Australia's Science Forum

ALl science staff AND co-ordinators of other faculties, as well as groundsmen , have a key that lets them into my prep rooms AND which also opens the chemical store. The doors betwen prep rooms and classrooms have a lock on them, but that depends on the teachers keeping the doors shut .
The fridge is in a prep room, right next to the door to a classroom, BUT the person who has that classroom never shuts the door and gets students to go into prep room to get what she needs.I asked for the fridge to be moved into locked store-room or a hasp lock to be put on the fridge door.. NOT going to happen.. they think I have become paranoid..

Just leave some chicken in there for a few months and they will be asking for it to be moved!

Grrrr
It's not fair that there is no clear information on what has to be done, for those who were unable to attend the course!!
In my network of Lab Tech's, not one person had heard or knows anything about GHS!
You can read certain sights on the internet but it's not to clear on what has to be 100% done in the chemical rooms, or time frame! If things have to be done by Jan 1, they better get a move on, and tell us what to do. We only have less than 5 weeks
Thanks for letting me vent about this issue.
Trish

Trish, all we can do is keep asking - have you contacted your Regional OHS Officer or Science Consultant?

The information smee has posted for Aset members is very thought provoking and raises some questions! I believe it's more than fair that it be available only to members at this stage, particularly while the association is so new, and mebership numbers need to be built up.

One idea Trish, may be to encourage your network to join ASET, then look into organising a regional PD day up there.


So may I ask the same question of Noona and Labbie too - have you taken this information to your Regional Office, and asked for clarification?

I got an email back from someone in the DEC OH@S directorate who said as far he knows we have five years to change all the labelling and MSDS. He said the deptment would be speaking to chemwatch about the changes. Interestingly he didn't say that the department would be speaking to the lab. techs but apparently it will be up to the principal to forward information to us as it becomes available.
Not too sure when that will be.

Helen

Thanks Helen.

Maybe if every DEC labbie asked these questions they'd realise the importance of giving us some training in it!

That was what I got back from them, too. That information comes through the principal.

Great idea Liz - you should all contact your respective departments and ask. Perhaps they will get sick of the questions and maybe distribute some information! Silly thing is that when I asked, (maybe because I'm from a private school?) I was told am not allowed to share my answer with anyone - it was for me only!!! So, they will have to answer everyone individually (yes - private schools should get in on the action and bombard them with questions as well!).

OMG! GHS! LOL
I’d better get reading fast. Must admit it came as a great surprise to me as well, Trish, a fellow country bumpkin it seems! Go the unification Liz - like to think that will happen. Also like to think the principals will let their staff know something.
Will definitely be joining ASET ASAP - was a bit casual about the membership until reading this thread.
Just look at how many "reads" this topic has had!

Labbies are legends!

Hi All,
I can't say how much my colleague and I enjoyed the ASET conference at the Australian Museum last week. The venue was great, the food exceptionally well catered for and the display from the supplier superb.
The information delivered was new, pertinent and blew our minds with its relevance to our work situation.
The program was delivered by experts in their fields -
1. Chemical Security
2. Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling Chemicals
3. Clandestine; Drug Labs, and
4. How to safely Rebottle Preserved Specimens
I sincerely hope there is something similar planned for the future.

thanks for everything,
Have been in contact with our OHS co-ordinator, and she will be visiting the school next week to talk to principal..
Thanks for the suggestion guys.
Trish..

Hi All,
Have the presentations been posted on the ASET site? I can't seem to login via the link.

Sunray, your place sounds like mine. Teachers, admin, cleaners and groundsmen have access to my preproom .I know that at least some teachers from other faculties have keys to the chem store, and I suspect that the cleaners and groundsmen have too. There are no locks from the labs to the prep room , and it has taken a lot of ranting on my part to stop students from having acess - still not 100% successful. Some days it's not worth chewing through the restraints, I swear.

My key, however, opens the labs, the preproom, and the chemstore.

Elizabeth, you are not alone. I too have been unable to login to view the PD presentation. I have sent an email to the webmaster and am waiting on a reply.

The realson their is no information on the GHS yet, the DEC are still working on the new draft of it. Alan Smith and his team are currently working on the GHS for DEC, so no one knows yet.

Thanks Sue

Remember you have 5 Years to do it so don't panic yet
Also DEC will get an extension if they have not finished the draft as they did with CSIS
best for DEC school to wait and see.

Does any one know when the link on the ASET page on the GHS will be repaired? Awaiting the information!