Ot Acceptable Rlsk. Science and the Deferminallon of Safety. William W. Lowrance, Harvard Universitv. Willinm Kaufmnnn. Ine.. Los Altos.
scientists; deciding the acceptability of that risk is a matter of personal and social value judgments which scientists must share with citizens a t large and their political leaders. Scientists often mav differ from one another in these value judgments which is confusing t o the ouhlie.~The book was written with the following precepts: (1) technology, although by no means an unmixed blessing, has in many ways enriched the human condition and will long remain an important aspect of civilization; (2) many of our problems are technological in origin and will necessarily be technological, as well as political, in their solution; (3) human activity will always and unavoidably involve risks; and (4) in order to make our world safer, we can start changing only from where things are today. Only a few typographical errors were caught by this reviewer. The use of freon for Freon appears to have been purposeful but is an unjustifiable abuse of the duPont trade name. ~~
This is a timely, interesting, and important book written while the author was an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Resident Fellow a t the National Academy of Sciences in consultation with a distinguished ad hoc Panel on Science and the Determination of Safety. It is not intended far those who simply wish to check the latest OSHA regulations to learn whether practices in their student laboratories are tolerably in compliance. Faculty members reading the book, however, surely will develop a greater awareness of the critical need for effective safety programs in our schools, and the political complexities met in deciding their effectiveness. For thoughtful academic people the book will prove especially useful in suggesting responses to the growing numbers of student questions about such public issues as pesticides, lead, the ozone layer, cancer and food additives, and the safety of nuclear power plants. The book also will be an instructive reference for students who are bound for careers in industry and government. I t points out the responsibilities of scientists for developing "safe" industrial products and comments perceptively on the interactions of scientists and laymen in deciding acceptable levels of risk. Dr. Lowrsnce warns us that writings on safety have tended to leave the gloomy impression that everything is dismayingly unsafe. He then helps us put into proper perspective the degrees of risk and changing safety standards. A thing is safe if its risks are j u d ~ e dacceptable. Measuring the risk is an objective and probabilistic pursuit for
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Malcolm M. Renhew University d Idaho
Moscow, Idaho 83843
industrial job interview and far their first months on the joh. The o b \ i w r rolution to this prohlem is hetter communications between the people in universities and industries. This book is aimed a t bridging the information gap between universities and industries. The authors have done a fine jab describing the industrial community from the viewpoint of the professionals which it employs. While they have used the chemical industry for the specific examples, most of tbe information presented in this book is applicable to other types of industries which employ professionals.The authors discuss the transition of a professional into the industrial community, including how and where to seek employment, job interview conduct, and what to expect as a new employee. The industrial functions performed by professionals are then discussed in individual chapters. The most emphasis is placed an research and development since most technically trained professionals are initially employed in this function. Also discussed are the functions of thr mnnufncrur~nz. mnrker~ng.stnff, and iudc their pdtrnr divli~ms.The nuthum < < m drsrrlptl~nof rhs functim.; of protcsiimali in industry with a discussion of management. This book is well-written and well-referenced. It is recommended for graduate and undergraduate students who may he intere ested in industrial emnlovment as wellas t h~pruftswr; nhu train I h r v qrurlmrs I'mfr+ sionals a h o have recently enwred rndustry will alsofmd this hook helpful in tarditating their orientation.
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