Colour coding

[Kathryn]

I am responsible for doing the inventory and MSDS's for all chemicals on site at our school. It is realitively easy for the science department but when it comes to the rest of the school, it is more complicated. Does anyone else have to do this? I find it difficult to determine the colour codes which should be placed on things like paints, cooking spray etc. Also, my predecessor told me I had to colour code and have MSDS's for absolutley everything - can anyone tell me if this is correct? or do I only need to have them for hazardous goods?
Hope someone can help!

Kathryn

[juliem]

Katherine
Please consider this advise it may not help your situation
You should not be responsible for the entire schools inventory this is the role of the CSIS co-ordinator
It is clearly stated in the CSIS package admittably this applies to the DET schools that the inventory is the responsibility of the Principal and CSIS co-ordinator.
Decline this extra work based on your position , qualification and the responsiblity of signing off regarding inventory accuracy.

[ellie]

Hi Fathryn
Looks like you've drawn the short straw as have I. Our K-12 (1150 students) school chose to use the NSW DET CSIS package when it came in which made it a lot easier. My understanding of the federal legislation is that all hazardous subsatances on site require MSDSs, entry into the school register and correct labelling. We have continued to use the CSIS colour coding from science throughout the whole school. I make up labels for the maintenance and cleaning chemicals eg for squirt bottles etc but generally we order in the same supplies that we have the paperwork in place for. We've removed anything which is not appropriate and tidied up our stroage arrangements.

Ellie Croft
Trinioty Christian School
Canberra
.

[Robb]

Hi Kathryn,

I to have to complete the whole schools Chemical Inventory including the entire MSDS's.

I co-ordinate the CSIS at our school, as I have the relevant background to perform these duties.

I advise the Head Teachers of each KLA to establish the MSDS's for their department and regularly check to see if they are following through with it.

This way your problems can be broken down into smaller feasible levels that are easily maintained.

As long as each department has its/their own set of up-to-date MSDS's for all of their stock then there is no problem.

This way each department is responsible for keeping these in order and it makes life easier when it comes to gathering evidence of relevant MSDS information.

I have visited a number of schools on the central coast on an advisory level to get the CSIS program up and running and to successfully keep it up-to-date. This has helped many schools inevitably.

[juliem]

Like Rob I have been involved with CSIS implementation and whole school inventory a VERY THANKLESS TASK, and one that should be supported and become aquainted by the staff in the relevant faculties
There are people who can on contract come in and set up the inventory &/or complete this.
If you are still being relied on to conduct the inventory, then I reccomend you consider allocating a specific time frame - DEFINATELY require relief coverage so you can concentrate on the task.
Prearation of a brief overveiw by the use of relevant copies of portions from the CSIS vol 1&2, TAS, IA, VA, Ag designate Storeage NO's
Have agreement on a unified colour system for the whole school check what colour paper is always available
A3 laminated copy of the user colour coding system / per faculty, work area & classrooms
You can prepare blank inventory sheets again ref Appendixs back of vol2 CSIS, or cut and paste headings from the Inventory file on the CD
Supply a package of dots and class diamonds
I stopped using dots as the constant ignorance of the colour coding system
was frustrating so I have an Excel file with designated worksheets formated for various situation
colour codeing master sheets whole page with cells K - 12, 7 - 12, 11 -12, TEACHER - 16mm high and approx 35mm long so 18mm sticktape covers the individual label used instead of a dot These are printed out on the appropriate colour paper and students on detention can cut them upand store in cliplock bags
This is a chemical audit , not consumables eg fly spray, oil spray in staffrooms . cleaning products, and ie Tartaric,citric acid etc that students use in TAS colour coded and register them on inventery but approx quantity IA is often a big surprise what and how much they have - may need a Flammable liscence defer back to Principal & HT
Prepare Faculty folders with store location inventory files both on the network anf there own drive
There is much more to do but hope this outline helps

[Robb]

Just to re-iterate,

It is a good point to start by using Appendix I in the CSIS folder No.2.

This way this can be used for the other KLA's of the School and it gives a good starting point for all whom carries out the stock take in each faculty.

As long as there is copies of the relevant MSDS's of the Chemicals/Substances in situ then things will run smoothly.

[Kathryn]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess my main problem is how to determine the colour code? For instance, a paint may have a list of ingredients which are OK for 7-12 to use, but then one or two things which are only allowable for 11/12 but in a very small percentage. How would this then be coded? Sometimes ingredients are not listed in the CSIS package at all so what do I do there?

Do I not need to colour code and have MSDS's for things like handwash soap? In the junior school, I have found about 20 different liquid handwash as parents were asked to donate a bottle.

Kathryn

[JudyM]

Hi Kathryn,
I too have done the chemical register for the whole school & I agree it was a nightmare. I colour coded what I could from the info in appendix D but as you said the info is not complete. I have emailed some of the companies that supply our D&T dept regarding the actual chemicals contained in the dyes etc but to date haven't received a reply.There are a couple of dyes in the manual eg. procion, that indicate dot colour but the majority are missing & apparently the companies do not send MSDS with the goods.My main gripe is trying to match the item with endless number of choices on chemwatch.

The understanding i have is that a copy of an MSDS needs to be made available but this does not neccessarily mean a hard copy.If staff & students can access chemwatch themselves it takes the onus off you in ensuring the MSDS are current.I have printed out mini MSDS but only for science.
Hope this helps

[Robb]

Hi Kathryn,

Paint can really be a headache as far as determining the Correct Colour Code. If there is any doubt then I can offer you some assistance. If the paint is Water Based then it is safe to give the paint a BLUE Dot. (They usually contain dye bases amongst the binder material).

These are usually paints that mostly contain Acrylic. But if the Paint is solvent based then the Colour Code for this will be GREEN.

It makes it hard when there is no available MSDS regarding the paint, as this will determine whether the paint is hazardous, but in most cases it usually is not.

I hope this has clarified a few things for you…

[Dee]

Hi
I have recently been to a Chemical Safety in Schools course at Macquarie University - it was a one day course and basically a refresher on one I had been to about 5 years ago. They told us that the MSDS we should use off the website - if we didn't have original copies that came with the chemicals -was the Chemwatch Australia one. Most of the chemicals I required had this MSDS but some didn't so I then tended to use the Chem Supply one - just make sure they are Australian MSDS's

This whole issue is very big and very confusing, but if you use the appendix D as your guide it is in general ok. I copied off cpies of appendix D, added coloured dots to each page and store one in each preproom and one in the staff room. The staffroom copy is very well thumbed.

I am lucky in that I only have seniors, so basically they can use all the chemicals in the school - with a few exceptions - so even though I have everythg colour code and labelled I don't really have an issue with the use of chemicals in a prac.

I also use the appendix D as my main source of information when it comes to risk assessments. It is full of valuable information and even though there are some errors generally I find it easy to understand.

In general our whole school has reduced the amount of chemicals in the school and each department is responsible for having their own MSDS's available. The mini MSDS's are great to put out with pracs, but they don't comply to the regulations - access must be available to full copies to comply. I use the mini MSDS's often when putting out pracs, just as another visual cue for the teacher and students to be careful.

I also compile the chemical register for the school, but I give each department a stocktake sheet, access to all the coloured dots and hazard labels etc and they just return it to me completed and I put the information into spreadsheets, run off copies in booklet form for each department, the front office and the OH & s Officer. This is done before the end of term one each year.

When we first started the CSIS it took many months to get organised, label and colour code everything, get rid of excess chemicals etc etc but now it usually only takes a few days to have it complete. I always do a full chemical stocktake at the same time - not just the chemicals required listing in the chemical register.

The issue of CSIS is very big and quite confusing for those who have come in basically with no knowledge of the regulations. I don't think that adequate training has been given to us by the department. I have been fortunate that my school has been willing to pay for me to go on a number of courses, but I know everyone is not in the same situation. These OH&S regulations are across the board in industry not just in schools and I feel that the importance of correct training has been just swept under the rug, we have been given those 2 big cumbersome folders and we have to apply these regulations without a huge amount of support. And unfortunately in most schools this has been left up to the lab assistant to impliment as we are dealing with the majority of chemicals in the schools, and it is really not our responsibility to do this.

[Kathryn]

I would definately like more training on CSIS. What I find so frustrating about the chemwatch MSDS's is that I think they are totally irrelevant to a small school like ours where the maximum quantity of something like glacial HCL is 2.5 L. The MSDS contains pages of infomation which is basically meaningless and not user friendly especially for those without a science background - and will therefore never actually be read. Personally although I have a hardcopy of all MSDS's , I think the mins's are more likely to be used as they contain all info required in a likely emergency - ie spills or splashes to a student.

Kathryn

[Kath]

Hi Kathryn. I totally agree with you. It seems to me that most MSDS's are geared more to industry than to schools.
Regards Kath.

[lada]

I agree with Kath and kathryn as I too would like more training on MSDS's and chem registers. To know what is or isn't relevent. I do not think we need MSDS or register for soaps or detergent, but not sure. Lada

[Loopy]

Does anyone know of any training coming up either in MSDS' / chem registers or even just lab assistant training?
Lou P.

[debh]

Whats this about colour coding? Is this just a NSW thing?

[Robb]

When you look at chemicals in science you can safely say that they are workplace chemicals, whether it is school or industry, they all affect us as in the workplace. We must take into consideration students may have never seen some reagents or particular substances before, and in these circumstances we must have relevant data to refer to.

Some information may not seem relevant to the school system but when you look at it in more detail/depth, the awareness and safe handling aspect certainly is a big issue. Particularly when something does not go according to plan.

To have the relevant MSDS on hand is somewhat reassuring...