How Often Should a Safety Data Sheet Be Updated?

Most regulations do not give a Safety Data Sheet a fixed expiry date. Instead they require it to be accurate, which means it must be updated when something that affects it changes. A regular review is how you notice that something has.

Events that require an update

• New hazard information: new toxicology or ecotoxicology data, a change in a harmonised classification, or newly identified hazards.
• A change to the formulation or to an ingredient, supplier or concentration that affects the composition or classification.
• A change in regulations, such as a new revision of the GHS being adopted, a new limit value, or new restrictions.
• A change in recommended uses, packaging or transport classification.
• Corrections of errors or omissions that you find.

What the rules say

In the United States, chemical manufacturers and importers must update the SDS within three months of becoming aware of new significant hazard information. In the EU and UK, the supplier must update the SDS without delay when new information becomes available that may affect risk management measures or when the substance is authorised or restricted. See OSHA HazCom requirements and EU CLP and REACH requirements.

A sensible review routine

Many companies review each SDS every three to five years even if nothing obvious has changed, and sooner after major regulatory changes. This is common practice rather than a legal rule. Use it as a minimum and set a reminder.

What to do when you update

• Record the new revision date and a version number in Section 16.
• Note what changed so customers can see it.
• Send the new version to customers who received the old one, as required where the change is significant.
• Keep earlier versions so you can show what applied at the time of each shipment.
• Update the label if the classification changed, so the two stay consistent.

Version control makes this practical

Keeping product data in one place and regenerating the SDS and label from it avoids copy-and-edit drift. Look for a workflow that keeps a record of each version.