The word "safety" itself is one of those words of different meaning.
S-
On 6/22/2021 11:23 AM, Ralph Stuart wrote:
One of the more interesting lab safety challenges I have run into over time is different "dialects" of lab safety terminology that arise in different sciences or within branches within a "single science" such as chemistry. For example, hazmat chemists speak a different language with the same words than research chemists or chemical educators or regulators (e.g. the words "chemical", "oxidizer" or "toxic"). While GHS has gone some distance in addressing this challenge, the reason GHS is needed is that daily language about chemical safety concerns can depend on the situation under discussion. I wonder if anyone has examples of situations where language confusion turned out to be the source of safety confusion, or, alternatively, if you know of any literature that addresses this challenge in either EHS or other professional situations. (One reason this questions arises is that I just came out of a meeting a lawyer on personal matter and he had to re-define many of the words involved away from my professional / regulatory / semi-informed public understanding of those same words in a different context.) Thanks for any thoughts on this topic. - Ralph Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO Environmental Safety Manager Keene State College 603 358-2859 ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu --- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas
--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas--
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We, the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do everything with nothing. Teresa Arnold paraphrased from Konstantin Josef Jire=C4=8Dek (1854 - 1918)
Samuella B. Sigmann, MS, NRCC-CHO
Immediate Past Chair, ACS Division of Chemical Health & Safety, 2020
Senior Lecturer/Safety Committee Chair/Director of Stockroom
Chemistry
Appalachian State University
Fax: 828 262 6558
Email: sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**appstate.edu
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