Laboratory technician office location: Should a laboratory technician’s office space be in the preparation room? Common sense suggests that such a placement is inappropriate on OH&S grounds as the preparation room is a work area with well-defined potential hazards. Could you point me to some documentation regarding this?
Storage of offal: Is it acceptable to store offal, such as plucks, hearts, kidneys, etc., in a freezer for long periods (months) for future use? If so, and the freezer is located in a prep room (i.e. not accessible by students and used only for science purposes) is there any requirement to have this locked?
Authored 2017-03-06
GHS Hazard category ratings: Can some one please explain the rating on the chemicals in the SDS please? For example the Hydrochloric Acid 25 - 36% Hazard Identification : skin corrosion/irritation: category 1B, for Specific Target Organ Toxicity Single Exposure: category 3 and Corrosive to Metals: category 1.
Is the lower number less of a hazard or more of a hazard?
This ASSIST Information Sheet (AIS) explores latex allergies: What is a latex allergy? Those at risk, signs and symptoms. Items containing latex in schools. Risk management and prevention strategies in the school setting.
Broken Max Min Thermometer: We have some max min mercury thermometers here, and yesterday one of them was broken by a cleaner. The broken thermometer gives off an overpowering odour, it was extremely strong and resulted in the evacuation of an office as we couldn’t initially identify where the smell was coming from. It smells like something is burning and the office is still very smelly today as some of the liquid spilled onto the carpet.
Calcium Carbide: My teachers are wondering whether there are any restrictions on us storing and using Calcium carbide for pracs here at school? They apparently used to do some wonderful pracs with it in the past, which they have not done for many years, however I am concerned about the safety of these pracs.
Balloons: I haven't heard of any issues but we have a parent who is concerned with regards to balloons and latex and the powder residue in them. We use balloons a lot and wondered if there is anything we can use or do?
This downloadable ASSIST Information Sheet (AIS) provides information and guidelines on the safe handling, use and storage of potting mix.
Lab safety/guidelines: Is there any legislation that states that you need to have a first aid kit available in each Science Lab, that chemical store rooms need to be ventilated and that food (even if it is for experiments) should not be stored in chemical store rooms? are there differences based on state? In this situation I am interested in federal and NT legislation.
Handling cow manure in school science laboratories: Can cow manure be used for practical activities in school science laboratories? Are there any regulations regarding handling cow manure?
