What is the difference between an SDS and an MSDS?

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) was the predecessor document format used before the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) introduced the standardised 16-section structure. The EU adopted the GHS SDS format through REACH in 2006 and CLP in 2008; the US transitioned through OSHA HazCom 2012, effective December 2013. The critical operational difference is structural consistency: the old MSDS format varied between suppliers and national regulations; the 16-section GHS SDS is internationally fixed, with Section 14 always occupying the same position and containing the same transport fields regardless of which country or supplier prepared the document. In EU cross-border freight, an older document labelled MSDS may not follow the 16-section layout and may not contain a compliant Section 14.