Australia's Science Forum

Do you still use nickel sulfate? I'm just printing out some new labels and according to risk assess the 0.1M is red! Is this correct? My very outdated original version of CSIS says 7-12. I am happy to go with the red dot but was just surprised and now I don't know if it is worth even having it in the chem store!

The online CSIS says green dot

I'd go with RiskAssess.....CSIS is jut too outdated and I'm glad I don't have to use it!

We are actually in the process of removing it from the school, have found other reagents and/or pracs that demonstrate the same thing. Nickel ... nasty

Hazardous to the Aquatic Environment - Acute Hazard: Category 1 Hazardous to the Aquatic Environment - Long-Term Hazard: Category 1 Carcinogenicity - Inhalation: Category 1 Germ Cell Mutagenicity: Category 2 Acute Toxicity - Inhalation: Category 4 Acute Toxicity - Oral: Category 4 Specific target organ toxicity - Repeated Exposure Category 1 Sensitization - Respiratory: Category 1 Skin Corrosion/Irritation: Category 2 Sensitization - Skin: Category 1 Toxic to Reproduction: Category 1 GHS classification of the substance/mixture DANGER

Thanks Anna Z - This is the list from RiskAssess:

"May cause cancer
Suspected of causing genetic defects
May damage the unborn child
May be harmful if inhaled
May be harmful if swallowed
Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure
Causes mild skin irritation
May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled
May cause an allergic skin reaction
Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects"

so I'm inclined to believe the colour code is correct but wanted to check in case it has been mis-labelled in their system. In hindsight I probably could have just looked it up on the SDS or google! But the brain isn't working at full capacity this time of year...

ELIZABETH wrote: ↑14 Nov 2023, 12:19 I'd go with RiskAssess.....CSIS is jut too outdated and I'm glad I don't have to use it!

Agree completely!

I think the 0.1M is for precipitates. We use the foil for magnet pracs. Maybe the solid in crystal gardens. All waste is collected. PPE used. Dont touch it, drink it, or sniff it etc. Most of our chemicals will have associated dangers. You should always err on the side of caution and use PPE.

RiskAssess is as followings;

Nickel Sulfate Solid (Tch)
<0.006M (7-12)
0.006M - 0.065M (11-12)
0.065M - 0.16M (Tch)

I only use RiskAssess now

We go by RiskAssess as well. CSIS hasn't been updated for decades, the Dept must be waiting for a legal case before they start?? It's bound to happen, one day, sadly.

Prima wrote: ↑15 Nov 2023, 13:27 We go by RiskAssess as well. CSIS hasn't been updated for decades, the Dept must be waiting for a legal case before they start?? It's bound to happen, one day, sadly.

Had to laugh at this, but it isn't really a laughing matter! I went to a general WHS course run by AIS and, can you believe, they said we should be referring to "industry standards". In the case of chemical handling, the industry standard would be that produced by the public sector. Yep, good ol' CSIS was the document. I was the only labbie there - the room was made up of principals, business managers and the like. At the break, I had a quiet chat with the presenters (how old CSIS was, how we couldn't access any updates). I am concerned they are still presenting the same advice.

Merilyn1 wrote: ↑16 Nov 2023, 06:39

Prima wrote: ↑15 Nov 2023, 13:27 We go by RiskAssess as well. CSIS hasn't been updated for decades, the Dept must be waiting for a legal case before they start?? It's bound to happen, one day, sadly.

Had to laugh at this, but it isn't really a laughing matter! I went to a general WHS course run by AIS and, can you believe, they said we should be referring to "industry standards". In the case of chemical handling, the industry standard would be that produced by the public sector. Yep, good ol' CSIS was the document. I was the only labbie there - the room was made up of principals, business managers and the like. At the break, I had a quiet chat with the presenters (how old CSIS was, how we couldn't access any updates). I am concerned they are still presenting the same advice.

That is quite scary!!!! We have so much more knowledge gained over the last 30ish years...

RosalieL wrote: ↑16 Nov 2023, 08:21

Merilyn1 wrote: ↑16 Nov 2023, 06:39

Prima wrote: ↑15 Nov 2023, 13:27 We go by RiskAssess as well. CSIS hasn't been updated for decades, the Dept must be waiting for a legal case before they start?? It's bound to happen, one day, sadly.

Had to laugh at this, but it isn't really a laughing matter! I went to a general WHS course run by AIS and, can you believe, they said we should be referring to "industry standards". In the case of chemical handling, the industry standard would be that produced by the public sector. Yep, good ol' CSIS was the document. I was the only labbie there - the room was made up of principals, business managers and the like. At the break, I had a quiet chat with the presenters (how old CSIS was, how we couldn't access any updates). I am concerned they are still presenting the same advice.

That is quite scary!!!! We have so much more knowledge gained over the last 30ish years...

That make sense now!! My principal asked me how I would feel if I was told I had to use something else, (using RiskAssess at the moment) my reply was if they could find something else out there that was better and more user friendly I'd be happy to look at it! Knowing dame well there isn't anything.

Time to retire I think!!!