Australia's Science Forum

Congrats to your daughter, Lorrae!

I was lucky enough to be selected for the NYSF in 2000, and it was among the best two weeks of my life A really amazing experience.

She will have a ball!

Megs

Wow - you can breed stick insects? That's so cool! How difficult are they to look after? What sorts of things do they need? I have a big empty aquarium sitting in my prep room that I would love to set up as a home for some little creatures, but have thus far been restricted by the old 'who's going t...

Thanks for the congrats, everyone :D This will be 'Number 2' for me (incredibly, 'Number 1' has taken only three and a half years to morph into a running jumping climbing boy who knows everything and can't wait to be a big brother :giggle:) and I am looking forward to having a new little one to cudd...

Hi everyone, My position is up for grabs for twelve months while I disappear to have a baby \:D/ and then attempt to rear it to toddlerhood :wink2: . Starting in August. If you or anyone you know would like a lovely twelve-month stint at an independent school in sunny, glorious Bathurst... only thre...

Hey,

We used the same recipe as Fran's on Friday, and it worked a treat

Good luck!

M

Ian - just when I thought it could go no higher, the world of Chemical Safety Documentation reaches dizzying new heights of stupidity :crazy: That is an absolutely insane amount of work, and absolutely not 'required' by any governing body that I know of. Even the Australian Standards documentation f...

OHS legislation says that we have to identify and control any forseeable risks or hazards, and then mentions in particular, work practices, plant (ie equipment) hazardous substances, manual handling, biological substances and a few other things including "the potential for workplace violence&q...

Morning :-) Sent some more emails as requested, if they haven't come through by this arvo let me know. Regarding the RA's for individual chemicals, I'm not really sure - -I would have assumed that that is what the MSDS are for? And the risks involved really depend on what you are doing with the chem...

Hi! Just back from holidays, and have caught up on the emailing. Let me know if you've requested a copy and it hasn't come through :mail: vlclabbie (Kel) - that is a fantastic idea! :clap3: Why don't people post some ideas for Safe Work Procedures that it would be good to have, and then we can divvy...

My guess would be just to 'try them out' like you would use them in a prac i.e. charge some ebonite and perspex rods (with wool and silk) and wave them near the top, to see if the needle moves?

That's what I'd do, anyway. Not sure if it's right!

Okay - here's the SWP's (if this works!) they are veeery basic, I just laminated them and put them up in the sink area as a sort of 'reminder', although anyone who has been in this job a while would be able to do this stuff in their sleep :wink2: Still, paperwork keeps the powers-that-be happy, and ...

Thanks, I'll test the pH and go from there... If I can work out how - I'll upload the few SWP's I have to the site, I'm sure people have different ways of doing these things so you might have to 'personalise' them for your department, but the template is there anyway. I'll just email the Chemicals P...

You're welcome

The OH&S co-ordinator here was delighted with the layout, as I had simply copied the formatting from all of the school's other policy docs, so she wasn't going to have to re-type it into the proper format! Besides, it looks more 'official'

Megs

I've got a cordless phone in my prep room and I love it It's handy to be able to 'walk and talk'!

Sure, no problem

By the way, does anyone know HOW I might go about deciding what my mystery bottle of 'phosphoric acid?' is?? I'd like to think something will be done about it before the next inspection in five years

Lisa and Judy - have emailed you. :) Labbie - Having some trouble with the PM - I tried to attach the file and it won't 'appear' anywhere on the message to say it's attached, and the PM won't send either. Do you want to PM me an email address and I'll try that way? Or I can wait and try again later...

Sure - what email address?

M

Well... we had our grand inspection last Wednesday... By Wednesday morning I was feeling a bit stressed, but quite proud of all the work I had put in in order to get the place ready for the inspection. I had honestly tried to think of everything. With Sassi's help (thanks again Sassi for your OHS Po...

Thanks so much Estelle - received my email this morning...

I really appreciate it! Am going to go and show my head teacher, who will then pronounce me to be 'employee of the month'

Thanks again!
Megs

These would be so helpful!! Can I please request a copy too?? meg.hitchick@saints.nsw.edu.au The Science Focus books are great, and risk assessments would be very handy. Thanks so much! Meg