|
=== History ===
This paragraph, which is optional, should include the discovery/first synthesis of this compound. Past industrial processes can be described as well. If the etymology of the compound is complicated, it can be included here as well, instead of in the lede.
=== Safety ===
The majority of compounds are described by a long list of potential hazards as well as R&S phrases. Even innocuous chemicals such as [[sodium chloride]] have risk and safety phrases: R36, S26, S36 in their [http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/SO/sodium_chloride.html MSDSs]. Wikipedia does ''not'' aspire to be an MSDS. The hazards associated with a chemical compound should ordinarily be described in the Chembox (via EUClass, NFPA, or MainHazard parameters; further elaborated in R and S phrases). The information in the Chembox is sufficient for most compounds. News reports of routine accidents, even though they may be tragic, are usually not relevant.
Three main rules:
*If the hazards are relatively obvious (e.g. [[hexafluorophosphoric acid]] is a strong acid, and should not be stored with bases and reactive metals) do not create a separate sub-section here.
*The description of hazards should avoid speculation. This is partly an extension of Wikipedia [[WP:NPOV|NPOV]] policy, but not entirely. There is no need to include a section which merely states "all chemical compounds should be treated with the utmost precaution": such a section tells the reader nothing. If there are no known (or reasonably suspected) hazards, there is nothing for Wikipedia to say.
*The description of hazards should avoid hyperbole. The role of Wikipedia is to give balanced and accurate information, to allow its readers to reach their own conclusions.
Descriptions of hazards should, as far as possible, be based on published, peer-reviewed sources (which should, of course, be cited at the appropriate point in the article). A list of resources for chemical safety information is given in the external links section of these guidelines.
{{see also|#Current events}}
==== Toxicology ====
Depending on the extent and nature of the information, toxicological content may be incorporated into the Safety section or it may be a separate. If the compound is a drug, follow [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Drugs]]' recommendations.
===<s>Suppliers</s> ===
Wikipedia is not a buyer's guide. ''Do not'' include suppliers' information as they are spam magnets. Such lists are unmaintainable and cause problems. If, however, a particular compound is produced by only one or two suppliers, the suppliers names might be relevant.
===<s>Current events</s>===
From [[WP:NOT#JOURNALISM]]:
<blockquote>Journalism. Wikipedia should not offer first-hand news reports on breaking stories. Wikipedia is not a primary source. However, our sister project Wikinews does exactly that, and is intended to be a primary source. Wikipedia does have many encyclopedia articles on topics of historical significance that are currently in the news, and can be updated with recently verified information.</blockquote>
Accidents and incidents occur all the time. While their scale and magnitude may merit inclusion in Wikipedia on grounds of notability, that such an accident has occurred is not sufficient justification for inclusion in the context of an article about chemicals. Wikipedia does not attempt to dispense advise on what to do in the event of a (...) incident, either. (See [[WP:NOTGUIDE]]) Historic accidents and incidents may only be contextualized in the discussion on the specific hazards of certain chemicals, without serving as case studies in itself. To reiterate, if such accidents are sufficiently notable, they should have their own article (e.g. discussion in [[Bhopal disaster]], not in [[methyl isocyanate]]).
=== See also ===
|