Australia's Science Forum

All medications for students should come with instructions from the prescribing doctor..this is enough. Epipens and ventolin should also be covered this way. the school should not dispense panadol etc to students only medication that has been prescribed. When I was in NSW we followed these guideline...

Serrata in Sydney have them.

Electroplating is a good experiment or corrosion of various metals in sea water.

You are staining with Eosin? Thin section with razor blade is best.

Where are you currently working?
Other Labbies in Qld might be looking to change

Try eucalyptus oil .....I use it and works well and smells great

I would recommend the magnesium ribbon as metal powders are very risky ie can explode

Yes polyethylene is the way to go

What are you using it with?
If it is for cleaning there are alternatives.
if for chromatography you can use acetone or Methylated spirits.

There is a great book I use for Dems,it is by Tony Speering and it is called Chemistry Dems and it is available on the University of Sydney website....I have used it for 20years

For Qld there is information on page 41 of Aspects of Science Management: A Reference Manual for Schools By Education Qld 1997.You can download it from the net.Having worked in NSW for 15 years previously I have applied their rules at my school as well as the NSW CSIS is more rigorous and having use...

From memory Potassium is banned in NSW schools...we stock only sodium and calcium. I don't stock potassium chlorate either. You seem to be drawing a line between private and state schools regarding chemicals..if the advice to state schools is to not stock a chemical ,independent and private schools ...

We give our girls masks(those white ones) and the potting mix must be moist so dust at a minimum and they do it outside.
It is not so much an issue with new bags of potting mix but if the bag has been opened then add water before using it.
Wear gloves as well.We have had no problems.

Some hints for bromine: When using an ampoule have the water COLD and in an ice bath...bromine dissolves more easily in cold water. Place the ampoule in the water and break top off under water...then as bromine comes out stir and keep stirring!All done in a fumehood of course.Store in a brown bottle...

Get your required volume of solution put it on a hotplate with a stirrer and add the solid until no more will dissolve.
The SI Handbook will give you the solubility per 100mls

The norm is not to work the holidays...hence paid for 40 weeks a year in the independent system.
It is an OH&S issue for you to be alone in the school....you shouldn't be as it is not secure and no help available if you need...a phone is not enough!
Your HOD should know this!

Welcome Shelley,
There is lots of good info on the site.

Try the current Labtek catalogue page 274....a few options there

Be aware that glass wool should only be handled with forceps and never by hand.Wear gloves as well.
I would never give it to students to handle and I avoid using it.The filters for fish tanks don't use it these days and there is no experiment done in schools these days that require it,to my knowledge.

There is an excellent description for Technicians and their jobs on the CLEAPSS site.This is in the UK however very pertinent to our job descriptions.
Go to cleapss.org.uk