Top 5 SDS Mistakes AI Tools Make

Why AI-Powered SDS Generators Can’t Replace Regulatory Experts

As AI-powered SDS generators, subscription based automated platforms, and even free SDS apps become more widely available, many businesses are turning to them in hopes of saving time and money on chemical compliance. While these software tools promise to produce documents that look professional, they often fail to meet regional regulatory standards.

Whether it’s a general-purpose AI like ChatGPT or a specialized SDS authoring software, there are significant limitations that could expose your company to non-compliance. At Nexreg Compliance, our regulatory experts routinely audit AI-generated SDSs — and we see the same common mistakes.

1. Incorrect Hazard Classification from SDS Software

What goes wrong:
AI and SDS generator software tools often misclassify substances due to reliance on incomplete or outdated data. General-purpose models estimate classifications, and even specialized automated platforms often fail to recognize threshold effects or mixture rules.

Example:
An AI tool can omit a carcinogen classification because it fails to recognize that the substance is part of a regulated chemical family.

Why it matters:
Improper classification leads to incorrect labeling and packaging under OSHA, WHMIS, or CLP regulations, resulting in penalties, shipment delays, or rejected registrations.

Nexreg Advantage:
Our team manually verifies hazard classifications using current IARC monographs, ECHA data, and regulatory judgment, ensuring every SDS is legally defensible.

2. Non-Compliant SDS Formatting

What goes wrong:
Automated SDS platforms often output non-standard or poorly formatted sections. Some free SDS apps can omit required sections, combine unrelated data, or provide templates that don’t properly follow the 16-section format required under OSHA or GHS standards.

Why it matters:
Authorities can reject your SDS submission if it doesn’t follow the mandated format, delaying approvals and hurting your reputation.

Nexreg Advantage:
We generate region-specific SDSs tailored to U.S. (OSHA), Canada (WHMIS 2015), EU (REACH/CLP), and beyond, with full quality control and compliance assurance.

3. Use of Outdated or Generic Chemical Data

What goes wrong:
Most AI tools and SDS authoring software pull from legacy data or web-suggested content. This can lead to use of deprecated hazard phrases, old exposure limits, or proposed regulatory updates, especially for evolving frameworks like REACH.

Why it matters:
Non-compliance isn’t always about what you include,  it’s about what’s missing. Using outdated terms or incorrect values can make your SDS invalid.

Nexreg Advantage:
We actively monitor changes from OSHA, ECHA, Health Canada, and others. Our SDSs reflect the latest substance classifications, toxicology insights, and regulatory phrasing.

4. Translation Errors in Multilingual SDSs

What goes wrong:
Many SDS generator tools offer instant translation, but these are often literal or based on non-regulatory language databases. A free SDS app might mistranslate “Category 1 carcinogen” or fail to convert SI units properly in local formats.

Why it matters:
Jurisdictions like Canada and the EU require legally accurate SDS translations. Mislabeling a hazard class in French or German could make your SDS unusable.

Nexreg Advantage:
We use certified regulatory translators familiar with legal terminology, not just fluent speakers, ensuring multilingual SDSs are valid across markets.

5. No Regional Customization in AI-Generated SDSs

What goes wrong:
Many SDS software platforms and AI tools generate “one-size-fits-all” documents. They often use U.S. emergency numbers on EU SDSs, omit REACH registration numbers, or fail to adjust occupational exposure limits for different countries.

Why it matters:
An SDS must reflect not just the chemical, but the regulatory expectations in each jurisdiction. Without that, your SDS won’t pass compliance checks or customs inspections.

Nexreg Advantage:
We build every SDS for the market it’s intended for, with country-specific content built in from the start.

Final Thoughts: AI SDS Tools Are Helpful, but Insufficient

Free SDS generators and automated platforms offer speed, but not safety. They don’t understand context, can’t apply professional judgment, and are blind to nuance in evolving global compliance laws. When compliance matters, automated tools are just that, tools. Not solutions.

At Nexreg, we can take your AI SDS and update it to meet the correct regulatory standards. Our experts review every ingredient, assess every regulation, and stand behind every SDS we deliver with guaranteed compliance.

Want to avoid SDS software mistakes and protect your brand?
Contact our regulatory team today.