Australia's Science Forum

Does anyone know if there are OHS guidelines to using the Van Der Graaf in schools?

If not, does your Head of Dept set rules or limitations eg demonstrations only without students.

Written in the Getting it to work book.

Take off all metal jewellery before handling the machine.
Check that the discharging sphere is always the closest thing to the charged dome.
ALways hold the discharge sphere support rod by its insulating handle.
Be careful not to touch the metal base of the machine when it is running.
When switching off the machine it is safer to use the switch at the power point.
After switching off at the power point, always ensure the spheres touch together to earth the main dome before touching the machine with your hand.
Thought the Van De Graaff operates at high voltage, its low current assures that it is HARMLESS. Nevertheless, a shock from it can abe quite unpleasant.

I can not see any thing else: taken from "Getting it to work" page 49

We have students' parent working in the school at the moment and she asked me the other day about the safety of the Van Der Graaf for her daughter, who has had heart surgery in the past and still suffers some heart problems. When she took her daughter to sci tech in Perth they wouldn't allow her anywhere near their machine apparently. I couldn't find anything on the safety side of using this machine and when I spoke to my HOLA he couldn't help me either. Any thoughts from anyone.

At our school if you have a history of heart condition or epilepsy you are not permitted to touch the Vandegraph

I wonder if a local hospital would be able to help, you on this??

One of the teachers came to me last week and said she was having trouble with the van der graaf generator. It was repelling bit of paper etc rather than attracting it. I have no idea how to use this, quite happy to leave it for the teachers. No one has complained about it before.

Any ideas? Should I be worried?!

It depends on the charge on the paper, once you put the paper on to the generator it gets the same charge as the van der graff and is repelled. we're not supposed to use the kids for pracs anymore ( in case of heart problems) so I get to be the guinea pig. I, stand on a rubber insulated chair, put my hand on it, start it up, and my long hair stands on end. Also I make a little paper man and with my hand over it make it dance. Heaps of fun can be had, look up ideas on the net. Just make sure you have the discharge wand handy.

mtg wrote: we're not supposed to use the kids for pracs anymore ( in case of heart problems) so I get to be the guinea pig.

Hahahaha I read this as "I get the guinea pig" and had visions of a guinea pig being held on top of the dome!! Only lasted till I got to the next sentence and realised my mistake... but thought you all might like the mental image as well!

Re guinea pig- had crazy teacher once who put his head close to the dome to see if his hair would stand on end. Firstly he had a really short hair about a number 4 or 5, and secondly got too close and his head discharged the dome with an excellent blue spark. He was then banned from unsupervised van de graff usage. Still makes me smile.
We used to line a heap of the kids up on top of insulated chairs, they'd put a hand on the shoulder of the next person (the first in line with hand on dome BEFORE STARTING IT) and if the conditions were good all of them would have their hair stand up. A naughty kid touched one of these students once and got a nice little zap. Proving why they were told not too.

I did a quick check and I found a site that might be of interest to you regarding your question at http://www.sserc.org.uk/public/Safety_M ... afety2.htm

Always be wary where you get the student to stand with their hands on the dome. One teacher here reminds us all of how he had a student stand with hands on the dome, but didn't realize the bench the VDG was on had metal handles on the cupboards at groin level. Thus this student ended up in a foetal position for 10 minutes or so - I'll bet he'll never forget his VDG experience!

I only purchased our VDG a year or two ago so I still have the operating manual which outlines safety, maintenance, and an explaination of how it works with a bit of trouble shooting

Something similar happened to me a couple of months back. The VDG was on a workbench and I was standing on a chair and for some reason I got a massive zap through my shoe and scorched the top of my shoe black. We think it might have been too close to a power socket.

I did well to compose myself and not let out a swear word in front of the class though.

I remember cleaning ours a little too well one year. It really was quite dangerous after that good clean.

We always ask if anyone has a heart condition or pacemaker. If you have a pacemaker you can't use the VDG.
At my sons school they joined the kids together in a line and then the last in line lit a bunsen with his spark. Its a boys school and they were all very impressed. The teacher also did it with the tip of his nose. "Look Ma no eyebrows"

I saw a brilliant trick on ABC3 that I am so-o-o-o trying here - instead of placing aluminium pie plates on top of the V-d-G, the demonstrator put them on his own head. Then the usual stand on something insulating and put yr hand on the dome. Then the pie plates fly off the top of your head! Cool, huh?

As for the bit about don't use students, I am just going to stick my fingers in my ears and say "La-la-la-la-la-can't-hear-you" at this stage, although I can get the point about pacemakers etc.

Lalalalalalallalalalallalalal...tooo

Hi guys
Our Van de graaf's belt needs changing which is something I have never done before. I have opened up the bottom and released the belt there but now I need to "split the dome" to get to the top part. In the instructions it just says to hold the bottom half of the dome while turning and lifting the top half. Well, I can't get it to budge. Any tips from anyone?

yep - get a teacher to do it! then stand back with a camera and LAUGH!!!!

and another one - give it a "hit with a hammer'..well a gentle tap might loosen it

Ha ha. Thanks, finally got it off with the help of a couple of year 12 boys with big hands.