SDS / MSDS translation · Malaysia & export markets
Professional translation of Safety Data Sheets into Bahasa Melayu, English, and over 30 languages. For Malaysia CLASS compliance, ASEAN export markets, and global multi-language SDS programmes. Translating chemical safety documents since 2002.
Scope note: Omni Translation provides translation and language services. We are not a DOSH-registered Safety and Health Officer (SHO) or regulatory compliance adviser. All translated SDS should be reviewed by a qualified SHO before use for compliance sign-off.
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Document guide
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is the current internationally standardised term under the UN Globally Harmonized System (GHS). An SDS contains exactly 16 standardised sections in a fixed order. In Bahasa Melayu: Helaian Data Keselamatan (HDK).
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is the older term used before GHS adoption. MSDS documents vary in format and section order. In Bahasa Melayu: Helaian Data Keselamatan Bahan (HDKB).
Since Malaysia adopted GHS via CLASS Regulations 2013, the official current term is SDS. For translation purposes, both terms refer to the same type of document — we translate both.
Old MSDS? We can translate it. If you have a pre-GHS MSDS that is not yet in 16-section format, we translate the existing content. For reformatting to CLASS 2013 / GHS format, consult a registered Safety and Health Officer (SHO).
| Feature | SDS (current) | MSDS (older) |
|---|---|---|
| Sections | 16 sections, fixed order | Variable (8–16) |
| Standard | GHS (UN) | Country-specific |
| Malaysia law | CLASS Regs 2013 | Pre-2013 format |
| Malay term | HDK | HDKB |
| Language req. | Bilingual BM + EN | Update required |
Under OSH (Classification, Labelling and Safety Data Sheet of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulations 2013, all hazardous chemical SDS used in Malaysia must be provided in both Bahasa Melayu AND English. English-only SDS does not comply.
If an overseas manufacturer provides only an English-language or non-GHS-format SDS, the Malaysian importer or distributor is responsible for ensuring the SDS is translated and updated to CLASS 2013 / GHS format before the chemical is used or sold in Malaysia.
Non-compliance with OSHA 1994 and CLASS Regulations 2013 can result in DOSH enforcement action (Notis Pembaikan). Fines for non-compliant SDS documentation can reach RM10,000. CIMS inventory reporting failure is an additional separate offence.
Each export destination has its own SDS language requirements. The EU requires SDS in the official language of each member state (REACH Annex II). China uses GB 16483 Mandarin. Japan requires Japanese under the Industrial Safety and Health Act.
Translation scope only: Omni Translation provides translation services. We do not classify chemicals, assess hazards, or provide regulatory compliance advice. Translated SDS should be reviewed by a qualified SHO or DOSH-accredited consultant before use.
What we translate
Every section contains specialised chemical safety terminology. Here is what each section contains and why accurate translation matters.
| § | Section title | What it contains | Translation consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Identification | Product name, supplier details, emergency contact, recommended uses | Company name transliteration; local emergency number formatting |
| 02 | Hazard Identification | GHS classification, pictograms, signal words, H-codes, P-codes | H-codes & P-codes must use official GHS Malay terminology — not paraphrases |
| 03 | Composition / Ingredients | Chemical names, CAS numbers, concentration ranges | IUPAC chemical names; CAS numbers language-neutral but descriptions must be accurate |
| 04 | First-Aid Measures | Exposure symptoms and treatment for inhalation, skin, eye, ingestion | Medical and physiological terminology; must be clear for first responders |
| 05 | Firefighting Measures | Suitable extinguishants, hazardous combustion products, PPE | Fire-service terminology must match Malaysian BOMBA usage |
| 06 | Accidental Release Measures | Spill response, containment, cleanup, personal protection | Environmental and containment terminology; regulatory disposal references |
| 07 | Handling & Storage | Safe handling procedures, incompatibilities, storage conditions | Temperature ranges, incompatibility descriptions, ventilation requirements |
| 08 | Exposure Controls / PPE | OEL values, engineering controls, PPE types | Malaysian DOSH OEL values; PPE terminology must match DOSH guidance |
| 09 | Physical & Chemical Properties | Appearance, odour, pH, boiling point, flash point, vapour pressure | SI units, chemical property terminology; unit conversion notation |
| 10 | Stability & Reactivity | Chemical stability, conditions to avoid, incompatible materials | Chemical reaction terminology |
| 11 | Toxicological Information | Routes of exposure, acute/chronic toxicity, LD50/LC50, carcinogenicity | Medical and toxicological terminology; LD50 notation and units |
| 12 | Ecological Information | Ecotoxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation, mobility in soil | Environmental science terminology; international/local standards |
| 13 | Disposal Considerations | Waste disposal methods, regulatory references | Malaysian DOE and Scheduled Wastes Regulations references |
| 14 | Transport Information | UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group | IMDG/IATA/ADR codes — descriptions must match transport regulation standard |
| 15 | Regulatory Information | DOSH requirements, CIMS classification, import/export regulations | Malaysia-specific: OSHA 1994, CLASS 2013, EQA 1974, APO 2006 |
| 16 | Other Information | Revision date, prepared by, abbreviations, references | Version control and glossary terms |
Sections 2, 8, 13, 14, and 15 (amber) require particular care for Malaysian compliance — they reference DOSH-specific OEL values, local legislation (CLASS 2013, OSHA 1994), Malaysian transport regulations, and environmental legislation. Our translators are experienced with these sections specifically.
Industries served
We work with manufacturers, importers, distributors, and EHS teams across all sectors that handle hazardous chemicals.
Specialty chemicals, industrial chemicals, agrochemicals, raw material suppliers. Bilingual SDS required for every product sold in Malaysia.
CLASS 2013 · Export markets
Solvents, reagents, cleaning agents, API raw materials. SDS required for all substances used in manufacturing.
GMP · API · CRO
High-volume SDS segment — a typical paint portfolio may contain dozens of products each requiring individual SDS translation.
High-volume · Portfolio
Lubricants, coolants, hydraulic fluids, solvents, cleaning agents — all requiring bilingual SDS for Malaysia DOSH compliance.
DOSH compliance
Photoresists, etchants, dopants, solvents, process chemicals — requiring bilingual SDS and multi-language SDS for global supply chain compliance.
E&P · Refining · Petrochemical
E&P, refining, and petrochemical operations — wide range of chemicals requiring SDS translation for production, processing, and maintenance.
E&P · Refining · Petrochemical
Malaysian importers bringing chemical products from overseas are responsible for bilingual SDS compliance — even if the manufacturer’s original SDS is English-only.
Importer responsibility
Cleaning agents, sanitisers, processing aids, and food-grade solvents used in production facilities require compliant SDS documentation under DOSH requirements.
Food safety · DOSH
Languages & export markets
For Malaysia compliance, ASEAN markets, and global multi-country SDS programmes.
| Bahasa Melayu | English |
| Mandarin (Simplified) | Mandarin (Traditional) |
| Japanese | Korean |
| Thai | Indonesian |
| Vietnamese | German |
| French | Spanish |
| Italian | Arabic |
| Dutch | + 15 more |
| Market | Requirement | Standard |
| Malaysia Mandatory |
BM + EN bilingual | CLASS Regulations 2013 / GHS |
| EU member states | Local language | REACH Annex II (per member state) |
| China | Mandarin (SC) | GB 16483 / GB T16483 |
| Japan | Japanese | Industrial Safety & Health Act |
| South Korea | Korean | KOSHA / K-REACH |
| Indonesia | Bahasa Indonesia | PP No. 74/2001 / GHS |
| Vietnam | Vietnamese | QCVN standards |
| GCC / Gulf states | Arabic preferred | Country-specific |
Pricing
Quoted per project based on word count, language pair, complexity, and deadline.
English → Bahasa Melayu, standard complexity. Rate varies by: language pair · technical complexity · formatting · volume · deadline.
Price-match guarantee: If you receive a lower quote from a reputable Malaysian translation agency for the same scope, language pair, and delivery requirements — share it with us and we will review and aim to match it like-for-like.
| Project type | Typical scope | Est. price |
|---|---|---|
| Single SDS — EN → BM | 1 doc · 1,500–3,000 words | ~RM450+ |
| Single SDS — BM → EN | 1 doc · 1,500–3,000 words | ~RM500+ |
| Portfolio — 5 SDS | EN → BM · standard | ~RM2,000+ |
| Portfolio — 10+ SDS | With glossary management | Per project |
| Multi-language SDS | 1 doc · 5+ languages | Per lang. pair |
| Urgent (24–48 hrs) | Single document | Surcharge may apply |
Quality & risk
Poor SDS translation creates real compliance and safety risks. These are the most common issues we help clients avoid.
GHS H-codes and P-codes have official Malay-language versions. Paraphrasing or inconsistently translating these across a product portfolio creates compliance gaps and confusion. We apply official GHS Malay terminology for all hazard and precautionary statements.
Section 8 terms — respirator types, glove materials, DOSH OEL values — must match Malaysian DOSH guidance. Generic or literally-translated PPE terms can be misunderstood in Malaysian workplaces. We use terminology familiar to Malaysian safety officers.
GHS SDS must maintain the fixed 16-section order. Translation that merges sections, omits required headings, or reorders content creates a non-compliant document regardless of translation quality.
Chemical names, IUPAC terminology, and CAS number descriptions must be consistently applied across a multi-product portfolio. Single-document translations without a glossary lead to the same chemical being described differently across products.
Section 14 references UN numbers, IMDG hazard classes, and packing groups. Descriptions surrounding these codes must match the relevant transport regulation (IMDG for sea, IATA for air, ADR for road) in the target language.
Pre-GHS MSDS documents are not in CLASS 2013 / 16-section format. We translate the content as provided. Reformatting to GHS format is a regulatory task requiring a Safety and Health Officer — not a translation service.
How it works
Send your SDS file(s), source and target languages, target market, and deadline. Share any existing glossary or prior SDS versions.
We confirm scope, word count, delivery format, timeline, price, and terminology management approach for portfolio projects.
Subject-matter translator with chemical safety expertise produces the translation. Second linguist reviews for terminology consistency and section structure.
Delivered in your requested format (Word, PDF, or original source format). Revisions available for clarification or formatting requests.
Everything you need to know before submitting your birth certificate for translation — including People Also Ask questions for AI search visibility.
Yes. Under CLASS Regulations 2013 (OSH Classification, Labelling and Safety Data Sheet of Hazardous Chemicals Regulations 2013), all hazardous chemical SDS used in Malaysia must be provided in both Bahasa Melayu and English. An English-only SDS does not meet Malaysian legal requirements. Importers, manufacturers, and suppliers are responsible for compliance.
SDS (Safety Data Sheet) is the current GHS-standard term — 16 sections in fixed order. MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) is the older pre-GHS term with variable format. In Malaysia, the official current term is SDS (Helaian Data Keselamatan) since CLASS Regulations 2013. For translation purposes, we translate both document types.
Editable Word (.docx) or Excel files are preferred — they allow us to preserve document structure and reduce reformatting time, lowering your cost. PDF files are accepted but we may request an editable version if the layout is complex. For large portfolios, we can discuss a streamlined workflow.
A single SDS (1,500–3,000 words, English to Malay) can typically be delivered within 24 to 48 hours. Multi-document portfolios or multi-language projects are scheduled on a project basis. We confirm the timeline in your quote before work begins.
Yes. For multi-product portfolios, we build a terminology glossary so hazard statements, PPE terms, chemical names, and section headings are translated consistently across all documents. For multi-language projects, we manage all language pairs with shared glossaries and consistent source text handling.
Yes. For multi-product or multi-language SDS projects, we develop a project-specific glossary capturing approved translations for recurring terms — hazard statements, PPE terminology, chemical names, and regulatory references. The glossary is available to you for future reference and reduces cost on subsequent projects.
AI translation tools frequently mistranslate GHS-specific terminology — particularly H-codes, P-codes, IUPAC chemical names, and regulatory references. SDS is a compliance document where terminology errors carry real workplace safety risk. Human review by a translator familiar with chemical safety documents is strongly recommended for CLASS Regulations 2013 compliance.
Yes, subject to workload availability. Urgent projects may carry an additional surcharge. Contact us via WhatsApp to confirm current availability before submitting an urgent request.
People also ask
Yes. Under CLASS Regulations 2013 issued by DOSH under OSHA 1994, all hazardous chemical Safety Data Sheets in Malaysia must be provided in both Bahasa Melayu and English. A bilingual SDS is a legal requirement. Importers, manufacturers, and suppliers who provide only an English-language SDS are not compliant and may be subject to DOSH enforcement action including fines.
A Safety Data Sheet provides detailed information about the hazards, safe handling, first aid, storage, disposal, and regulatory classification of a hazardous chemical. In Malaysia, SDS must be provided by manufacturers, importers, and suppliers under CLASS Regulations 2013, and must be available to employees who work with the chemical.
A GHS SDS has 16 sections in a fixed order: (1) Identification, (2) Hazard Identification, (3) Composition, (4) First-Aid Measures, (5) Firefighting, (6) Accidental Release, (7) Handling & Storage, (8) Exposure Controls/PPE, (9) Physical & Chemical Properties, (10) Stability & Reactivity, (11) Toxicology, (12) Ecology, (13) Disposal, (14) Transport, (15) Regulatory Information, (16) Other Information. The fixed order is mandatory under GHS.
CLASS Regulations 2013 is the OSH (Classification, Labelling and Safety Data Sheet of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulations 2013 issued by DOSH under OSHA 1994. It implements the UN GHS chemical classification and hazard communication system in Malaysia, requiring bilingual SDS (Malay and English), GHS-compliant labels, and annual chemical inventory (CIMS) reporting for manufacturers and importers of one metric tonne or more per year.
Under CLASS Regulations 2013, both manufacturers and importers of hazardous chemicals are responsible. If an overseas manufacturer provides only an English-language or non-GHS-format SDS, the Malaysian importer or distributor is responsible for ensuring the SDS is translated and updated to CLASS 2013 / GHS format before the chemical is used or sold in Malaysia.
For export to EU member states, SDS must be in the official language of the destination member state under REACH Annex II. A German export requires a German SDS; a French export requires a French SDS. A single English-language SDS does not meet EU REACH requirements for non-English-speaking member states. Each destination country requires a separate translation.
Not recommended. GHS hazard statements (H-codes), precautionary statements (P-codes), and regulatory references have standardised translations that machine tools render inconsistently. An SDS with mistranslated hazard statements could mislead workers and create DOSH compliance gaps. Human translation by subject-matter translators is the appropriate approach for CLASS Regulations 2013 compliance.
The official Malay term for Safety Data Sheet is Helaian Data Keselamatan (HDK). The older term used when the document was called MSDS was Helaian Data Keselamatan Bahan (HDKB). Under CLASS Regulations 2013, the correct current terminology is Helaian Data Keselamatan (HDK). Malaysian bilingual SDS documents typically carry both the English and Malay titles at the top of the document.
SDS translation in Malaysia starts from approximately RM0.30 per word for standard English to Bahasa Melayu translation. A typical single-product SDS of 1,500 to 3,000 words costs approximately RM450 to RM900. Multi-document portfolios are quoted per project, often at lower per-word rates for volume. Prices vary by language pair, technical complexity, formatting, and turnaround.
GHS is the UN framework for chemical hazard classification defining the 16-section SDS format used globally, including Malaysia under CLASS Regulations 2013. REACH is the EU-specific chemical regulation that incorporates and extends GHS for chemicals sold in the EU. Both require a 16-section SDS, but REACH Annex II adds EU-specific requirements including language localisation for each member state and exposure scenario annexes for substances requiring a chemical safety assessment.
Send us your SDS files, target languages, and deadline. We’ll respond with a quote and timeline within a few hours.
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