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The stockroom is open Monday through Friday, 8 am - 12 pm and 1 pm - 5 pm during University academic sessions. Graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants are allowed limited access to the stockroom during normal business hours for the purpose of preparing for labs. Do not ask to prep outside of the hours posted above. This is a safety issue. The stockroom is a restricted access area; undergraduate students who are not authorized entry by the Chairman may not enter.
Please indicate if you take the last container of an item so that I
may reorder it promptly. Please do not reshelve bottles.
When chemicals are returned, they may be placed on the prep table or
cart. This allows me to check for low quantities, broken or deteriorated
containers, expiration dates, etc.
When preparing for labs, you will often find the chemicals you need on the side bench of the instructional lab. Check there first - Save yourself time! Solvents and solutions dispensed into stock bottles should be labeled plainly with all pertinent safety data filled in. Also, list concentration and ingredients as necessary. Each label should include the date prepared and your name. This enables us to identify waste products more easily at the end of term and enables you (and those who follow you) to determine exactly what's in the bottle. Two reagent labels are available from the stockroom for hazardous materials.
Waste containers should be prepared for specific types of waste streams and placed on the side bench for easy access by students. Please direct your students' attention to their location and monitor the levels in these containers. Do not fill them all the way to the top! Some expansion is normal when the containers are put into storage. When full, these containers should be brought to the stockroom and placed on the cart near the door. Replacements are available from the lower shelf near the door. Be sure to read the policies and regulations which follow concerning the labeling of hazardous waste.
The complete labeling of waste bottles and all bottles containing hazardous chemicals is standard operating procedure in this department. It is spelled out clearly in the Chemical Hygiene Plan (1.2.ix) that waste containers will be labeled clearly with a description that identifies the chemical(s). Environmental Protection Agency of the Federal government and Ohio EPA require this practice as well. The Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 262.34) governing the handling of hazardous substances states:
This applies equally to stock bottles. The contents should be identified clearly on the label by full name. The name of the preparer and the date prepared are also necessary. Other safety information is included as necessary to ensure that the end-user (the student) is fully aware of any hazards associated with that chemical's use. At a minimum, warnings should include whether the material should be used in the hood, if it is a suspected carcinogen, a lachrymator, strongly caustic or corrosive, readily absorbed into the skin or mucus membranes, if it is air or light sensitive, or reactive in water or air, etc. Every year we spend thousands of dollars on waste disposal, a significant portion of which is spent to identify unknown or insufficiently identified waste. If we can decrease this budgetary allocation, that money can be used for things more useful to everyone. We do this to protect ourselves and others from physical harm. We do this to remain in compliance with OSHA and EPA laws. Most importantly, we do this because it is the right thing to do.
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