Search found 60 matches

by KassH
04 Aug 2023, 11:34
Forum: Safety with Chemicals
Topic: Disposal of chemical solutions
Replies: 9
Views: 3304

Re: Disposal of chemical solutions

Does anyone still use vermiculite for evaporation and disposal of chemicals?
by KassH
09 Jun 2023, 14:34
Forum: Chemistry and Labware - General
Topic: Plastic squeeze bottles for acids and bases
Replies: 2
Views: 981

Plastic squeeze bottles for acids and bases

Hi All, Does anyone use the plastic squeeze bottles for their acids and bases? Do you have any issues with students doing silly things with them? We are thinking about moving from dropper bottles to the squeeze ones but the temptation for students to squeeze them towards each other keeps flashing wa...
by KassH
15 May 2023, 09:06
Forum: Safety with Chemicals
Topic: PTC
Replies: 9
Views: 4586

Re: PTC

I was asked by a new teacher to get some PTC paper for the genetics topic in yr 10. I didn't check RiskAssess before I bought some from a supplier who made no mention of the fact that they contain poison and are not recommended to be used in schools. Is anyone else still using these strips??
by KassH
03 Apr 2023, 10:43
Forum: The Lab Tech Position
Topic: Limit on number of Practicals done each week?
Replies: 19
Views: 6235

Re: Limit on number of Practicals done each week?

I just worked out our service factor and it's 0.324 - no wonder we feel like we're run off our feet!!
Looking forward to the school holidays!!!!!!
by KassH
03 Apr 2023, 10:10
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: Ordering for Practical Lessons
Replies: 50
Views: 18122

Re: Ordering for Practical Lessons

We've set ours and had it going for about 2 weeks. Our teachers are rather bad at the late pracs!! So far there have been 4-5 pracs put in short of the set 2 day notice but only one teacher has come to let us know that they were sorry for the short notice but could we still please get the pracs read...
by KassH
06 Feb 2023, 08:16
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: Conferences
Replies: 16
Views: 10628

Re: Conferences

Hi All,

New year, new hope that there might be an opportunity for us to meet face to face and do some additional learning!
Anyone know if there will be any conferences/training courses this year??
by KassH
12 Dec 2022, 07:40
Forum: Chemistry and Labware - General
Topic: White crystal around sodium hydroxide solution bottles
Replies: 14
Views: 4347

Re: White crystal around sodium hydroxide solution bottles

Thanks everyone. We have soooo many of the glass ones. Will clean it up as suggested, put plastic stoppers in and put a change to plastic bottles on the list for next year! Running out of time in 2022!! One week to go and teachers still have pracs running AARRGGGGHHHH!
by KassH
08 Dec 2022, 11:56
Forum: Chemistry and Labware - General
Topic: White crystal around sodium hydroxide solution bottles
Replies: 14
Views: 4347

Re: White crystal around sodium hydroxide solution bottles

Thank you Lyn and Merilyn. There was a fair bit of it accumulated there and I hadn't noticed it before. I wasn't sure about handling it?
I've attached a picture. I hadn't noticed it before today but I'm not in the habit of going into the chem storeroom if I don't have to.
by KassH
08 Dec 2022, 09:15
Forum: Chemistry and Labware - General
Topic: White crystal around sodium hydroxide solution bottles
Replies: 14
Views: 4347

White crystal around sodium hydroxide solution bottles

Hi All, I went into the chem store room to do an end of year check and noticed that the sodium hydroxide solutions (various strengths) had a white crystal growth around the tops of some of them. First thought was sodium salt (chloride?) crystals after the solution must have reacted in some way with ...
by KassH
05 Dec 2022, 14:15
Forum: Sourcing Materials & Eq Repairs
Topic: Chemical Disposal
Replies: 8
Views: 4074

Re: Chemical Disposal

Hi Rosalie I'm on mid north coast NSW. We used CleanAway last year and combined with other schools in our area to make transport cheaper. Well worth sharing the transport costs as that was the majority of our bill!
by KassH
05 Dec 2022, 12:40
Forum: Sourcing Materials & Eq Repairs
Topic: Chemical quality
Replies: 13
Views: 6674

Re: Chemical quality

Oh Sorry! I didn’t realise it was NSW only :whistling2: moving right along… apparently it has been bought out by Alpha Chemicals. Not the same Alpha Chemicals that were allegedly stealing from them, as per the letter that Silform sent around?! :? I only ever bought 2 chemicals from them and were lo...
by KassH
29 Nov 2022, 12:03
Forum: Jobs Forum
Topic: Jobs part time or full time or looking for work
Replies: 33
Views: 33685

Re: Jobs part time or full time or looking for work

Hi everyone,

Job share position
3 Days per week.
Are you looking for semi retirement in a beautiful location - mid north coast NSW

Here's the link
https://www.seek.com.au/job/59340765?ty ... 67504e6369
by KassH
09 Sep 2022, 12:27
Forum: Announcements
Topic: Banned from 1 NOV
Replies: 43
Views: 8391

Re: Banned from 1 NOV

All good I found it.😊
by KassH
09 Sep 2022, 11:47
Forum: Announcements
Topic: Banned from 1 NOV
Replies: 43
Views: 8391

Re: Banned from 1 NOV

"encourage you to attend the webinar we are hosting on 15 September at 2:30pm for schools and education providers. I have attached the invitation which contains a link to register for the session. By registering, you will also be able to access a recording of the webinar at a later time, if you...
by KassH
18 Mar 2022, 10:41
Forum: Sourcing Materials & Eq Repairs
Topic: bell jar hose
Replies: 4
Views: 1094

Re: bell jar hose

We've got a bit of this stuff on ours. Not sure about the diameter though.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kinetic-50m ... e_p4920544
by KassH
18 Mar 2022, 09:43
Forum: Biology, Physics...
Topic: Phenolphthalein Agar
Replies: 175
Views: 84556

Re: Phenolphthalein Agar

Thank you labbassistant!!!
I knew there'd have to be a better option.
I found one video that used zucchini with liquid food dye but it just didn't cut it.
by KassH
18 Mar 2022, 08:34
Forum: Biology, Physics...
Topic: Phenolphthalein Agar
Replies: 175
Views: 84556

Re: Phenolphthalein Agar

Has anyone tried doing this one with a different indicator? I worry about giving the students the phenolphthalein and also the younger female teachers. They wear gloves but if we can eliminate the risk all together that would be better. Right?
by KassH
14 Mar 2022, 11:51
Forum: Biology, Physics...
Topic: Phenolphthalein Agar
Replies: 175
Views: 84556

Re: Phenolphthalein Agar

Thanks Bigmack.
I was more worried about the phenolphthalein in it. Does anyone have an other way of doing this prac without using it?
by KassH
14 Mar 2022, 10:50
Forum: Biology, Physics...
Topic: Phenolphthalein Agar
Replies: 175
Views: 84556

Re: Phenolphthalein Agar

First time in charge of this one. How do you dispose of the agar once the students have finished?
by KassH
04 Mar 2022, 11:40
Forum: Recipes and Pracs
Topic: Osmosis and diffusion
Replies: 29
Views: 15550

Re: Osmosis and diffusion

Thank you labbassistant and Ian. It is for the dialysis tubing prac. I used the potassium iodine solution I had made up (with 16.6g KI) and added the 3g of iodine. It's now brown so guessing it's good to go. The extra 1.6g of KI shouldn't matter, right? Don't have 24hrs for it to sit but they will h...