Australia's Science Forum

I can't see anything there that says the old labels should be covered.
My experience with the original labelling following the CSIS was that incorrect labels were affixed to bottles, probably all in good faith by inexperienced people. Maybe picking up the wrong bottle, the label belonged to another bottle on the bench!
Not even the right chemical.
If the old label is completely covered you have to trust the label maker to have been correct. This is why I try to keep at least the chemical name uncovered so that someone in the future can be certain that what my hand made label says is what the supplier put into the bottle.
The old class symbols are covered and new hazard codes and precautionary statements attached.
It is a huge responsibility to ensure that we don't accidentally label a chemical incorrectly and obliterate what that chemical actually is.
Imagine the liability if it is found your label and chemical don't match.
Even Sodium Carbonate accidentally labelled sodium hydrogen carbonate, this would totally stuff up a titration assessment task.
If, at some time in the future, someone in absolute authority, with accurate information from Workplace Australia or some other governing body has in writing that the actual chemical information needs to be covered with a handmade, home generated label then I will put a blank label over it.
I have read all that I can about labelling and attended multiple conferences/workshops/training days and this is what I feel comfortable with.

WE WERE TRAINED NOT TO FULLY COVER THE OLD LABEL, SO YOU HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON. as above is Sooooooooooooo correct.

Definitely not to cover up old chemical name with new label. One school I worked at someone had put a new label on top of the old label. I was not convinced that what was in the bottle was what was on the new label .... it turned out . ..it was NOT the substance of the new label
Definitely not to cover up the old label. It should go on the other side of the bottle or if the bottle is too small for both labels put the small bottle inside a bigger bottle with the new label on this.

Do we need to label every chemical or is it just those classed as hazardous or dangerous goods? e.g. Sodium bicarbonate as a lab reagent. The label has nothing other than the name on it. Surely we don't need to put that on??

Every chemical that your school has. Yes even Lemon juice, salt vinegar. sugar , tea coffee, ANY thing that goes into a CLASSROOM.

So even though the label from the company has no info e.g. risk phrases hazards etc. on it and just the name we still have to put a label that has nothing but the name? Dare I say that is a ridiculous waste of time! I think I will leave those to last.

Yes, Rae, I think that is a sensible approach. I'm going to Phillip Crisp's training days in April and am waiting to see what he has to say before I do much more. Fortunately, I've spoken to our SSSO and she has said she will get me some help to get the labelling updated, once I've been to the training and have a better understanding of what is needed.

You don't have to put a GHS label on everything, there are exemptions under the law. Notably consumer products in household packaging and quantities and some pharmaceuticals are exempt. Non hazardous chemicals (as defined Safe Work Australia) do not have to have a GHS label either.

Unless your school system is going above the legislation, this is what the act says. Safe Work Australia have many documents that cover this. They are all pretty straight forward and quote relevant pieces of the act.

Excellent! That makes sense. Couldn't see the point of relabelling when all it had was the name!

That may well be in TAS, but in NSW we MUST label any thing that goes into a classroom. Lemonade, salt, etc etc , taken from the CSIS.

Labbie, thats why I added "unless your school system says otherwise. People are getting all stressed over the GHS requirements but they are actually very simple and straight forward. My school requires all chemicals to be on the chemical inventory list, although the legislation only says hazardous chemicals...school (and school systems) will do as they please.

Whilst I do label all chemicals they go into the lab, hazardous or not, I don't relabel if they are in the original packaging...that seems ridiculous.

I full agree, its a mad world.

Another question about this rotten GHS labelling......sorry......do we have to label every "chemical" in the school??
Items in TAS, then there's all the bits and pieces in faculty staffrooms etc.......??

NO WAY, you are only to do Science. It is up to the other depts. to do their own labels. Remember if it goes into a classroom its to be labelled.

Mmmmm well I've been told by my principal that he wants me to do the whole school
So to clarify Labbie, it only needs a label if it goes into a classroom?

I was also at ASET and I perceived the gentleman's answer that it was just the old diamond is to be replaced by the new GHS one.
But I also agree with the fact that it confuses the storage issue. Which is done by the dangerous good symbol(code) category at our school.
I have many questions I hope to have answered at the end of the April training.
It would be ideal to have a clear cut procedure and reference tables like the CSIS folders, they were so user friendly and a great resource for me.

This is my on-going rant - it is not like the legislation suddenly got changed over Christmas, they've known about it for years and yet nothing definitive is available for anyone in any system. I'm banking on getting some clear answers from the Riskassess training in April, too. At this point, I am holding off doing anything, but I have been promised some help in the prep room once I know what I have to do regarding labelling.
I was very confused by that fellow at ASET - must have been the same one I was at. I emailed him afterwards to clarify some points and I was still confused!

Could anyone going to the in-service PLEASE ask when RiskAssess are going to produce labels......too much more ChemWatch FFX will push me over the edge I reckon!!!!!

The CSIS for D of E schools Dept of Edu states in black and white that all bottles going into the classroom in SCIENCE need to be labelled. As for other Depts they will have to read their part of the CSIS, TAS Cooking, CAPA or Vis arts. have their own section.

What were you confused by Merilyn1?

We don't use RiskAssess so where does that leave me? I am SO confused as no one seems to have any idea when,where or how this change is going to occur......except that us labbies are going to wear all the work and the fallout if there is a problem