WHAT IS SDS (SAFETY DATA SHEET)?
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a standardized product safety document, that provides detailed instructions on how to safely handle, label, and store certain products.
AN SDS ENABLES AMAZON TO:
- Determine whether your products are regulated as dangerous goods.
- Correctly classify your products as either dangerous goods or non-dangerous goods (the classification determines how products are stored and transported)
- Determine the correct handling and disposal measures if a product spills or leaks at a fulfillment center
- Confirm your products as non-regulated goods
TO BE COMPLIANT, AN SDS MUST:
1. Be created or updated within the past five years
2. Include new GHS/CLP hazard identification information
3. Match your product listing
- The listing title (the product name, as it appears on the detail page) is the same as the product name shown on the SDS
- The manufacturer or brand name of your product on the SDS is the same as what appears on the detail page
4. Include all 16 standard SDS sections
Which products require an SDS?
Products that contain potentially hazardous chemicals, materials, or components are often classified as dangerous goods. Note that this is not limited to harmful chemicals and heavy metals.
Here are a few examples (Not only limited to these):
- Batteries
- Power banks
- Other products containing batteries
- Household cleaning products
- Auto parts
- Skincare products
- Cosmetics
- Essential oils
- Haircare products
- Pet care products
- Certain types of children’s products
As you can see in the list above, most products in contact with human skin or battery-powered devices require an SDS. Further, the product as a whole may be classified as dangerous goods if the device contains certain substances or materials (e.g. essential oils).
How do I get a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
- In theory, you should receive the SDS from your manufacturer. Many contract manufacturers in China and other countries in Asia don’t know how to issue an SDS. Even if they do, they may not use the correct format and provide an accurate English language translation. Simply because OEM manufacturers are not compliance experts.
- In case your supplier cannot provide an SDS, your only option is to use a third-party Safety Datasheet (SDS) Authoring Service to do it for you. (your supplier expects you to pay for it)
SDS FORM COMMON MISTAKES CAUSING REJECTION:
- The product name or brand on the SDS does not exactly match the product name or brand on the detail page.
- Information in the hazard identification section and the transportation section conflicts. For example, the hazard identification section states the product is flammable but the transportation section does not.
- The SDS does not contain all 16 mandatory sections.
- The product’s flash point is below 140 degrees Fahrenheit but the product is declared as not regulated, instead of flammable, in the transportation section.
- The SDS is either not dated or is over 5 years old.
- Uploaded an invalid document instead of an SDS, such as a test report or certification sheet.
Mandatory 16 Sections of Safety Data Sheet for Amazon FBA:
1. The Identification
- Product Identifier (UPC, EAN, GTIN, etc.)
- Manufacturer or Distributor Name
- Address of Supplier
- Phone/Contact Number of Supplier
2. Hazard Identification
- All hazards regarding the product and required label elements
- Hazard Classifications
- Pictograms
- Signal Word
- Hazard Statement
3. Composition / Information on Ingredients
- Information on chemical Ingredients and trade secret claims i.e. CAS Number.
4. First Aid Measures
- Whether first aid treatment might be required upon exposure to a chemical and the symptoms that indicate exposure.
5. Fire Fighting Measures
- The techniques and equipment recommended for extinguishing a fire involve the chemical and hazards that may be created during combustion.
6. Accidental Release Measures
- Steps to take in the event of a spill or release involving the chemical. Includes
- Emergency Procedure
- Protective Equipment
- The proper method for containment and clean-up
7. Handling and Storage
- Precautions for safe handling and storage, including incompatibilities.
8. Exposure Control / Personal Protection
- OSHA’s permissible exposure limit (PELs)
- Threshold limit values (TLVs)
- Appropriate engineering controls (AECs)
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs)
9. Physical and Chemical Properties
- The mention of chemical & physical characteristics i.e. Color, Odor, Matter, melting or boiling points of the substance, etc.
10. Stability and Reactivity
- Chemical Stability and possible hazardous reactions.
11. Toxicological Information
- Routes of exposure (Inhalation, Ingestion, or absorption contact)
- Symptoms
- Acute and Chronic effects
- Numerical measures of toxicity
12. Ecological Information
- How the chemical might affect the environment and the duration of the effect.
13. Disposal Considerations
- Have to describe the safe handling of wastes and methods of disposal, including the disposal of any contaminated packaging.
14. Transportation Information
- Packing
- Marking
- Labeling requirement for hazardous chemical shipments.
15. Regulatory Information
- Indicates regulations that apply to chemicals.
16. Other Information
- Includes the date of the revision or last revision and other information.
EXEMPTION SHEETS:
For products that don’t require an SDS, an exemption sheet is acceptable for these two categories only:
- Battery and battery-powered products
- Products without harmful chemicals
Battery and battery-powered products: Review the product packaging, the product manual, or the battery itself to find specific battery information such as watt-hours and voltage.
Products without harmful chemicals: Review the product packaging or the product itself to find specific information such as ingredients, pictograms, or warning phrases.
NOTE: If you submit an exemption sheet for products not in these two categories, it will be rejected. Be sure to fill in your exemption sheet completely and correctly to ensure that it’s accepted.
HOW TO UPLOAD AN SDS (Safety Data Sheet) OR EXEMPTION SHEET?
- Go to seller central and type “SDS” in the search text box on the top center part of the page. Click on the “Find” button or the suggestion text “MSDS or SDS”. (or use the link below)
- Click on “Upload document”
- Input ASIN and upload the SDS document. Select the language of the document (English most of the time)
NOTE FOR THE PRODUCTS THAT ARE IN THE FORM OF BUNDLES, PACKAGES, OR KIT
If our product is in the form of a Bundle, Package, or Kit that contains more than one product in it, Then in this case only submitting Safety Data Sheet for One Product will not work and even we can’t submit multiple SDS documents for a single ASIN.
What do we do in this Case?
Get Safety Data Sheets of all the Hazmat products in your Package, bundle, or Kit and combine them in a single pdf to make one document, and then submit it for that specific ASIN.
Website to combine multiple pdfs: https://combinepdf.com/
More Information:
