Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Preface to the Seventh Edition
It is a regret, to the Editor, his assistants, and surely to readers, that Leslie Bretherick died in April 2003 after a short period of overt illness. This work is his major memorial. The measure of how well he wrought is that, in this third edition after his declining sight caused him to hand over the reins, he is still responsible for the initial selection of more than 70% of compound and group entries, however much these may subsequently have been augmented. Only three ‘new’ compounds have entered this edition on hazard reports from literature which he might have found, but did not, in the days before computers, keywords and hazard warnings in bold or italic, made winnowing the literature as easy as it is today.
The general lines and layout of his maximum opus remain little changed. There is a proliferating literature of what is best described as theoretical chemical safety. Leslie Bretherick initially tried to cover all of this but, well before his death, we agreed that Bretherick should concentrate upon the unfortunate incidents that actually occurred, using, we hoped, well-chosen words. Even here, some selection is involved; azides and organic or organometallic perchlorates only gain individual entries if they are either exceptionally sensitive, or advanced as synthetic reagents. Neither do novel compounds proposed as explosives automatically gain entry; they usually have the characteristics of two or more group entries. The theoretical side is not ignored but selectively, and not exhaustively, covered.
The manufacturer’s safety data sheets now supplied alongside chemicals, even by laboratory supply houses, are steadily improving and so render reference to published compound safety datasheet compilations otiose. Since many of the recent latter appear to result from cut and paste by uncritical Information Technology specialists, lacking hands-on experience of the chemicals involved, that is perhaps as well.
Internal reorganisation within Reed International means that the Handbook is now published by Elsevier, not Butterworth Heinemann. Thanks are therefore due to the staff of both organisations. Dr Martin Pitt of the University of Sheffield ably assists me in the more purely chemical engineering matters and also in surfing the Internet, whence my criteria for inclusion remain two of these three: I find the report credible, the source is authoritative and the hazard is not already listed. The libraries of the universities of Durham, Edinburgh, and Warwick have helped me to study sources, and thanks are due to my erstwhile employer, become part of Akzo Nobel, for continuing to allow me occasional days off to undertake the work.
The computerised systems of compilation and structure drawing have been changed and I hope that this has not introduced too many unfound flaws and errors. For these, as others, I must take responsibility and I hope that readers will be unsparing in pointing them out. But, reader, the ultimate responsibility for your safety remains with you: study, think, and experiment with caution while doubt remains. And, should you thus find new hazard, please report it.
P. G. URBEN
It is a regret, to the Editor, his assistants, and surely to readers, that Leslie Bretherick died in April 2003 after a short period of overt illness. This work is his major memorial. The measure of how well he wrought is that, in this third edition after his declining sight caused him to hand over the reins, he is still responsible for the initial selection of more than 70% of compound and group entries, however much these may subsequently have been augmented. Only three ‘new’ compounds have entered this edition on hazard reports from literature which he might have found, but did not, in the days before computers, keywords and hazard warnings in bold or italic, made winnowing the literature as easy as it is today.
The general lines and layout of his maximum opus remain little changed. There is a proliferating literature of what is best described as theoretical chemical safety. Leslie Bretherick initially tried to cover all of this but, well before his death, we agreed that Bretherick should concentrate upon the unfortunate incidents that actually occurred, using, we hoped, well-chosen words. Even here, some selection is involved; azides and organic or organometallic perchlorates only gain individual entries if they are either exceptionally sensitive, or advanced as synthetic reagents. Neither do novel compounds proposed as explosives automatically gain entry; they usually have the characteristics of two or more group entries. The theoretical side is not ignored but selectively, and not exhaustively, covered.
The manufacturer’s safety data sheets now supplied alongside chemicals, even by laboratory supply houses, are steadily improving and so render reference to published compound safety datasheet compilations otiose. Since many of the recent latter appear to result from cut and paste by uncritical Information Technology specialists, lacking hands-on experience of the chemicals involved, that is perhaps as well.
Internal reorganisation within Reed International means that the Handbook is now published by Elsevier, not Butterworth Heinemann. Thanks are therefore due to the staff of both organisations. Dr Martin Pitt of the University of Sheffield ably assists me in the more purely chemical engineering matters and also in surfing the Internet, whence my criteria for inclusion remain two of these three: I find the report credible, the source is authoritative and the hazard is not already listed. The libraries of the universities of Durham, Edinburgh, and Warwick have helped me to study sources, and thanks are due to my erstwhile employer, become part of Akzo Nobel, for continuing to allow me occasional days off to undertake the work.
The computerised systems of compilation and structure drawing have been changed and I hope that this has not introduced too many unfound flaws and errors. For these, as others, I must take responsibility and I hope that readers will be unsparing in pointing them out. But, reader, the ultimate responsibility for your safety remains with you: study, think, and experiment with caution while doubt remains. And, should you thus find new hazard, please report it.
P. G. URBEN
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