The exchange on this topic has been very enlightening to a US expatriate no
n-speaker of Spanish who is occasionally involved in chemical safety data s
heet compilation and has grown used to seeing the word "fichas" applied to 
them in Spanish in Europe. (See for example http://www.mtas.es/insht/ipcsns
pn/Introducci.htm or http://www.servicio.us.es/smanten/uma/rp/fds.htm, or t
he EU guide to data sheet preparation at http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriSer
v/site/es/oj/2001/l_212/l_21220010807es00240033.pdf.)
Is "ficha" known in the New World, and if so, in more or less the same sens
e as "hoja"?

Emmert Clevenstine
ILO retiree, Gex, France




> Message du 19/06/07 18:14
> De : "ILPI" 
> A : DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
> Copie =C3=A0 : 
> Objet : [DCHAS-L] SUMMARY: Spanish translation of term "MSDS"
> 
> I'd like to thank everyone for the public and 
> non-public responses to this question.
> 
> The general consensus is that "hojas" is a much 
> better word that "pliegos" in this instance. As 
> far as the entire phrase goes, there a few 
> similar wordings; see below.
> 
> Here is my original post followed by the public 
> and non-public responses I received. I will pass 
> this information along to the manufacturer with a 
> recommendation that they update their binders. 
> Thanks VERY much, once again, to everyone for 
> their efforts.
> 
> Best wishes,
> 
> Rob Toreki
> 
> Original post:
> 
> At 6:02 PM -0400 6/18/07, ILPI wrote:
> >We are distributors of bilingual MSDS binders 
> >(among other products). The front of the binders 
> >say MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS in English, and 
> >PLIEGOS DE DATOS SOBRE SEGURIDAD DE MATERIALES 
> >in Spanish.
> >
> >A Spanish-speaking (potential) client called 
> >today and said he did not recognize the word 
> >"Pliegos" which, from a web search, I determined 
> >is a valid Spanish term for "sheets". He 
> >seemed concerned that his hundreds of 
> >Spanish-speaking employees (they are a farming 
> >company) wouldn't understand it either. The 
> >word "hojas" might be a better match.
> >
> >Not to rely on foreign translation on the web, 
> >but a search on the exact term PLIEGO DE DATOS 
> >SOBRE SEGURIDAD DE MATERIALES returns only one 
> >match at Google whereas the same term with HOJA 
> >substituted for PLIEGO returns 706.
> >
> >I've already sent an inquiry to the 
> >manufacturer. I've also asked the client to run 
> >the word pliegos by some of his employees.
> >
> >My question for the list is this - are there any 
> >native Spanish speakers here who can comment on 
> >the nuances of "hojas" versus "pliegos" and 
> >whether or not the latter term is likely to be 
> >recognized correctly by non-professionals who 
> >read/speak (Mexican dialects of) Spanish.
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> 
> Responses in chronological order. I have 
> withheld names from responses received via 
> private email.
> 
> I will add my own response/summary/assessment first:
> 
> RESPONSE 0
> 
> After posting my question, I remembered that we 
> have an English translation of the Mexican MSDS 
> regulation, NOM-018-STPS-2000, posted on our 
> comprehensive MSDS web site. See the 
> link/discussion in our MSDS FAQ section 
> http://www.ilpi.com/msds/faq/parte.html#other for 
> that. Correlating that translation back to the 
> original documents available on the Mexican 
> government web site, MSDS corresponds to "Hojas 
> De Datos De Seguridad"; see 
> http://trabajoyps.jalisco.gob.mx/nom/nomorg018stps00.pdf 
> 
> 
> I also found MSDS's from Mexican manufacturers 
> that use "Hojas De Datos De Seguridad De 
> Materiales", for example 
> http://www.grupoidesa.com/Hojas/msds-deg.pdf
> 
> In concert with the helpful replies from the list 
> members, I'd say these two wordings are the best 
> "short" and "long" versions of the phrase.
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> 
> RESPONSE 1
> >The ACS Committee on Chemical Safety translated SACL to Spanish. You wil
l
> >find "Material Safety Data Sheets" translated as "Hojas de Seguridad" in
> >SACL. The document was reviewed by many different Spanish speakers. Your
> >translation looks like a direct translation to Spanish. Having taken 7 y
ears
> >of Spanish classes, I can tell you many terms are not directly translate
d.
> >Lo paso bien tells a Spanish speaker you had a good time but is directly
> >translated to I passed it well.
> >
> >Our Spanish SACL is available online at:
> >http://membership.acs.org/c/ccs/pubs/SACL_Spanish.htm
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> 
> RESPONSE 2
> >AAfter working on safety issues several years in my country Mexico I can
 say
> >that the most adequate translation of MSDS is "hoja de datos de segurida
d de
> >los materiales".
> >We use the world "pliegos" for a kind of documents that are written down
 big
> >and fold sheets. I am sure that for workers would be better to understan
d
> >and use the word "hojas" instead of pliegos.
> >In addition, the occupational regulations in my country name MSDS as "ho
jas
> >de datos de seguridad". Therefore. if you use this terminology you will 
be
> >in according with regulations.
> >I hope this could be useful for you.
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> 
> RESPONSE 3
> >This is a great question in the greater sense of what is the correct
> >colloquial term in any language. Also the specification of the dialect (
my
> >neighbor is Argentinean and often comments on the different usage in
> >"Spanish").
> >
> >Since you originated the issue, I think it a great contribution for you 
to
> >suggest to the Division leadership for the CHAS website to be a location
 to
> >accumulate these terms in all the languages of the world. A great servic
e
> >from the ACS, and one with lots of curiosity factor!
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> 
> RESPONSE 4
> At 8:56 PM -0400 6/18/07, Eng. Winston R. Esteves wrote:
> >My native language is Spanish and I'll take "Hojas" over "Pliegos" 100% 
of
> >the time. We refer to MSDSs as "Hojas de Datos de Seguridad de Materiale
s".
> >That is what we use as translation in all of our trainings.
> >
> >Winston R. Esteves
> >PE, DEE, QEP, CHMM
> >Environmental Consulting Associates
> >Phone 787-790-7931
> >Fax 787-790-7989
> >Cell 787-644-5684
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> 
> RESPONSE 5
> >Hi. I am spanish speaking and I think the term 
> >"Hojas de Datos sobre Seguridad de Materiales" 
> >is more adecuated for us spanish speakers, 
> >although "pliegos" is used too, depending of the 
> >country.
> >
> >I understand what is a MSDS, but the translation 
> >is difficult, since it would seem in spanish 
> >that the safety is refered to the materials and 
> >not to the people working with them. The class I 
> >took in spanish about safety was called "Hygiene 
> >y Seguridad Industrial".
> >
> >Then a better approach could be "Hojas de Datos 
> >para Hygiene y Seguridad" , or "Hojas de Datos 
> >sobre Materiales".
> >I hope I did not confuse you more, but spanish is really tricky.
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> 
> RESPONSE 6
> At 7:49 AM -0500 6/19/07, Medina, Javier wrote:
> >My native language is also Spanish and hojas is a better used of the
> >word in this context. Pliego would be utilized better in the printing
> >and publishing industry. Rob Toreki, if you need any further assistance
> >with chemical name and/or toxicological name translation just e-mail me
> >directly.
> >
> >Javier Medina
> >Chemist/CHO
> >Office 915-587-3688
> >Javier.medina**At_Symbol_Here**elpaso.com
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> 
> RESPONSE 7
> At 9:19 AM -0400 6/19/07, antonio rodriguez wrote:
> >Like Winston Esteves, I prefer the word "hojas" 
> >instead of "pliego," but both may be used.
> >
> >In Puerto Rico, I am used to the term "pliego" 
> >always in reference to "bid documents", seldom 
> >in other uses, most of them in legal circles.
> >
> >You may have a wider perspective if you look at 
> >synonims for both words, from which you will see 
> >the versatility of the word "hoja" and the 
> >limited but perhaps more precise meaning of the 
> >word "pliego". Please note that I added a single 
> >English word. within brackets, to convey the 
> >main meaning of each list.
> >
> >Diccionario de sin=C3=B3nimos y ant=C3=B3nimos =C2=A9 2005 Espasa-Calpe 
S.A., Madrid:
> >
> >hoja
> > a.. hojuela, p=C3=A9talo, br=C3=A1ctea, fronda, verde [leaf]
> > b.. plancha, l=C3=A1mina, placa, chapa [sheet]
> > c.. folio, cuartilla, p=C3=A1gina, pliego, plana, 
> >carilla, impreso, op=C3=BAsculo, escrito [page]
> > d.. hierro, acero, filo, espada, cuchilla, pu=C3=B1al, navaja, sable [b
lade]
> >
> >
> >Diccionario de sin=C3=B3nimos y ant=C3=B3nimos =C2=A9 2005 Espasa-Calpe 
S.A., Madrid:
> >
> >pliego
> > a.. folio, hoja, papel, cuadernillo, documento, nota, formulario [docum
ent]
> >
> >
> >A. Rodriguez, PhD, PE
> 
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
> 
> RESPONSE 8
> At 9:28 AM -0400 6/19/07, Nabil Bissada wrote:
> >http://www.msds-mexico.com/
> 
> (which translates MSDS as Hoja de datos de seguridad).
> -- 
> ========================
=========================
=====
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