Australia's Science Forum

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering whether we need to have full MSDS's for the private schools or can we get by with just the mini's from chemwatch.

We are about to have our audit in term 1 2014. so I was wondering what everyone else has.

I have asked a few people from other local schools and some say I need full msds's whilst others say that all they use are minis msds's.

any thoughts on the matter will be appreciated.

Thanks Superbug

Peoples views seem to differ a bit on this one. Seems they have been told different things by different people. From my understanding of it you need to have a copy of the full SDS in the hazardous substance register. I was told (unofficially) that access to online SDS isn't adequate due to not being able to access it in an emergency, but others have been told that it is ok. I have full SDS in the office with the Hazardous substance register and then mini's in the prep room to send out with experiments. I may be worth waiting until you are audited and then you can do whatever they tell you you need to do. I know it isn't nice to get any black marks but at least you can do what they want you to do. Then tell the rest of us!
I am also unsure how the hazardous substance register will work now with GHS as we no longer have hazardous substances.
Sorry probably not a lot of help!

"RECORD KEEPING
Records of the following must be kept and maintained in all workplaces that handle or store dangerous goods or
hazardous substances:
• Risk assessment – for low level risks, this is a notation on the MSDS or in the register that the
controls indicated on the MSDS are being used. For higher level risks, this is a written report showing
how control measures were determined.
• A register listing all the hazardous substances and dangerous goods in the workplace, with the
relevant MSDS."
http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/formspu ... t_1378.pdf

I am at a Government school and only have Mini SDS. This is a choice made on the photocopying and paper use.
I have 368 chemicals.
Mini sds + 368 sheets of paper at 0.02 cents a copy = $ 7.36 and fille 3 large A4 binders.
Full SDS at 10-17 sheets per chemical= 3,500 -6,200 sheets = well over $100 for pieces of paper that no one will look at and take ages to actually find where in all those sheets is the information that you need. The information that is at your fingertips in a mini.
This being said, no one in 14 years has ever asked to see them.

I'm with the CEO and I have the full MSDS sheets up in the front office too with a complete list in the first folder of what we have and the mini's in a couple of folders in the prep-room, Always have it up-dated every five years. During our last audit I was asked were they all were and was glad that I was ready for them.

We were audited 2 weeks ago, the inspector was Science back round.
What they looked at:
* safety Signs in rooms
* eye wash stations
* chemical storage - storage cupboard including trays, labeling. Checked inside Corrosive Cabinet
* Asked about if SDS sheets current but never actually looked.
* asked about register, how current and how many locations
* looked at a Risk assessment on a prac ready to be used it had minis attached
Passed with flying colours

Hi all,
I ended up chatting with Chemwatch online and they told me mini's werent a legal document. We can use minis in classrooms but all should have access to full sds's. Access means they have a means to obtain them. This could mean via internet or on a hard drive or usb stick. They told me there is no need to print them. But all need to have "access".
Also Non hazardous substances need only the name and concentration printed on them. Which is why if you look up hydrochloric acid 0.1m under GHS it only comes up with a name and conc, the rest is blank.

Thanks everyone for your responses

Regards
Superbug

Superbug,
I'm at an independent school and we had our inspection for registration last year.
I have only mini MSDS' in the labs and none with the Hazardous Chemicals Register that's kept at the office.
They looked at the Register but didn't make any comment about any missing MSDS.
They were more concerned about everything being labelled correctly including having the coloured dots. I must admit I was nervous as I was sure I must have forgotten something, and the last thing I wanted was to be the one who caused our school to miss out on registration.
Yikes!! Can you imagine......

Bumb

Hi
WE are having our inspection in a couple of weeks and after reading this thread I'm wondering if I should have the bottles of chemicals in powdered form in trays on the shelves they are on. At the moment they are just on the shelves. Solutions are all in trays.
Also when you say they checked safety signs in the labs can you tell what those safety signs are? WE have signs pointing out the fire extinguishers and fire blankets and evacuation maps. I'm getting nervous.
Thanks
Krysia

I know of a school where everything is on computer. They have a designated laptop computer with its own power back up if required and they have all their records on this. If there is a fire this laptop is taken out to the assembly area. The records are available throughout the school by the intranet.It was set up with Chemwatch help and is legal. This is the way of the future ! and no it is not my school.. and no I don't know how to set this up!

Our powdered chemicals have only ever been on shelves. Can't imagine they would need to be on trays. As long as they are catagorised ie separated and as safe as expected. You have done your best.

Hi Sunray 18 and all,
Can you tell me what you do if someone is hurt by a chemical say in TAS area or creative arts? do you have multiple laptops around the school. We were going to do it the way you described but fell short as we dont have laptops with SDS's all around our school in case of chemical injuries. I hope you can understand what I mean!

Well, of course, this hasn't happened so far, but in the event I imagine they can call on the phone to get advice. Whilst chemwatch is accessible in theory by all staff, probably only I know how to access it quickly. And I do have a phone on my desk. All staff should have emergency phone nos as required by basic emergency care. ie poisons number etc.

You do not need multiple computers, only one to dwnload data. We saved all SDS sheets and Chemical register on General drive, everyone has access to. In case of fire you can access you records from any device (iPad , any smart phone with internet connection. if no one has internet connection ( ) lots of hot spots around to connect internet and access files. We were audited last week, and one of the questions was, do we have SDS and Chemical register" soft copies" available.
Not sure for the internet coverage in small country towns

Hi Guys

Does anyone what safety signs in the lab that they were checking for?

In our new labs these are the signs they put up;
FIRE BLANKET
FIRE EXTINGUISHER
EXTINGUISHER CO2 USED FOR PAINT, OIL (etc)
EYE PROTECTION MUST BE WORN IN THIS AREA
FOOT PROTECTION MUST BE WORN IN THIS AREA
EMERGENCY EYE WASH
NOTICE STAFF ONLY (on the prep room door)