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EDIFACT message guide · Master data

SAFHAZ Safety and hazard data

The UN/EDIFACT message used to send safety data and advice on materials supplied to industrial customers.

Sent by
Material supplier or manufacturer
Received by
Industrial customer
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
848 Material Safety Data Sheet

What is the EDIFACT SAFHAZ message?

SAFHAZ is the UN/EDIFACT safety and hazard data message. The directory defines it as a message that communicates safety data and advice on materials supplied to industrial customers, so that they can take measures to protect their employees and the environment from potentially harmful effects.

It carries the content of a safety data sheet, such as hazard identification, composition, handling and storage, exposure controls and emergency measures, in structured form. Customers can load it directly into their health, safety and environmental systems.

How the EDIFACT SAFHAZ message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT SAFHAZ Safety and hazard data message. Material supplier or manufacturer sends it to industrial customer. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG3 loop with DOC (Document/message details). 3 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT SAFHAZ message worksSafety and hazard data: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeSAFHAZSENDERMaterial supplier ormanufacturerRECEIVERIndustrial customerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage SAFHAZUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG3 · repeats up to 1,000DOCDocument/message details+ 3 conditional groups, starting with:NADSFIBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for SAFHAZ. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT SAFHAZ message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT SAFHAZ Safety and hazard data message. Material supplier or manufacturer sends it to industrial customer. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG3 loop with DOC (Document/message details). 3 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT SAFHAZmessage worksSafety and hazard data: who sends it, where itfits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeSAFHAZSENDERMaterialsupplier ormanufacturerRECEIVERIndustrialcustomerCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message SAFHAZ (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG3 · repeats upto 1,000DOCDocument/message details+ 3 conditional groups, starting with:NADSFIBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for SAFHAZ.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends SAFHAZ, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around SAFHAZ and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Sending safety data with the first delivery of a material
  • Distributing revised safety data after a change
  • Providing hazard data for regulatory compliance

Where it fits in the message flow

This message SAFHAZ Safety and hazard data

No other message routinely comes directly before or after SAFHAZ; it is exchanged when the business event occurs. If the partners agree, the receiver confirms each interchange with a CONTRL syntax and service report.

Structure

Mandatory segments in SAFHAZ (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the SAFHAZ message has 53 segment positions arranged in 15 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • SG3 (DOC)
  • UNT

Practical example

SAFHAZ in practice

A chemicals distributor supplies a solvent to a manufacturing plant for the first time. It sends the plant a SAFHAZ with the product's hazard classification, composition, protective equipment required, storage conditions and first-aid measures. The plant's safety system loads the data and makes it available at the point of use.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for SAFHAZ

  • Keep content aligned with the applicable safety data sheet regulations.
  • Send revisions to every customer who received the material.
  • Version safety data with revision dates.
  • Keep a readable copy available for workers and inspectors.

How ECOM helps

Automate SAFHAZ with ECOM

Industry

Manufacturing

Customer schedules, supplier connectivity and shipping integrated with the ERP for manufacturers.

Industry

Wholesale Distribution

Customer orders, supplier purchasing, catalogs and drop-ship for distributors.

Solution

B2B Integration

Connect every customer, supplier, carrier and bank across EDI, API, file and portal channels.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

Related master data messages

All 11 master data messages

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