- OSHA published the updated standard on 20 May 2024; it took effect on 19 July 2024.
- In January 2026, OSHA extended every compliance date by four months.
- Substances: 19 May 2026 (passed). Mixtures: 19 November 2027.
- Main changes: new hazard categories, small-container labels, released-for-shipment labels and concentration ranges for trade secrets.
On 20 May 2024, OSHA published its final rule updating the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), 29 CFR 1910.1200, to align with Revision 7 of the GHS. The rule took effect on 19 July 2024. In January 2026, OSHA extended all of the compliance dates by four months to give itself time to publish guidance.
Current compliance dates
| Manufacturers, importers, distributors | Employers | |
|---|---|---|
| Substances | 19 May 2026 (was 19 January 2026) | 20 November 2026 (was 20 July 2026) |
| Mixtures | 19 November 2027 (was 19 July 2027) | 19 May 2028 (was 19 January 2028) |
If you sell substances in the US, your updated SDSs and labels should already be in place. If you sell mixtures, you have until 19 November 2027.
What changed
- Physical hazards: new or revised categories for aerosols (including non-flammable aerosols), chemicals under pressure, pyrophoric gases within flammable gases, and desensitized explosives.
- Mixtures: updated rules for mixtures containing ingredients of unknown acute toxicity.
- Small containers: specific, reduced labelling options for very small containers.
- Released for shipment: products already released for shipment do not need to be relabelled when new information becomes available.
- Trade secrets: when a concentration is withheld, the SDS must give a prescribed concentration range instead.
- SDS content: revised precautionary statements and some new information requirements in the appendices.
Selling into both the US and Canada?
Canada's WHMIS amendments made similar GHS Revision 7 changes, so it often makes sense to update both sets of documents together. They are still not identical: see can you use a US SDS in Canada?
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Checked against the official sources above on 7 October 2026. Rules change: for your own products, ask for a spot-check.
