By Richard T. Cartwright, PE, CHMM, (IHMM, AHMP and APICS) Fellow.
Richard died April 21, 2025; honoring the work he did with hazmat history is one small way to keep his memory alive.
The saying, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it” is more than a cliché. It is a reminder that we must constantly be learning from the past. Here’s a look back at major historical events that happened today in the world of hazardous materials.
May 15, 1941
The first British jet aircraft flew over England. Its jet engines were devised by Frank Whittle, British aviation engineer and pilot who is regarded as father of the jet engine. Jet age travel has dramatically changed transportation of hazardous materials.
May 15, 1940
Nylon stockings from DuPont (nylon was invented in 1935 by Wallace Carothers) went on general sale for the first time in the United States. Since then, nylon has found thousands of other uses. DuPont’s marketing slogan was “Better Living Through Chemistry”.
May 15, 1896
An F5 (winds exceeded 260 mph) tornado struck Sherman, Texas, where 73 people died. Tornado strength is measured via Fujita Scale, named after Tetsuya Fujita. He discovered that an average tornado is 150 feet wide, travels 1 mile moving 40 mph, and tends to pick up strength the longer it lasts. Fujita found that only 30% of twisters reach winds above 112 mph. Tornadoes that cause complete destruction on the ground are designated as F5. There were 94 recorded F5 tornadoes in North America during the 20th century.
May 15, 1859
Pierre Curie, French physical chemist was born. His studies of radioactive substances were made together with his wife, Marie Curie. Their success was achieved under conditions of extreme hardship. They had barely adequate laboratory facilities and worked under the stress of having to do a heavy workload of classroom teaching to earn their livelihood. Together, they discovered radium and polonium.
Historical hazardous materials management events are posted 365 days a year at this LinkedIn discussion group.
