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Subject: safety and nomenclature
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 09:36:46 EDT
Author: "Michael D. Cimis" 		Next by Date:
Subject: Re: safety and nomenclature
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 15:53:58 -0400
Author: SAFETY approval account


Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 10:06:47 -0400
Reply-To: ILPI <info**At_Symbol_Here**ILPI.COM>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: ILPI <info**At_Symbol_Here**ILPI.COM>
Subject: Re: Fw: [DCHAS-L] safety and nomenclature
In-Reply-To: <001201c32944$d5c9e840$9da073c6**At_Symbol_Here**c6tu0>


>Moreover, laypeople will not understand chemical nomenclature, just
>as we have difficulties with medical terms or the botanical names of
>plants.

Our most recent poll strongly supports this statement. We run the
#1-ranked site on the Internet for MSDS information.  Our web pages
are used hundreds of thousands of times a month by people from every
possible imaginable location/background.  Here's the question and
results:

Question: I fully understand _____ of the material/language on a typical MSDS:

    a. 100%    b. 90-99%   c. 80-90%   d. <80%

Results:

    a. 18% (545 votes)
    b. 23% (679 votes)
    c. 18% (544 votes)
    d. 40% (1190 votes)

See http://www.ilpi.com/msds/archives/poll/index.html for the
graphical version (April 15,2003)

Assuming that virtually everyone understands the "normal" words on an
MSDS (which comprise most of the text), then this poll result
indicates that most folks do not understand a significant portion of
the "technical" terms.  And the latter are often the most important.

>When writing material safety data sheets (MSDS) I'm careful in using
>both correct chemical names as well as trade or trivial names. I'd
>wish that all companies would use more diligence when generating
>MSDS. Taking into account the user's ability to understand the
>information offered in the MSDS  is very important for its
>usefulness.

At the risk of self-promotion, that's why we started the MSDS
HyperGlossary, http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/ and, in particular, the
MSDS Demystifier, http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/demystify.html

We invite anyone who distributes MSDS's electronically to offer their
sheets in "demystified" format so that any end user can easily locate
further information about the terms/acronyms therein.

Best regards,

Dr. Rob Toreki

      =================================================
    Interactive Learning Paradigms, Incorporated (ILPI)
100% custom content development for e-learning programs.
Ph: (859) 396-5218, Fax: (859) 523-0606, sales**At_Symbol_Here**ilpi.com
                 http://www.ilpi.com/training/
Lab & safety supplies?  Visit http://www.SafetyEmporium.com/

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