The Code of Practice for the Preparation of Safety Data Sheets (SDS), (formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDS) has been prepared to enable compliance with the relevant requirements of the Hazardous Substances (Identification) Regulations 2001, Hazardous Substances (Emergency Management) Regulations 2001, and the Hazardous Substances (Disposal) Regulations 2001. It may also be used to address the information requirements of section 12 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.

The Code is designed to provide for consistency when preparing SDS so that uniform information about the safety, health and environmental effects of chemical products is available. While principally providing advice on preparing SDS for substances defined as hazardous substances in the HSNO legislation, this Code of Practice provides a range of advice about all chemically-based substances, (including dangerous goods for transport) which may give rise to health or safety hazards when used in the workplace. This does not preclude the use of SDS outside the workplace.

The proper use of this Code will enable the preparation of an SDS that contains all the information that is required to cover the following;

• The requirements of Regulations 37 to 50 of the Hazardous Substances (Identification) Regulations 2001
• The requirements of Regulations 12 to 20 of the Hazardous Substances (Emergency Management) Regulations 2001
• The requirements of Regulations 13 and 14 of the Hazardous Substances (Disposal) Regulations 2001
• A SDS shall also provide for proper controls to be applied to ensure that the requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment Act are complied with

However, the NZCIC document has been approved by ERMA as a code of practice under the HSNO Act only in respect of those matters applicable to the requirements of the Hazardous Substances Regulations 2001.