Australia's Science Forum

Hi Everyone,
I used the gas taps on the bench in my new prep room for the first time yesterday.
Went to use them today and no gas.
Checked the tap under the bench and it was turned on. Tried again a little later and it was working.
I don't have an emergency isolation switch in the prep room apart from the one on the fume cupboard so i knew that wasn't the problem.
I have worked out through trial and error that when the teacher turns off the gas switch in one of the labs it also turns off my gas.
Is everyones like this?
Seems a little dangerous to me that my gas can be turned on and off without me knowing and when I want gas that Lab has to have there's on also.
Helen

our labs have an isolation valve in each room, for each room that requires a key to access.I also have one in my prep room ( which only has 2 gas outlets as oppose to the 16 in each class) along with the emergency shut offs.

I have to ask the teacher to turn their classroom gas on so I can use my gas taps too.

Rita

SURELY if they're new labs then someone didn't comply with some safety standard somewhere? Surely it must be a requirement to have your own isolation switch.

Sorry, I know...applying logic again. How silly of me.

Hi if its a double sided fume cupboard, ie access from the prep room and the class room the keyed fume cupboard lock/ switch near the light switches etc in the classroom has to be turned on, does that answer your question? cheers MariaC

I have to turn the gas on in the closet lab, as the solonoid does the preproom too.
Trish

Hi All
As my school was a project for the new labs I have a Master switch in my prep room for my gas and water only .
Each of the labs have there own.
I know that it was not the same company that did mine that did the rest of the dept school maybe they changed the plans to make it easy for them??????

Interesting that yours is different Noona.
It would certainly be easier for the plumbers this way as they have just run the gas pipe through from the lab next door I guess.
I wonder if the plans were changed or they just did it the easy way. Must have a look at the drawings.
I still feel it is a bit dangerous to have my gas controlled by a switch in another room.
Helen

Yes, I too am subject to the whims of whatever teacher is in the lab that backs onto my prep bench
Just hate interrupting classes by walking through the classroom to turn on the gas (under the teaching bench):-({|=
(but on the bright side I get to have a peek at what they're actually doing

Or Maybe it is Cheap fix