Section 9: Physical and chemical properties

This section lists the measurable physical and chemical properties of the product, from physical state through particle characteristics.

Section number: 9
Heading: Physical and chemical properties
Content status: Mandatory contentThe reference pack marks this section with a dagger: flammable-liquid storage depends on boiling point under 1910.106(a)(5), and alternate storage-classification calculations apply.
Required information: (a) physical state
(b) color
(c) odor (includes odor threshold)
(d) melting/freezing point
(e) boiling point (or initial boiling point/range)
(f) flammability
(g) lower and upper explosion/flammability limit
(h) flash point
(i) auto-ignition temperature
(j) decomposition temperature
(k) pH
(l) kinematic viscosity
(m) solubility
(n) partition coefficient n-octanol/water (log value)
(o) vapor pressure (includes evaporation rate)
(p) density and/or relative density
(q) relative vapor density
(r) particle characteristics.

Reference only. Not legal or regulatory advice. Verify against the primary source before you act.

Adjacent sections

See the whole sheet

SDS Section Guide lays out all sixteen sections in order with what each one must carry.

Sources

29 CFR 1910.1200 Appendix D (Table D.1), post-2024-HazCom-update text — as of 2026-07-13

Sections 1 to 11 and 16 carry mandatory content. Sections 12 to 15 must appear as headings, but OSHA does not enforce their content.

open the source

Data vintage

Data: Safety data sheet 16-section structure, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration current revision (77 FR 17884, Mar 26 2012; 89 FR 44459, May 20 2024; 91 FR 594-598, Jan 8 2026), retrieved 2026-07-13, 16 sections.