The three documents buyers ask for most when purchasing chemicals are the SDS, the CoA and the TDS. All three describe the product, but they answer different questions: the SDS covers safety, the CoA the quality of the delivered batch, and the TDS the product's technical properties and use.
The three documents at a glance
| Document | What it tells you | Batch-specific? | When to ask for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDS | Hazards, safe handling, storage, first aid, transport | No; product-specific, with a revision date | Before purchase or with the first delivery; again when revised |
| CoA | Test results of that batch against specification limits | Yes; tied to the lot/batch number | With every delivery; at incoming quality control |
| TDS | Typical properties, applications, packaging, storage | No; a general product description | When selecting and evaluating a product |
SDS (Safety Data Sheet)
The SDS describes the product's hazards and how to handle it safely. A GHS-compliant SDS has 16 sections:
- 1–3: Product and supplier identification, hazard identification, composition
- 4–6: First aid, fire-fighting, accidental release measures
- 7–8: Handling and storage, exposure controls and personal protective equipment
- 9–12: Physical and chemical properties, stability and reactivity, toxicological and ecological information
- 13–16: Disposal, transport (UN number, hazard class), regulatory information and other information
Dangerous goods transport also relies on the information in the SDS. Make sure the SDS is the current revision and matches the language and regulations of the country where it will be used.
CoA (Certificate of Analysis)
The CoA shows that a specific batch has been tested and meets its specification. A good CoA includes the product name and code, the lot/batch number, manufacturing and expiry (or retest) dates, the specification limit and measured result for each test, and the approving person or department.
At delivery, always check that the lot number on the CoA matches the lot number on the container label. A CoA for a different batch is not valid for that product.
TDS (Technical Data Sheet)
The TDS gives the product's typical properties, applications, usage recommendations, packaging and storage information. Values in a TDS are usually typical values: guaranteed limits are in the specification, and the actual results for a given batch are in the CoA.
Which document at which stage?
- Selecting a product: TDS and specification, to assess suitability.
- Before purchase: SDS, to prepare storage, workplace safety and transport.
- At delivery: CoA (for every batch); the SDS with the first delivery and with every revision.
- Audits and export: SDS and CoA are usually requested together; the importing country may require additional documents.
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