for your employees to read.