Since its inception in the early 1950s, this work has become the "bible" for those who need to evaluate the hazard of substances used in commerce. It is the only reference that combines, for so many substances, data on toxicological, fire, reactivity, explosive potential, and regulatory information. Highly acclaimed in the professional journals, it was reviewed as "an indispensable reference guide for professionals responsible for managing industrial safety and occupational exposure...an extraordinary work," and as "a monumental work...Efforts like this are the things of what history is made," among other reviews.