Australia's Science Forum

Hi everyone,

I need to have our yearly maintenance check on our fume cupboard & was wondering if anyone in the North East region of Vic. would like to hook up & organise a guy to come up & do them all together (save on travelling costs).....

I also would appreciate the name of recommended & authorised 'checkers'.... who are good...cheap.... etc...

Thanks!

Hi, we use LabSystems, Kilsyth Vic, 0387209000 tel. They do a run around victoria and southwest NSW. If you get on the run it's alot cheaper, Major Service $700. +GST Minor $649.00 +GST.
Calling them out for a one only (will charge full travel & accommodation expenses)

To be worksafe compliant it should be done every year. They can fill you in on the legal side of things.

Hope that helps

Hi Everyone

Just received mail re maintenance on fume cupboards.

Portion reads "Complying with AS/NZS 2243.8:2006 - Appendixes A (Smoke Test) and B (Face Velocity Test), and they shall be performed every six months."

Does everyone have half-yearly checks? or yearly?

We had a full maintenance check here last year, first I understand since installation in 2004.

Rita

No it's only yearly, every 6 months for commercial use. My head teacher demands it's done or I'm not allowed to use it. If he ever goes I'm going lol/

I've been here for 4 years and to my knowledge it has never been checked...

Someone turns up to test our fume cupboards every year without us organising it so I guess this is a DET requirement.
It's a bit scary how often there was something wrong with the old ones we had so worth getting them checked. When they found problems they didn't fix them though just told us not to use them and then we would wait ages for the DET to send someone out to fix it.
Helen

We are the same here in the west it is checked once a year without us having to organise
Only thing is my fume hood is rather selective somedays it works some days it doesn't
But with our new Lab Reno's happening next year I am hoping the problem should be fixed properly

sammy

mine has had a 'do not use' sign on it since i arrived 2 terms ago.
I have to go into a lab to mix any chemicals...

It apparently hasn't been workinging since the school was built...in 2003....go health and safety standards!!

Ours is done twice per year, in the January holidays and the July holidays. Last August, my fan stopped working (about 2 weeks after it had been checked and OK'd!!!) I told the boss that it was an OH&S issue and that I could not mix any chemicals until it was fixed. They fixed it!

Ian

I believe I read somewhere that it must be done once a year but it is recommended that it be done every 6 months.

Ours get done once a year. The company that installed them sends me a fax that says that reminds me and asks me for a date and time that suits me. Its quite convenient, really.

Mine is also done once a year they have just been so will see them back this time next year