Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2010 11:50:27 -0700
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Eric Clark <erclark**At_Symbol_Here**PH.LACOUNTY.GOV>
Subject: Re: Abbreviations
In-Reply-To: <68414FE0-F961-47B3-A6FD-F1541CCF60D2**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com>
Good point, Bradley.  The firemen who inspected the lab recently wanted an 
NFPA fire diamond with "0,0,0" on the 600-gallon DI water tank, I can 
understand that.  Of course they don't care about the DI wash bottles on 
the bench (although they did notice the one that was labeled HIV - for the 
lab section).  
Our Chemical Hygiene Plan has a list of lab-specific acronyms and 
abbreviations right up front.  But that still doesn't really solve that 
shorthand labeling problem we see from time to time.  [But then everyone 
in the lab seems to know what a container that's labeled "128" is, right? 
(it's vesphene diluted down 1:128).]  Thanks to this discussion string, 
I'll be creating reagent-specific label templates for things we make up 
all the time - like the profiled hazardous waste streams.  It's a complex 
field folks.  (Hope you don't mind that I used a few undefined acronyms.)  
 
 http://www.acronymslist.com/     
Top Five:  
Chemistry Acronyms (14383)
NASA Acronyms (8940)
Uncategorized Acronyms (5754)
Atmospheric Research Center Acronyms (4622)
Text Language Acronyms And Abbreviations (1855) 

Eric Clark, MS, CCHO, CHMM 
Safety & Compliance Officer 
Los Angeles County Public Health Lab

>>> Bradley Harris  4/2/2010 8:15 AM >>>
Using Abbreviations should be dependent on several items, including hazard 
levels, and the amount of chemical.  For example, a small container with 
non hazardous chemicals used in a small laboratory could have an abbreviati
on.  If there is a gallon, or 55 gallons of the same chemical the 
container should have a full label.

teaching abbreviations in school seems to undermine the information given 
from the full chemical name.

Brad

On Apr 1, 2010, at 9:20 PM, Alan Hall wrote:

> Use simple chemical formulas:  NaCN, KCN, Ca2Cn2, etc, I won't argue: 
use abbreviations that might kill somebody, BAD idea.
>  
> Whoever has to walk into a HAZMAT incident doesn't have time to look for 
a bunch of abbreviations.  Lives may be on the line.  The AHLS Course 
stresses some of that.  Those who have not worn Level A or Level B might 
consider that others have and will continue to due so.  Bad labels, some 
of us might be invoked, whether needed or not.
>  
> Alan
> ahalltoxic**At_Symbol_Here**msn.com 
> 
>  
> Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2010 19:50:48 -0400
> From: JAKSAFETY**At_Symbol_Here**AOL.COM 
> Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Abbreviations
> To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU 
> 
> One of the major problems is going to be distinguishing TLAs from FLAs.  
 ... Jim
>  
> **********************************
> James A. Kaufman, Ph.D.
> Kaufman & Associates
> 101 Oak Street, Wellesley, MA 02482
> 508-574-6264 Fax: 508-647-0062
> Res: 781-237-1335 
> 
> 
> 
> 

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