Australia's Science Forum

I think Science Assist recommends a hospital grade disinfectant for this. Metho and water works well but the risks are increased.

What type of disinfectant are you using? Do you have the Safety Data Sheet for it - the one produced by the manufacturer? That would be your best source of information before you start panicking. If after checking the SDS and you are still concerned for safety of the product, you need to do a risk a...

I agree, Sunray, but it certainly sounds like these people know what they are doing. It's up to them to determine if they are suitable qualified. For the rest of us who are more comfortable with making agar or diluting acids, best leave this stuff alone.

Time for training of all staff in the office. Maybe a sign near the counter as a reminder to not accept damaged packaging without contacting you first. You probably are "up the creek" on this one as signing for the goods usually is an acknowledgement that they are received in good conditio...

How strong do you use, Rock? 1M?
I have a teacher who insists on ordering spray bottles, even though I've told her we don't have them. It would be good to provide something that was going to work without the little dears killing themselves!

Hey Bigmack - I agree with you on the counting opened containers. This is consistent with my, many, years of pesticide handling prior to working in the school system. As for Chemwatch and their manifests - I got so sick of trying to work with it that last year I was given approval to convert the reg...

For our chemical register, opened containers are counted as if they were full. A record needs to be kept of the maximum quantity you have on site. Say if you always buy your HCl in 2.5L bottles, when you do the audit there is only a drizzle left in the bottle, but the assumption is you will soon pur...

We use 50mL amber glass bottles. Yes, there is a risk of cross contamination, but I usually find that when this happens it has been a deliberate act, so the Stuhl bottles won't stop them. The glass bottles are durable in the long term.

I've been the last two years as well. Definitely found the glass workshop really valuable. I find the ASET conference a little quieter than the DET one in November - so many people at that that it gets a bit overwhelming! I'm not sure if I'll go this year, happy to stick around at work as I've been ...

I had a really helpful email from Victor at Haines who suggested that the wire we have here is not heavy enough and the best thing was to go to Jaycar and buy more. I going to give that a try and will let you know how I go.

What he meant was the old style kitty litter that was clay based. NOT the newer organic ones available now made from reccycled paper and such and not the type made from polymer crystal, often sold as "clumping". If you ask in the pet shop for the old fashioned stuff and tell them what you ...

I've been looking at Haines. I bought banana plugs from them and they fitted the equipment really well. Just been looking in their catalogue, I'm sure they've got cheaper as the banana plugs were 90c each and the leads are only 55c (for a 60cm lead). The leads are from IEC so I hope they are good. A...

Having purchased the banana plugs from Haines last year, I did find them to be a good fit with the equipment. Now I have another problem. Smee posted that she never strips the wire from the end, instead screwing into the plastic coating. I've tried that and I've tried stripping the wire and bending ...

Phew. Glad I've been doing the right thing!

I'm using Riskassess - but you'd probably get that from my previous posts. I find the Riskassess labels very simple to print off and I'm confident that the information on them is correct. Chemwatch just gives me a headache - I don't want to have to redesign my own labels. I have also encountered a n...

Good idea. I wonder if there is someone from ASET who is reading all this and can offer some suggestions?

I have yet to join the union, never got around to it. I worked in an industry previously that was non-unionised and never had a problem so am not in the habit of sending money to someone. Your story doesn't put a good case to join the union because shouldn't they be providing those services? When I ...

Do you dilute the purchased one? Or use it as is? I'm curious now and am questioning my methodology!

No, I'm at the catholic school (not far from where you were at all). Sounds like an incredible move - what a HUGE experience! I've been given a bit over two weeks for a Yr 10 prac test, and even then it is only a draft, but assuming things won't change much from the draft. I thought I had been given...

oh, and you know about a prac test in Week 7?!! Amazing!!