Who Needs to Comply with ABNT NBR 14725:2023?

1. Scope of the Standard

2. Practical Application and Responsibilities

3. Key Compliance Obligations

4. Legal and Regulatory Impacts of Non-Compliance

5. How the Industry Can Prepare for ABNT NBR 14725:2023

6. Conclusão

The Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT) is the entity responsible for technical standardization in Brazil and for developing the Brazilian Regulatory Standards (NBR). These standards establish standardized criteria for products, services, and processes, contributing to the quality, safety, and competitiveness of companies.

Among them, ABNT NBR 14725:2023 stands out, addressing the classification, labeling, and preparation of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS — formerly FISPQ) for chemical products. Its latest version is aligned with the 7th edition of the Purple Book, the reference document for the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

More than a technical requirement, ABNT NBR 14725:2023 is a key tool to ensure clear communication of chemical hazards throughout the supply chain — from manufacturer to end user. By establishing updated and harmonized standards, it promotes workplace safety, environmental protection, and legal compliance, strengthening companies’ credibility in the market.

For the Brazilian chemical industry, complying with this standard goes beyond regulatory compliance — it represents a commitment to social and environmental responsibility, transparency in information, and the safe management of chemical products.

Scope of the Standard

ABNT NBR 14725:2023 applies to substances, mixtures, and chemical alloys that present physical, human health, or environmental hazards, and that are intended for industrial, professional, or commercial (including domestic use) in Brazil. This includes everything from raw materials to finished products circulating through the supply chain.

Covered substances, mixtures, and alloys

The standard is mandatory for all isolated chemical substances, mixtures, and alloys considered hazardous according to GHS criteria. This includes:

• Pure substances or individual chemical components.

• Mixtures containing two or more ingredients (including intentional or unintentional impurities).

• Metal alloys that, due to their composition, present hazardous properties.

The requirement applies regardless of the product’s physical state (solid, liquid, gas) and stage in the supply chain — whether manufacturing, storage, transport, distribution, or use.

Products and sectors that must comply

The standard is mandatory for all companies involved in manufacturing, importing, formulating, packaging, distributing, and marketing hazardous chemical products, being particularly relevant for:

• Chemical industry.

• Cosmetics and personal care.

• Agrochemicals.

• Lubricants and petroleum derivatives.

• Pharmaceutical and fine chemicals.

• Paints, varnishes, adhesives, and solvents.

• Metallurgy and material transformation industries.

• Transport and logistics operators handling dangerous goods.
  

Additionally, companies involved in storage, transport, and handling of these products must also comply, ensuring proper classification, labeling, and SDS.

Exclusions and exceptions

The standard does not apply in the following cases:

• Articles that do not release hazardous substances (except explosives and pyrotechnics).

• Products regulated by specific legislation.

• Substances/mixtures in research and development stages, not placed on the market.

• Non-hazardous household products, within their specific sector legislation.
  

Thus, ABNT NBR 14725:2023 serves as a key regulatory framework for chemical hazard communication in Brazil, aligning safety criteria with international GHS standards while recognizing specific national application limits.

Practical Application and Responsibilities

ABNT NBR 14725:2023 establishes clear guidelines to ensure all parties in the chemical supply chain fulfill their roles in classification, labeling, and hazard communication. Responsibility for chemical safety is shared, with each participant — from manufacturer to end user — having specific duties to ensure safe use of substances and mixtures.

Manufacturers

Main responsibilities:

• Assess physical-chemical, toxicological, and ecotoxicological properties.

• Classify hazards according to the standard’s criteria.

• Ensure product labels contain all mandatory information, such as pictograms, hazard statements (H), precautionary statements (P), and signal words.

• Prepare and provide the SDS in Portuguese, updated, and available in electronic and/or physical format, in accordance with ABNT NBR 14725:2023.

• Keep technical data up to date as new studies or composition changes occur.
  

Importers

Responsibilities include:

• Ensure products are classified and labeled in accordance with ABNT NBR 14725:2023.

• Translate or adapt SDSs received from abroad into Portuguese, ensuring compliance with Brazilian format.

• Verify the completeness and consistency of information provided by foreign manufacturers.

• Provide the SDS to all users in the supply chain.

Distributors and retailers

Although they are not responsible for initial classification or SDS preparation, they must:

• Ensure that products sold are accompanied by their SDS.

• Not alter labels or documents in a way that compromises information integrity.

• Update labels and SDS whenever they receive new versions from manufacturers or importers.

• Store and transport products according to safety instructions in regulatory documents.
  

Industrial users and health & safety professionals

They must:

• Review the SDS before using the product.

• Implement recommended control and protection measures.

• Ensure proper training of workers handling chemicals.

• Keep safety documents accessible in the workplace.

• Report incidents or inconsistencies in labels or SDS to suppliers.
  
  

Key Compliance Obligations

Classification and labeling

• Identify physical, health, and environmental hazards.

• Classify products according to GHS hazard classes and categories.

• Define mandatory labeling elements: pictograms, signal words, hazard (H) and precautionary (P) statements, and supplemental information.

• Ensure labels are legible, in Brazilian Portuguese, and suitable for the packaging size.

• Update labeling when composition, classification, or hazard information changes.

SDS preparation and updating

• Follow the 16-section format specified in ABNT NBR 14725:2023.

• Revise whenever significant changes occur in product information.

• Provide SDSs free of charge and in an accessible format to clients and professional users.

• Maintain records of previous versions for traceability.
  

Clear hazard communication

• Make SDSs available at workplaces and on secure digital platforms.

• Use precise, unambiguous technical language.

• Promote ongoing reading and use of SDSs by workers.

• Use safety signage in areas where chemicals are handled or stored.

Training

• Regularly train workers handling chemicals on hazards, preventive measures, PPE use, emergency actions, and SDS interpretation.

• Keep training records updated.

• Provide technical guidance to customers, especially for hazardous industrial-use products.

Monitoring and continuous review

• Conduct internal checks and periodic audits.

• Stay informed of ABNT regulatory updates, as well as ANVISA, IBAMA, and Ministry of Labor requirements.

• Review safety documents and operational practices regularly.

• Maintain open communication channels for feedback and safety improvements.
  

Legal and Regulatory Impacts of Non-Compliance

Legal risks

• Fines.

• Operational embargoes or closures.

• Civil liability for accidents or environmental damage.

• Labor lawsuits and regulatory actions.

• Loss of environmental or sanitary licenses.

• Criminal liability in cases of proven negligence.

Reputational consequences

• Loss of customer and partner trust.

• Exclusion from global supply chains requiring GHS compliance.

• Higher risk of accidents and liabilities.

• Damage to sustainability and social responsibility reputation.
  

How the Industry Can Prepare for ABNT NBR 14725:2023

Implementation tips

• Map all manufactured, imported, or marketed chemicals.

• Update SDSs and labels according to the 2023 standard.

• Involve all strategic company areas (HSE, legal, quality, purchasing, sales).

• Train internal teams and customers on classification, labeling, and best practices.

• Establish a compliance schedule with deadlines and responsibilities.
  

eQgest support tool

• Automates classification of substances and mixtures.

• Quickly generates SDSs in compliance with ABNT NBR 14725:2023.

• Automatically creates regulatory labels.

• Controls versions and ensures traceability.

• Exports documents in multiple formats and languages.
  
  

Conclusion

Complying with ABNT NBR 14725:2023 is much more than meeting a legal requirement — it is a strategy to protect workers, the environment, customers, and your company’s reputation. The standard ensures classification, labeling, and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) aligned with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), strengthening credibility in the market.

The eQgest software was developed to help companies in the chemical industry meet all the requirements of ABNT NBR 14725:2023 quickly, safely, and in a standardized way. With it, you can:

• Automate the classification of substances and mixtures

• Generate SDS and regulatory labels in just a few clicks, always in compliance

• Maintain full version control and traceability

• Simplify audits and updates, reducing risks and costs

If your company needs to implement or update processes to comply with ABNT NBR 14725:2023, eQgest can help.
Request a free demo today and discover how to optimize your chemical safety management with technology and efficiency. Get your eQgest demo here.