Safe Work Procedures?? Risk assessment

[vlclabbie]

Hi Megz, glad you think so! OK, so if anyone wants to contribute - they can email their SWPs/SOPs or info that would help us make a reference booklet "SWPs & SOPs for School Laboratories" & email to: kharding@victoryschool.vic.edu.au ASAP (or do we need a date?) & then I'll collate & put it on here for everyone to use.

Sorry about being a bossy boots But I really think it would be a really excellent resource for all labbies if as many people can contribute as possible...!

Kel

[lizzieb]

Thank you for your SWP's, Megz - they are great! Could I also have a copy of your chemicals policy too, please?
elizabeth.d.burgess@det.nsw.edu.au

Many thanks for all your time and effort

I am slowly catching up on chemtalk posts since moving schools Wk6 last term - and straight into changing prep rooms! Got the main one emptied now, and will concentrate on the labs this term. Our refurb starts the same time as Kimmy's - handover the end of this term for the first 2 labs and P/R, then the other 2 labs the end of T4.
Didn't realise just how exhausted I was until I stopped, and a busy holidays meant no time even then to catch up on Chemtalk The good thing was that I now know exactly what's in my P/R, and by moving the lot, we're all equally confused!!!!
Have started this term off well, making time each morning to read the newest posts, and will gradually get through all the older ones.

Hope you all have a great Term 3, and look forward to seeing lots of you at St Marys this year.

Welcome to Laura, the new labbie at Tamworth High School. Congratulations on getting the job, Laura. Hope you come to appreciate this site as much as the rest of us - but a word of warning: the craziness is catching

[vlclabbie]

Welcome back Liz! Glad you've moved & got it all sorted out now!

And welcome to Laura! Stay tuned & you'll learn heaps from these wonderful labbies! I only started this year & have learnt so much just be tuning in most days!

From one of the mad ones

[Ian]

Hi Meg (and everyone else too)
I have just downloaded your SWP's. They are just what I need at the moment as our school is going through the SWP, SOP, RA circus just now.

Could I please also have a copy of your OHS policy too?

( sent you a note yesterday, but think I was not logged in properly, so it might not have come through)

I am
iwales@mas.nsw.edu.au

Regards,
Ian

[Ian]

On a similar topic, having just updated/reprinted my 250 or so MSDS's, and run off copies for each lab, my HOD tells me that each chemical not only needs a MSDS, but also a Risk Assessment attached to the MSDS. As far as I can understand, the RA has much the same information as the MSDS, but must be site specific.

Has anybody had experience of RA's for a specific chemical as opposed to an experiment, activity or process? (it seems to be confusing me at the moment as what I think they are asking me for does not seem all that different to an MSDS)

As far as RA's for experiments are concerned, we use the Science Focus series of Junior text books (by Pearson Education) and they come with access to a web site that has RA's for MOST (but not all!!) or the experiments in the book. There are other experiments that we do that are NOT in the book and so we have just purchased "Risk Assess". I have yet to see how that goes.

The idea of collating a joint book of SWP's sounds like a good one. I will have to start working on that!!

I look forward to hearing more on this.

regards

Ian

[vlclabbie]

Hi Ian, perhaps we could add chemical RAs to it as well?? Any kind people???? So far I have none...!

I too have no chemical RAs & was about to ask for an example....

Kel

[~megz~]

Morning

Sent some more emails as requested, if they haven't come through by this arvo let me know.

Regarding the RA's for individual chemicals, I'm not really sure - -I would have assumed that that is what the MSDS are for? And the risks involved really depend on what you are doing with the chem, like concentration, reactants etc.

We have a system where I keep a few copies of the MSDS for each chemical in the store laminated and filed alphabetically, then for any prac or use of the chemical the MSDS can be grabbed and kept with the bottle. Any risk assessment I did would be nowhere near as thorough as those things! So the RA's are done for the individual pracs, and each chemical is covered by that.

Some ideas for SWP's... sterilising, operating the fume hood, decanting, disposing of waste solutions, transporting chemicals, cleaning up after dissections... anybody inspired? If we all do one or two we'd have a book before long!

Megs

[lizzieb]

Hi Megz,

I've received your email - it looks great, many thanks!

[vlclabbie]

Fantastic ideas for SWPs Megz - anyone out there have any more ideas for what could be done??

What about destroying agar plates without an autoclave, aseptic technique, .. Will put the thinking cap on & see what else I can come up with. Thinking back over the things I found difficult when I began this job....

Thanks everyone!

[Tina]

Hi
I was just reading the chemwatch newsletter (on the chemwatch site). It was saying that there is a function to generate chemical risk assessments and print them out. You type in which chemicals you are going to use together and the sort of quantities you will be using and it comes out with a report. I haven't tried it but was about to play around with it. I was surprised by how much you can do in chemwatch nowadays (I haven't used it much, apart from basic labelling etc, since 2007). So my new project for my spare time.... .... is to experiment with them.
Does anyone else use chemwatch for risk assessments?
Cheers
Tina

[smiley]

Hey Tina,

Seriously, I never have, because I didn't know they existed. If you get one and it seems to be useful, rather than too much information, please let me know! And how to get one.

[vlclabbie]

OK everyone... our SOP / SWP book is coming along..... Thank you to Megz & Ian!!!

So far we have:
* Transport of Chemicals
* Destroying agar plates with autoclave
* Making solutions
* Making agar
* Diluting acids
* Cleaning & Storage of glassware

Suggestions for others:
* See above in other posts!

Cheers Kel

[jodye]

Morning everyone,

this may seem like a stupid question..but do RA's have to be done for ALL pracs or just those involving chemicals??
I was told by one of the teachers here that I need to have them done even for a prac ( making ooze) that only has corn flour & water .

Thanks

[Ian]

Dear Jodye
I hate to have to say it, but the OHS legislation says that we have to identify and control any forseeable risks or hazards, and then mentions in particular, work practices, plant (ie equipment) hazardous substances, manual handling, biological substances and a few other things including "the potential for workplace violence" (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) ( I reckon that RA's CONTRIBUTE to the risk of workplace violence!) (OH&S Regulation 2001, Chapter 2, clause 9. "Employer to identify hazards")

At our school, we have been told that we have to do RA's for EVERYTHING that involves more than a pencil or pen and a ruler.
Walking the kids to the library requires a RA in this place! Using a glass test tube requires a RA because of the possibility of a kid breaking the glass and cutting themself.

Then, I suppose that the RA's should be accompanied with relevant SWP's and SOP's. I am just about to apply myself to a SWP for using a scalpel to cut open a bullocks eye! (I should have stuck to Physics!)

Cheers
Ian

[~megz~]

OHS legislation says that we have to identify and control any forseeable risks or hazards, and then mentions in particular, work practices, plant (ie equipment) hazardous substances, manual handling, biological substances and a few other things including "the potential for workplace violence" (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) ( I reckon that RA's CONTRIBUTE to the risk of workplace violence!) (OH&S Regulation 2001, Chapter 2, clause 9. "Employer to identify hazards")

Oh AMEN to that!! I also seriously contemplated doing a risk assessment on the risk of long term mental disturbance and chronic stress from perfoming risk assessments... Repetitive Strain Injury, Ulcers, Loss of Sleep

By the way, did you know that Chemwatch provides a full MSDS for a product they call 'Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey'? Apparently you are meant to avoid ingesting it... but I reckon a dose or two a day might decrease the risk of workplace violence around here!

[vlclabbie]

Good one Ian & Megz! Love it!

[Ian]

Actually, Chem Gold MSDS's can be quite humerus if you read them closely. For instance, we have just placed about a million bottles of "Purell Instant Hand Sanitiser" around the school to combat Swine Flue. The ChemGold MSDS for it tells me that I need to use Chemical resistant PVC gloves.(!!!) According to ChemGold, if I ingest OLIVE OIL, I need to wash my mouth out with water. (so much for my lunch time salad!). Similarly, Carbonic Acid (read Soda Water) requires that I wash my mouth out with water. (I just take another swig of soda water. Does the same job). If I swallow SUCROSE, I need to rinse my mouth with water. Personally, I usually simplify the process by adding hot water to the sucrose and adding a teaspoon of coffee powder. Then I swallow it all together.

And we are supposed to take all these MSDS's seriously!

Has anybody found any other interesting MSDS's???

Ian

[smeee]

Have a look and laugh at dihydrogen oxide ( water )
Also Palmolive soap and Pantene shampoo

[Ian]

Have a look and laugh at dihydrogen oxide ( water )
Also Palmolive soap and Pantene shampoo

Ah, yes! those are good ones!

I am concerned about the Palmolive Gold soap though. It says it should be used in a well ventilated area. I have two teenage sons, and suspect the place might need to be even better ventilated if they did NOT use it! If it gets on your skin, you have to wash it off with soap and water!

I did like the one for Jim Beam Whiskey. Apparently there is "Limited" evidence that it can cause drowsiness and dizziness. You are supposed to keep the container in a well ventilated area (like on the table) but keep the container TIGHTLY CLOSED. (Now that is Teasing!)

The spills information says to keep out of drain, but is that the bourbon or the person who has ingested it?

The advice to the Doctor is to give "Supportive care". I guess that means that you sit down with the Doc and have a chat and a drink. (??)

Now have a look at the MSDS for Oxygen. Dangerous stuff. What ever you do, Don't breathe it!

Cheers

Ian

[RosalieM]

How about self raising flour?

RISK
May cause SENSITISATION by inhalation and skin contact.
Cumulative effects may result following exposure*.
May produce discomfort of the respiratory system*.
* (limited evidence).

SAFETY
Do not breathe dust.
Wear suitable protective clothing.
To clean the floor and all objects contaminated by this material use water and detergent.
Keep away from food drink and animal feeding stuffs.
If swallowed IMMEDIATELY contact Doctor or Poisons Information Centre (show this container or label).

Sure makes cooking a sound a whole lot more interesting!!