MSDS and COA Explained: Essential Documents Before Buying Chemicals

An MSDS provides information about hazards, handling, storage, PPE, emergency actions and firefighting measures for a chemical product.

It helps purchasing, warehouse, production and HSE teams understand operational risk before the material enters the site.

A COA reports quality test results for a batch or shipment. It commonly includes key parameters, batch number and product specifications.

For sensitive production, the COA should be compared with the user’s required specification before use.