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Hazard Communication and SDS Sheets

Hazard communication is the system of labels, safety data sheets and training that tells people what a chemical can do. This guide explains the idea and sends you to OSHA to confirm what applies to your farm.

What is hazard communication?

Hazard communication is a way of making sure that people who handle chemicals know what the hazards are. It rests on three ideas: labels on containers, safety data sheets that give more detail, and training that explains both.

The aim is simple. A worker should be able to learn what a product is, how it can hurt them and how to protect themselves before they use it, not after something goes wrong.

Think of it as a promise to the people who work for you or live with you: you will tell them what is in the products they handle, and you will show them how to protect themselves.

Does it apply to my farm?

Whether OSHA's hazard communication rules apply to a particular farm depends on factors such as the number of employees and the type of operation. State plans may add their own requirements.

Check with OSHA and your state's occupational safety agency, and write down the answer. Even where the rules do not strictly apply, using the system is good practice and protects family members too.

If you are unsure how to ask, describe your operation plainly and ask what they would expect you to have in place.

• Ask OSHA how the rules apply to farms like yours.
• Check whether your state runs its own program.
• Use the system for family and seasonal workers regardless.

What do labels tell me?

Labels identify the product and carry warnings about its hazards. Many use standard words and symbols so that people can recognize hazards quickly.

Never remove or cover a label, and never pour a chemical into an unlabeled container. If you transfer a product, label the new container so that anyone who picks it up knows what it is and how to handle it.

Containers that are sometimes filled from a larger drum, such as a spray tank or a day tank, still need to be labeled so that the next person is not guessing.

Where do safety data sheets fit in?

A safety data sheet is a detailed document from the manufacturer about a product. It covers hazards, safe handling, storage, first aid, fire response, spill response and more, in a standard format.

Keep a current sheet for each product in a place that everyone who works with it can reach, including when the office is locked. Suppliers can provide sheets, and many manufacturers post them online.

Check that sheets are legible, complete and in a language your workers can read, and ask the supplier for help if they are not.

What does a written program look like?

Many workplaces keep a short written plan that lists the chemicals on site, says where sheets are kept, explains how containers are labeled and describes how people are trained. For a small farm it can fit on a couple of pages.

OSHA provides guidance on what to include. Treat your plan as a living document, and update it when products, people or buildings change.

Keep it short enough that people will actually read it, and review it whenever you add a product or hire a new worker.

How does training connect to all this?

Labels and sheets only help if people can read and understand them. Training shows workers how to find the sections that matter, what the symbols mean and what to do in an emergency.

Give training before someone first uses a product, in language they understand, and repeat it when something changes. See the separate article on reading safety data sheets for more on how to use them.

• Train before first use of any product.
• Repeat training when something new arrives.
• Check understanding by asking workers to explain in their own words.

Where can I confirm the details?

OSHA's website and area offices, state occupational safety agencies and extension services can all explain how the standard applies and offer help. Some state programs offer free, confidential consultation for small businesses.

Ask what is available near you, and keep notes on what you learn. Rules change, so check again from time to time. Even a small family operation can adopt these habits at very little cost. A binder, a marker, a few labels and a short conversation with everyone who works on the farm are enough to start, and you can build from there with help from OSHA or your extension office.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.