In Mexico, the safety data sheet is known as the hoja de datos de seguridad (HDS). Under NOM-018-STPS-2015, suppliers of hazardous chemical substances or mixtures must provide customers with an HDS in Spanish. The HDS must include all 16 GHS sections, list hazardous components above the standard’s concentration limits, and state the preparation and revision dates.
NOM-018 is Mexico’s adaptation of the GHS. While a US HazCom 2024 SDS can serve as a starting point, it does not qualify as a Mexican HDS unless it is in Spanish and includes the following: the applicable GHS edition, Section 3 disclosure, the Section 16 legend, and Mexican exposure limits in Section 8.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026. This page provides information only and does not constitute legal advice.
Who NOM-018 applies to
NOM-018-STPS-2015 is issued by Mexico’s labor ministry, the Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social (STPS). It was published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on October 9, 2015, took effect three years later, and replaced NOM-018-STPS-2000. Its full title is the harmonized system for identifying and communicating hazards and risks from hazardous chemical substances in workplaces.
The standard applies to all workplaces in Mexico where hazardous chemical substances or mixtures are handled. As a workplace regulation, most responsibilities rest with the employer:
- Keep an HDS for every hazardous substance and mixture at the site (6.3)
- Make the HDS available to workers where the chemicals are handled (6.4)
- Label containers and storage areas (6.5)
- Train workers and contractors (6.6, 6.7)
- Give customers the HDS for every hazardous substance and mixture they sell (6.8)
The requirement to provide an HDS to customers applies directly to suppliers. If you sell into Mexico, either directly or through a distributor, your Mexican customers need a compliant Spanish HDS from you to fulfill their obligations.
The standard does not cover finished products such as pharmaceuticals, food additives, cosmetics, pesticide residues in food and hazardous waste (section 2).
NOM-018 is based on the 5th revised edition of the UN GHS (2013), adapted for Mexico. HazCom 2024 is based on the 7th edition with parts of the 8th, so some classification criteria differ.
The HDS must be in Spanish
Section 9.1 requires the HDS to be prepared or maintained in Spanish. An English SDS with only a Spanish cover page is not sufficient. All sections, including hazard and precautionary statements, must be in Spanish.
The Spanish wording must follow NOM-018’s appendices, not a free translation. Appendix C provides the required hazard statements and Appendix D the precautionary statements, which Mexican reviewers expect. The HDS must also match the label (9.1(f)), so both should use the same classification and phrase set.
The standard allows a free format (9.1(a)), as long as all 16 sections are present.
NOM-018 HDS vs. US HazCom 2024 SDS: what changes
Both use the same 16 sections in the same order. Sections not listed here follow the same GHS content in both countries.
| SDS section | NOM-018 (Mexico) | HazCom 2024 (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Spanish | English (other languages may be added) |
| GHS basis | Based on GHS Rev. 5 (2013), adapted for Mexico | GHS Rev. 7, with parts of Rev. 8 |
| 1. Identification | Supplier or manufacturer data and an emergency phone number (9.2(a)) | Name, address and phone of the US manufacturer, importer or other responsible party, plus an emergency number |
| 3. Composition | For mixtures, the identity and concentration or range of each hazardous component at or above the Table 1 limits: 0.1% for carcinogens, reproductive toxicants and Category 1 mutagens; 1% for the other health hazard classes (9.1(d), 9.2(c)) | Hazardous ingredients above cut-offs; trade-secret concentrations use OSHA's 13 prescribed ranges |
| 8. Exposure controls | Mexican occupational exposure limits come from NOM-010-STPS-2014 | OSHA PELs, ACGIH TLVs and other limits used by the preparer |
| 12–15. Ecological, disposal, transport, regulatory | Follow the requirements of the competent authority for each topic (9.1(c)) | Headings required; OSHA does not enforce the content |
| Missing data | Mark it “ND” (not available) or “NA” (not applicable) (9.1(g)) | State that no applicable information is available |
| 16. Other information | Dates the HDS was prepared and last revised (9.1(h)), plus the legend “La información se considera correcta, pero no es exhaustiva” | Date of preparation or last revision |
For details on each section, see The 16 Sections of an SDS.
Labels and workplace signalling
Chapter 10 addresses workplace labels and signalling. Each label must include:
- The name of the substance or mixture
- Signal word
- Pictograms
- Hazard statements
- Precautionary statements
Labels must be durable, legible, and positioned for visibility by workers and emergency responders (10.1, 10.3). The standard also applies to storage areas, process areas, transfer containers, and large mobile containers kept on site for more than 72 hours (10.4).
As NOM-018 is a workplace standard, employers are responsible for on-site labelling. Mexican customers typically expect product labels in Spanish that match the HDS. Suppliers who provide compliant labels help customers avoid relabelling.
Keeping the HDS current
Section 9.3 requires updating the HDS when:
- New information changes the GHS classification of the substance or mixture, and with it the safety measures
- New data or test results show possible chronic health effects, even if the classification does not change
NOM-018 does not specify a fixed update period, unlike the US (three months) and Canada (90 days). The HDS must always display its preparation and revision dates.
Updates also impact downstream users. Under section 11.1, employers must train workers at least annually, when a new hazardous substance or mixture is introduced, and whenever the HDS or labels are updated. A revised HDS from you requires your customer to conduct training.
Confidential business information
NOM-018 takes a simpler approach than the US or Canada. Section 9.2(c) permits treating a substance or mixture as confidential commercial information and requires the HDS to indicate this. There are no prescribed concentration ranges or claims to file with authorities.
The limit is the same as everywhere else: the hazards still have to be fully communicated. Hazardous components at or above the Table 1 limits must still be disclosed in Section 3, and the classification, protective measures and first aid must reflect them.
If your US SDS withholds a concentration as a trade secret, ensure the Mexican HDS provides a concentration or range for each component above the Table 1 limits and states in Spanish that the information is confidential.
Before you ship to Mexico
Run through this list before a product ships into Mexico:
How Valenc handles NOM-018
Valenc generates the Mexican HDS from the same product record as your US SDS, allowing you to maintain a single formulation rather than two separate documents.
- NOM-018 format: Valenc’s rules engine classifies according to NOM-018 criteria and applies its section structure, including the Section 16 legend and preparation and revision dates.
- Spanish from one record: Hazard and precautionary statements are sourced from a curated phrase library, ensuring the Spanish HDS matches the classification and values of the English SDS.
- Labels that match the HDS: Labels are generated from the same classified record, in Spanish.
- Mexican exposure limits: Section 8 lists the occupational exposure limits from NOM-018’s companion standard, NOM-010-STPS-2014.
- ND and NA where data is missing: Valenc marks unavailable or not applicable data as “ND” or “NA,” as section 9.1(g) requires.
- One change, every version flagged: When a formulation or rule changes, all affected US and Mexican documents are flagged for review.
- Your approval before publication: Your team reviews and approves each HDS before release.
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Frequently asked questions
Does NOM-018 require a Spanish SDS?
Yes. Section 9.1 requires the hoja de datos de seguridad to be prepared or kept in Spanish.
What is an HDS?
HDS stands for hoja de datos de seguridad, the Spanish term for a safety data sheet under NOM-018-STPS-2015.
Can I use my US SDS in Mexico?
Not as is. It needs to be in Spanish, check classifications against the GHS edition NOM-018 uses, list Mexican exposure limits in Section 8, show preparation and revision dates and carry the Section 16 legend.
Who has to provide the HDS?
Anyone who sells hazardous substances or mixtures to a workplace in Mexico must give the customer the HDS (6.8). Employers must keep one for every hazardous chemical on site.
How many sections must an HDS have?
Sixteen, as listed in section 9.2 of the standard.
How often must an HDS be updated?
Whenever new information changes the classification, or new data shows possible chronic health effects (9.3). There is no fixed calendar cycle.
Can I keep ingredient information confidential?
Yes, if the HDS states that the information is treated as confidential (9.2(c)). Hazardous components above the Table 1 limits must still be disclosed.
How often must workers be trained under NOM-018?
At least once a year, and also when a new hazardous substance or mixture is introduced or the HDS or labels are updated (11.1).
Sources
- NOM-018-STPS-2015, official text, STPS: sections 2, 6, 9.1–9.3, 10, 11, Table 1 and transitory articles
- NOM-018-STPS-2015 publication page, Diario Oficial de la Federación, October 9, 2015
See a Spanish HDS built from one of your own products, from the same record as your US SDS.
