Eco Solve 2 day conference

[Robbie]

I cannot locate the posts in this topic so I don't know who it was who asked for info on risk assessments???????

I am attaching (I hope) two files! One on the risk assessment information that Phillip Crisp gave at the conference and the other a sample risk assessment he gave.

(Help! What happens to the forums when they disappear from the main board?)

Robbie

[Labbie]

Thank you so very much robbie. well done.

[noona]

Hi Robbie
did you bye this as the CSIS package already did a risk assement for all the chemicals in the package and there is no need to do more unless you need something with an orange dot that year 7 to 10 want to use and then there is an assesment sheet in the front on appedx D.
Or am I barking up the wrong tree.????
Noona

[Lis]

Hi Noona,
maybe Robbie can explain this better, or more accurately, but I was led to believe that the CSIS package is only a guide, and is quite a few years old, things have changed with the laws involving schools, the Australian standards and workcover etc, and we are needing to cover ourselves more completely, incase of an accident. This programme, the hard work is already done, just put the chems/equipment in and its done. It can be then saved electronically and/or paper copies, they can also be used as orders from the teacher via email. We are impressed and I think it will work for us, but I can see if others already have a system in place it may not be for them, we have been struggling with all the different info available, so it clarifies it for us.
I fill in at Erina High on Fridays for Mylita, and I was just chatting to one of the teachers here and he said that he believed that MSDS's (and we only have mini ones) are all that is needed as RA's, Im not so sure on that one?????
Cheers Lisa

[noona]

Hi Lisa
No the Dept has done risk assesments for all chemicals in CSIS and you can get updates on the dept web site .
If you do risk assesment for all chem pracs you are making work for youself.
I would find out first if theres by Mr Crisp are for schools or uni or industry as we are a little different to the rest.
amd the MSDS is not a risk assesment it is a guide and if you need to so a risk assesment you need to attach a MSDS to it anyway ,far as I know this is the way dept schools work.
Noona
P.S. If anyone knows more please let me know

[Labbie]

I may be wrong, but as I was trained, if we keep within the CSIS, and only use the chemicals they state. We do not need to do RA's. RA's are only used if we step outside the guide lines. Or if a teacher does a demo with some thing. If we use a chemcial with a green dot, with 7-12 we do not need to do a RA's. As far as I know this had not changed. Although CSIS is a few years old, it is still law.

[Labbie]

Spot on Noona, you are right. But again, perhaps this is only DET schools, I am not too sure.

[Sassi]

Interesting... I find all this stuff a bit confusing, everyone seems to have different ideas of what we are required to do, and the courses they have for us seem to be lacking in this area... I might just have to investigate this myself somehow

Last day at work for me, now I am of to a staff lunch and then 3 weeks of bliss awaits me! I hope the rest of you get some time to relax to, and enjoy yourselves! Happy holidays

[noona]

Hi Sue
I have done some quick checking and yes I am right and the indpendent school that have the CSIS this also applys to them
Why would want to do RA for all prac
Mr Crisp also likes to dodge lots of things involved in CSIS as all he is only a Professional Expertise along with 16 others so don't let him tell you any different.
He loves to blow his own horn.
He no's nothing about school pracs so please don't take his word as law and please think before you bye his CD's as lots of people have been caught as they don't always apply to us.
Noona

[Lis]

Hi Noona,
I am like Sassi in this too,and confused. I have worked in Dept schools for 5 years and havent done the RA's in any of them, I have been Perm in a private school for 1.5 years and we are being inspected next year, and there is always the chance of an audit, aghhh. I have set my school up according to CSIS, and do use that as my benchmark, I feel I am on the right track, though there is always more to learn and wonderful people like you guys to gain more knowledge from, chatting like this for example.
Phillip Crisp has said this programme is for school science labs/experiments and next year will have programmes for TASS & VA, if the programme doesnt offer us what we expected we dont have to re-subscribe or possibly ask for a refund if it is really dissapointing, though that could be dissasterous for him with networks like chemtalk.
You are absolutely right though and maybe he still has a lot to learn re schools, I hope we havent wasted $88, if not then we will have RA's set?????
thanks again Noona
I am now on holidays too for 3 weeks, see you when I get back
Lisa

[rell]

I think part of the problem is the difference between state requirements and overal australian requirements. In Victoria we have been told we must have RA's for all experiments plus anthing i make up. These must be signed off by the teacher before a class.
Narelle

[Labbie]

Yes this is were people get confused, it is so very easy, with one person saying one thing, then another saying another. For all NSW schools Indepent or DET, if we stay inside the CSIS, we are covered by law and have our MSDS up to date. We do not need to do RA's at all. If a teacher wishes to do an experment outside the guide lines of CSIS that teacher needs to do a RA's to cover them shelves and the students. We as Labbie do not need to do the RA's, we may be asked to file them, or even type them. Stay with the CSIS and you will be fine.

[Lis]

I know we seem to go over this subject, but I thought I would let you know how the Risk-Assess,(EcoSolve) risk assessments are going for us; we have found it very user friendly, most of the equipment is in the data base, it is being added to regularly, and all of the chemicals with the different concentrations. As I have said before, we had a little trouble trying to implement RA's, this is easy and only a little time consuming, I guess no longer that writing one out. Each piece of equipment/chemical is listed seperately, and there is a section for labbie and teacher to sign. They are valid for 15months, and can be updated then. We store them on the computer as well as a hard copy which goes out for each prac, and yes I do 1 for every prac that is done, so we get into the habit and it becomes routine. It has taken some getting used to by some teachers who have always got there own pracs together, but we are getting there, we think it has been $88 well spent, and is making our life easier. We are an independent school, working within the CSIS guidelines,yet we have been told by the AIS that we still need to do the RA's for the lot. That is my little snippet of info for you, hope this may help others who were wondering about the Risk Assess programme.
Cheers Lisa