Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
A standardized document, supplied by a chemical's manufacturer, detailing its hazards, safe handling and storage requirements, and the personal protective equipment needed to work with it safely, formerly called a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) under the older hazard communication standard.
Why it matters
A can of solvent or an adhesive doesn't come with its real hazards printed on the label in enough detail to work safely. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires every hazardous chemical on a jobsite to have a readily accessible SDS, so workers can actually find out what they're handling before something goes wrong, not after.
On a real project
A worker gets an unexpected reaction from a construction adhesive and a supervisor pulls the product's SDS on the spot to confirm first-aid steps and whether the exposure requires further medical attention, information the product's label alone wouldn't have provided in enough detail.
Who this matters most to
A Painter works with solvents and coatings regularly and needs to know an SDS's ventilation and PPE requirements before opening a new product. A Safety Manager maintains the site's full SDS binder (or digital equivalent) and makes sure it's actually accessible to every crew using a listed chemical.
Where this goes wrong
A jobsite's SDS binder is out of date, missing sheets for several products crews are currently using. A worker has an adverse reaction to a chemical and the crew can't quickly find the correct first-aid response, delaying appropriate care during exactly the window when it matters most.