----- Original Message ----- From: Heinz H Trebitz To: SAFETY approval account ; DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 4:06 PM Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] safety and nomenclature Sorry about the accidental mailing. Here's the complete message: Hello to list: On reading the various recounts of confusion over nomenclature and resulting accidents or almost-accidents, it occurs that correct nomenclature and the understanding of it may not always be helpful in preventing accidents. Unfortunately, we are dealing with chemical product names that have evolved over decades of use and in different countries and use scenarios. We'll find it almost impossible to make the old names go away, and may not even want to loose that element of chemical history. Moreover, laypeople will not understand chemical nomenclature, just as we have difficulties with medical terms or the botanical names of plants. Since chemical products are used by professionals as well as the average consumer, teaching chemistry in the classroom should include some of the old names - association of a scientific name with what we have been taught or seen elsewhere is quite 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. I think that Ben Greene's list of nomenclature confusions and the use of accident stories in the classroom is great. It puts life into chemistry teaching and makes living with chemicals much safer. Heinz H. Trebitz, Ph.D. GBK/T.R.E. Service 480 Colby Road North Thetford Center, VT 05075, USA tel : 802-785-2129 fax: 802-785-2124 e-mail: heinz.h.trebitz**At_Symbol_Here**valley.net ----- Original Message ----- From: SAFETY approval account To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU Sent: Monday, June 02, 2003 3:00 PM Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] safety and nomenclature Date: Mon, 02 Jun 2003 13:40:38 -0500 From: wolsey**At_Symbol_Here**Macalester.edu Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] safety and nomenclature Hi I don't have a specific accident case, but there were several incidents in my 37 years of teaching in which student confused manganese with magnesium. Wayne Wolsey Professor of Chemistry Macalester College St. Paul, MN 651 696-6352 wolsey**At_Symbol_Here**macalester.edu
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