Phosgene.

Date:
1939
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Phosgene. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    FOREWORD The present booklet is a revised reprint of the original booklet on Phosgene published in 1939 and sponsored by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Under Regulation 7 of the Chemical Works Regulations, 1922, before any person enters for any purpose except that of rescue, any vessel or other place that may contain dangerous gas or fume, the vessel or place must be personally examined by a responsible person appointed by the occupier, and the appointed person must certify in writing whether the place is free or not free from danger. White mice and birds have been used for the purpose of testing for the presence of dangerous gas and fume. Though this method may, in certain situations, be effective for carbon monoxide, experience has shown that it cannot always be relied upon for other important gases and vapours encountered in industry and that there is a need for simple and rapid. chemical or other methods for determining low concentrations of dangerous gases, such as may occur in various circumstances in chemical work. The matter was discussed by the Association of British Chemical Manufacturers with the Home Office in 1932, and as a result arrangements were made by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, at the request of the Home Office and with the financial and technical co-operation of the Association of British Chemical Manufac- turers, for a series of tests to be developed by the Chemical Defence Research Department. The tests devised were described in twelve booklets which were published between 1937 and 1940; they covered the following gases and vapours: Aniline Hydrogen cyanide Arsine Hydrogen sulphide Benzene Nitrous fumes Carbon bisulphide Organic halogen compounds Carbon monoxide Phosgene Chlorine Sulphur dioxide Originally, this series of tests was worked out to help the chemical industry to comply with the Chemical Works Regulations, 1922. Requirements similar to those already in force for chemical works were imposed on all other works in the Factories Acts of 1937 and 1948, so that the usefulness of this series has been much extended. The methods are also of value in work-rooms where the general atmosphere is liable to contamination, and in this connection it is intended to cover airborne solids as well as gases and vapours. In most cases, chemical methods involving colour changes were adopted as best suited for the purpose in view. Each test was carefully standardized in the laboratory, and tested under practical conditions in actual works. While the information contained in the booklets describing the tests is addressed primarily to responsible works officials, medical officers, chemists and other persons in charge of chemical plant, the tests themselves have been made as simple and straightforward as possible in order that they can be operated, given the necessary materials, by comparatively unskilled personnel. They can be elaborated or modified to a certain extent to suit particular conditions, provided that the fundamental conditions laid down for the tests are not altered in any way. In this connection it must be remembered, however, that the primary 2