A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is a document that contains information on the potential hazards (health, fire, reactivity, and environmental) and how to work safely with a chemical product. It is an essential starting point for the development of a complete health and safety program. MSDSs are prepared by the supplier or manufacturer of the material and are intended to tell what the hazards of the product are, how to use the product safely, what to expect if the recommendations are not followed, what to do if accidents occur, how to recognize symptoms of overexposure, and what to do if such incidents occur. MSDSs are a widely used system for cataloguing information on chemicals, chemical compounds, and chemical mixtures. The information contained in the MSDS is largely the same as the SDS (Safety Data Sheet), except now the SDSs are required to be presented in a consistent user-friendly, 16-section format. The SDS information may include instructions for the safe use and potential hazards associated with a particular material or product, along with spill-handling procedures. MSDSs are required by law and are included in the requirements of Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No.85 of 1993) Regulation 1179 dated 25 August 1995.