Chloroform

[Lis]

HELP; I have just discovered a winchester of chloroform, in my manual it is listed as NOT recommended for use in schools, I have a teacher saying he will take it home- AGGHHH, my business manager is saying it has to GO NOW, "Try to get someone out TODAY", and my HT is off today, I am trying to stand my ground and say it is to go, this teacher is saying if it not BANNED we should be able to have it, I am feeling all knotty inside, I would like to know, if in recent times it has been banned, I am right in insisting that we have it removed
cheers Lisa

[Voice]

Get Rid of it Lisa. ASAP if that is how you feel. Your Business Manager can take the responsibility. It is obviously not needed for practical work and as such, it would be 'bad housekeeping' to keep it around. Unnecessary chemicals equal unnecessary risk.
Maree

[smiley]

You know why they banned it don't you? It's in case the temptation to use it on stroppy students or annoying teachers might overwhelm us one day.

Cheers, K

[Sassi]

Hi Lis!

Looked it up on chemwatch and it is classified as High hazard. Its not the worst, we have some things here that are classified as 'extreme'. I dont know if it is banned or not. But like voice said if you do not need it for any practicals, get ridd of it asap. Dont let the teacher confuse you, you are the lab technician and you make the decisions, not him, and definetly dont let him take it home, that cant be ok! If your head teacher is not there, I am sure he/she will support the decision you make anyways, after all the labs are your responsibility.

Good Luck,

Sassi

[Judy R]

Lisa,
Chloroform.....spontaneously oxidises in the presence of air to produce phosgene(it can happen whilst in the bottle).
At the x3 schools I worked at in NSW(private) it was removed from the school by waste experts...do not give it to the teacher...it is illegal to transport chemicals like this in a private car.

[lada]

Yes, get a qualified waste disposal unit to take it away.
Lada

[Xenon]

What Judy said; phosgene was used by the Kaiser to gas allied soldiers on the Western Front during WW1. Don't open the bottle, high levels of phosgene have been known to develop in the head space (15,000ppm) and 1.1% in the liquid, making researchers very sick at the University of California who were using a 3 year old bottle of chloroform. CHCl3 is also a suspected carcinogen.

[labman]

Makes you wonder what in gods name the teacher would do with it if he/she took it home, I'd be interested to hear his/her reasons for wanting it, if he/she gave you any.
I would also like to know what you ended up doing, Lisa, and if your HT backed your decision.
Cheers,
Lisa

[Lis]

My HT has definately backed me, I am lucky to work with her. This other teacher, I have no idea what he would do with these chemicals, if he took them home, which he has been told in no uncertain terms, he is not to remove. He is a great teacher, and a HUGE hoarder, I would hate to do a risk assessment of his house I thank you all for your imput, and advice.
cheers Lisa

[Ocker]

If you want to glue perspex, you use chloroform, just do it in fume cabinet

[Lis]

Hi Graeme
We were actually storing it for D&T, which is probably why I didnt come across it in last years stocktake, I think they put it in the flamm cupboard after. But you are right and that is exactly what they were using it for.
I have now calmed down about it and we are going to keep it and it will be used, MAYBE, for demos etc. as long as we have it stored correctly it wont be a problem
cheers Lisa