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Two schools of thought on this - not printing saves paper and Riskassess have multiple back up copies of our files so a copy is being kept. Riskassess also recommend backing up at your school as well. When I download the pdf file, I save it to a folder of RAs and will save this folder to the cloud storage.
The other thought is to print off and save the hard copy.
I do print them off, give it to the teacher with the prac. There is then no dispute over what I've provided and what they ordered - it is in their face. I am also able to make hand written notes eg materials in fridge; this is all that is left etc. I then file this copy away after the prac. It is also giving a summary of the hazards of each item, which is not a substitute for reading the SDS, but does give some brief information.
Interestingly, the WHS auditor last week, wanted to know if I kept hard copies of the risk assessments.

I do all of the above except file the hard copy, I print out the weekly schedule summary and file.

I print out a hard copy but it stays in the prep room on the side of the compactus - the sheets were forever getting lost or damaged. After the prac is finished with I file these in a folder. I also print up the weekly schedule and file these with the prac orders.

I've printed up A5 signs and laminated them, I write the teacher, prac name, scheduling info & anything else they need to know on these in whiteboard marker. I have printed FINISHED on the back so once the prac is over, the teachers just need to turn the signs over and I can pack it all away.

Head teacher has decided against rick assess reason being liability if the wrong level of risk is picked (low,High Etc) and something happens who is liable also no training on helping which risk level to pick thanks everyone for your input

Crazy. Have the staff been trained in doing their own risk assessments? Will these be any better than the Riaskassess version, in regard to the level of risk? If they think they can do it better, by all means let them at it. All you can do is make comments if risk assessments are not being done. I would strongly suggest that you do your own risk assessment for your part of the process. Will the teachers be using a template for the RAs? Maybe you could add to this template, if it exists, a section for your own risk assessment. This is not the RA for the prac, that is the teacher's responsibility, it is only for your tasks.
It sounds very frustrating. A situation where some teachers may need some training in risk management, including those making the decisions on what system to implement.

Hey Nicole ... I just left button click the mouse and drag items they have ordered up to the title of the prac ... Once highlighted then right button click and print ... This give me a list to tick off and goes in the tub for in case they think they ordered something and they can double check the list ... HOpe this helps - I have plenty of cheat sheets and tips you are welcome to ..

DoE schools do not have to risk Assessments.

Labbie wrote:DoE schools do not have to risk Assessments.

I understand it that way too Labbie . Chemical Safety in Schools Risk assessed everything. Chemicals , amounts , what to use and not to use with what , how to use equipment etc and as long as proceedures are carried out in accordance with CSIS then Ra' s are not required unless a deviation from CCIS is being concidered .

However I always hear our teachers running through a Risk assessment with the students before they carry out any prac . So although there is no paper trail with every prac that I see , the teachers are running through an RA proceedure.

Back On topic , we have an old fashioned day book that the teachers write in . Its easy for teachers to see what other teachers have ordered and when , and often its "see what so and so did Period 3 on Tuesday" . Its so easy to flick forward and back through a book than use a computer . The book is saved as a record .

Some of our teachers would prefer a computerised ordering system to save having to walk to the preproom to write in the book but others including the HT are happy with the present system . Having worked at schools that use the Book , the week Clipboard and a computer , I have to agree that the book system works well . The computer system ( which was based on Sentral) was great because I could log on at home before I got to school to see what I was in for but it was cumbersome to use .

Bigmack - we have a massive pin board and teachers pinned paper orders onto it and it was chaotic ... we use https://www.riskassess.com.au
It is awesome ... I spent a small amount of time researching what other schools did - in way of managing ordering - using a template etc and then formulated how we would USE it most effectively for us.

I taught the teachers how we would use it... having a pro forma (template) of each prac means you can update this one as the prac evolves and like your previous system you can log on from home - so can the teachers - it means fewer last minute pracs (mostly) but saves teachers loads of time too as they put the prac URL into their program - I find it easier to see ahead that a year group are all doing the same prac to leave the tote tray pending ... I know when a year group have finished a prac by searching the title of the prac (no page flicking required) it also allows me to see if someone has double booked (they are time stamped) who was the last person and they need to make alternate arrangements ... Hope this info is of assistance

Labbie,

You are right that NSW DoE schools don't have to do risk assessments. Do your staff following the the guidelines that are in the CSIS manual (DET risk assessment including the DETRA protocol( (Appendix D: Generic Assessment Advice for Chemicals used in Secondary Schools)?

I certainly know that the teachers at my school don't, The majority of our staff would never of opened the the Chemical Safety in Schools manual, that's why we subscribe to RiskAssess. I find that RiskAssess excellent for the planning of my day, I'm sure I have at least one teacher that would love to be leaving me pieces of paper with prac orders.

Thank you Bigmack, Lorikeet, & Vickir most of our teachers did the RA in their head. We also use a book, this has worked for years.

Labbie wrote:DoE schools do not have to risk Assessments.

For those of you in the Independent or Catholic sectors you DO need to do risk assessments. It could also be argued that government schools should also be doing them, but if their hierarchy has made a decision otherwise, that is for them to deal with. Way above our payscale!

Jumping in on an old thread here... Just wondering who still prints out the RAs if you use RiskAssess?

Also, a thought on NSW DoE not needing to do RAs because of the CSIS, how many teachers actually reference the CSIS when ordering their pracs? Do they check each time that the chemical hasn't been reclassified?

No that's the Labbie Job or was

RiskAssess is one of the best things you can do. If the head teacher is concerned about someone 'selecting the wrong level of risk' ask how the level of risk is decided now, and who is responsible if things go wrong currently?
Short of that, there is a full chapter on RiskAssess on how to select the correct Risk Level. I have added the extract below. If you follow this, there really isn't a way to get it wrong!

RosalieL wrote: ↑16 Mar 2023, 13:28 Jumping in on an old thread here... Just wondering who still prints out the RAs if you use RiskAssess?

Also, a thought on NSW DoE not needing to do RAs because of the CSIS, how many teachers actually reference the CSIS when ordering their pracs? Do they check each time that the chemical hasn't been reclassified?

I print them out. It was the system they used before I started so didn't change things. I print the RA, put it in a plastic sleeve with a double sided card slotted into the sleeve that says Pending on one side and Finished on the other. Idea being that teachers flip the sign when they have finished the prac.

I also keep a copy saved to our network drive. I keep printed copies for a couple of years and then toss them. I don't really see a need to keep them at all but it is better than the previous guy who had years and years worth of printed RAs.

As for teachers checking CSIS - it seems rough that Labbie says the labbie was responsible for checking this. You would think that checking the rating on the chemical would be part of the teacher's risk assessment??

Merilyn1 wrote: ↑17 Mar 2023, 08:09 As for teachers checking CSIS - it seems rough that Labbie says the labbie was responsible for checking this. You would think that checking the rating on the chemical would be part of the teacher's risk assessment??

I totally agree Merilyn. The teachers are the ones in charge of the class doing the prac, they're the ones that need to know what risks there are. If I were in NSW I would be making the teachers to check that, not me!

With keeping copies of RA... we do only for the year they are running. At the end of the year I do a backup on RA and send them all to a file. No more hard copies anywhere and they are then saved in the system for ever.

Anna Z wrote: ↑21 Mar 2023, 07:44 With keeping copies of RA... we do only for the year they are running. At the end of the year I do a backup on RA and send them all to a file. No more hard copies anywhere and they are then saved in the system for ever.

Riskassess also have a number of back ups in their system, too.
I am not really sure why I keep the printed copy for two years - perhaps just too lazy to throw them out?!
I save to our server which is also backed up so no need for hard copies.

I've only just found on Riskassess there is a Warning on short-notice bookings / Cut-off time if you go into the tools section. I don't know if I'm game to set ours most give me 2 days notice but HT believes 11pm friday is fine for 9.10 Monday

Would love to know if anyone is using this? and how the teachers respond!