Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is designed to provide both workers and emergency personnel with the proper procedures for handling or working with a particular substance. MSDS's include information such as physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point etc.), toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, storage, disposal, protective equipment, and spill/leak procedures.

The Global Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals is a worldwide initiative for standardizing and harmonizing the classification and labeling of chemicals. The system defines and classifies the hazards of chemical products, and communicates health and safety information on labels and material safety data sheets (MSDS). The primary objective of GHS is better protection of human health and the environment by providing chemical users and handlers with consistent information on chemical hazards. Standard elements include symbols or hazard pictograms that communicate hazard information, signal words such as 'danger' and 'warning', and standardized hazard statements that are used on product labels and safety data sheets (SDS).