Understanding Safety Data Sheets (SDS) & New Zealand’s Move to GHS7: Essential Safety for the Cleaning, Restoration, and Pest Industry...
As a leading chemical supplier to the New Zealand Cleaning, Restoration, and Pest Control Network, we know that the ultimate goal of every safety document is to protect people and the environment.
This is why understanding Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and the Globally Harmonised System (GHS) is non-negotiable for professionals handling hazardous substances.
New Zealand’s Adoption of GHS7 for Hazardous Substances
New Zealand has fully transitioned to the Global Harmonised System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals within its national Hazardous Substances Chemical Information System. This shift is crucial for maintaining safety standards in the cleaning, restoration, and pest control sectors.
The GHS is an internationally recognised framework designed to classify hazardous chemicals based on their health, physical, and environmental risks. It assigns clear hazard symbols and statements to substances, ensuring users immediately understand the potential dangers associated with handling or exposure.
New Zealand has adopted GHS7, the seventh revision of the system. This move supports:
- Consistent Chemical Classification: Aligning New Zealand’s standards with global practice.
- Clearer Hazard Communication: Minimising the risk of confusion from inconsistent labels or safety data across different suppliers or countries.
- Appropriate Management: Ensuring all hazardous substances are correctly identified and managed, a core requirement for our professional customers.
Why GHS Standards Matter for SDS and Labelling
GHS7 significantly enhances both workplace and consumer safety by providing a standardised format for Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and chemical labels. These standardised tools are how we communicate crucial hazard information—ensuring everyone involved, from our supply chain operators to the end-user cleaning or performing restoration work, knows exactly what they’re dealing with and how to handle it safely.
By following this globally consistent set of rules, we, and you, can reduce miscommunication and better protect people and the environment.
The Globally Harmonised System (GHS) is more than just compliance or paperwork. It’s about clear, accessible safety communication, ensuring that everyone involved in the life cycle of our chemical products knows exactly what they are handling and how to do so safely.
By setting global rules for chemical classification and labelling, GHS helps:
- Protect workers from hidden or unseen hazards.
- Clearly outline chemical properties and provide essential information to mitigate risks and ensure safe handling.
- Prevent accidents through proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use and knowledge of emergency response.
- Minimise transport risks, ensuring safe delivery and clear hazard identification for handlers.
- Specify protective measures such as first aid, emergency response, spill cleanup, and firefighting guidance.
- Support safer waste disposal to protect our environment.
What is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)? And How to Use Them
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS), formerly known as a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), is a detailed, 16-section document that provides vital information about a chemical product. It outlines the product’s properties, hazards, safe usage, handling, transportation, and disposal procedures. 
SDSs are a critical part of workplace safety and are required by law in New Zealand under the GHS framework. As the New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority states, “Safety data sheets are designed to protect the health and safety of people in the workplace.”
To find the appropriate SDS for Cleaning Systems Ltd chemical products; look out for and click on the following linked button:
What Information Does an SDS Include?
Each SDS contains 16 standardized sections to ensure all essential information is easy to find:
- Material and Supply Company Identification: Product name, recommended use, manufacturer’s name, and emergency contact numbers.
- Hazards Identification: Details on the hazard classification, physical, health, and environmental hazards. This includes signal words (“Danger” or “Warning”) and the dangerous goods classification.
- Composition Information: A list of chemical ingredients and their percentage proportion.
- First Aid Measures: Treatment recommendations for different exposure routes (skin, inhalation, eye, ingestion).
- Fire Fighting Measures: Information on appropriate extinguishing agents and fire hazards.
- Accidental Release Measures: Emergency Procedures for spills or leaks, including containment, cleanup, and disposal.
- Handling and Storage: Safe handling practices and proper storage requirements (e.g., temperature).
- Exposure Controls/Personal Protection: Information on recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like gloves, goggles, or respirators, and necessary engineering controls.
- Physical and Chemical Properties: Details on the substance’s physical state, colour, odour, boiling point, pH level, and other relevant properties.
- Stability and Reactivity: Information on the chemical’s stability and potential reactions with other substances.
- Toxicological Information: Information on the substance’s toxicity and potential health effects from exposure.
- Ecological Information: Details on the substance’s environmental impact.
- Disposal Considerations: Recommendations for the proper disposal of the substance and its container.
- Transport Information: Guidelines for the safe transport of the chemical.
- Regulations Information: Relevant regulations and standards.
- Other Information: Date of creation, last update, and revision information.
How to Effectively Use an SDS
SDSs are more than just documents—they’re a key part of your workplace safety system.
- Read Before Use: Always review the SDS before using a new chemical product to understand its hazards and safety requirements.
- Follow Safety Instructions: Comply with all recommended PPE and safe handling procedures.
- Emergency Response: Keep the SDS readily accessible for emergencies. It provides critical first aid and spill response information.
- Training: Ensure everyone handling chemicals is trained to read and interpret SDSs effectively.
- Accessibility: Store SDSs in a central, easily accessible location—either physically or digitally via your safety systems.
