Todd:Use of the Inventory

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Operation of the Todd Group Chemical Inventory

The new Chemical Inventory System is now live and can be accessed here. If you do not have an account account ask Alice or Murray to set you up with one.

All group members are set as USERS - this means that you cannot add items to the inventory but you CAN transfer item locations and mark items as empty.

Labelling Chemicals

All chemicals should have MHT and their location written clearly on the bottle. This will help us to keep chemicals in the correct location. If you find a chemical that belongs to us and does not have this can you please write this onto the bottle.

Incoming chemicals from external suppliers

Any new chemical that enters the lab must be put onto the inventory system. At the moment only Alice or Murray can do this. Therefore when a chemical comes in you must email both of us with the following template completed.

- Master Chemical List Template

Please also include in your email your preferred location of storage for the chemical - list locations

The chemical is then to be placed in the IN tray located on the spare bench next to where Jim works. Chemicals requiring chilling or freezing should be stored at the appropriate temperature but not placed into a tray until it has been logged on the system. Everything else will then be dealt with by either Paul or Murray and the chemical will be moved from the IN tray to its home once it has been logged into the inventory.

Incoming chemicals from the stores

Everything that is now picked up from the stores that has a barcode on it must be assigned a location before it leaves the store. Therefore when you pick up the order you must write it’s lab number and location on the order form. I’d suggest that you find out the location and write them on the order form before you go down to stores. There is a list of all the locations kept near the IN tray for quick and easy reference or for taking down to stores if necessary.

Empty chemicals

Everything that has a barcode on it that is finished must be accounted for so, if you finish a chemical clean out the container and make it safe then under the option of ITEM TRANSFER enter the barcode of the chemical and click SUBMIT, then click MARK ITEM AS EMPTY in the top right hand corner of the page and finally confirm that it is empty. This will then remove the item from the inventory. This includes everything with a barcode, so silica, sand and non-drum solvents.

Finding DG and UN numbers

Check out this video for instructions on finding and entering things like DG and UN numbers from the MSDS. Full instructions, with links, are below.

When you receive a new chemical, go to the Sigma-Aldrich web page, search with the CAS number, and download the MSDS. For multiple hits on the website, use something sensible like ACS Reagent, or ReagentPlus. You need to look at sections 2 and 14 of the MSDS. To enter your chemical into the inventory you must include:

1. the chemical name (being careful with prefixes - see examples already in the inventory)
2. the quantity (of the full bottle)
3. the location (i.e. under which hood, or in the Flammable cabinets, fridge, freezer or Level 1 store)
4. the hazard data (compulsory, from Section 2 of the MSDS). Try to use terms that are similar to ones already listed
5. the CAS number (the MOST IMPORTANT thing, since this is how we search for chemicals unambiguously). Please note, CAS number ends with -XX-X (e.g. 523-24-5, 52473-22-8) and is not the same as the Aldrich Catalogue number
6. The UN number - this is a 4-digit code found in section 14 of the MSDS. If there is no UN number, write "n/a" - there will in that case be no Dangerous Goods code later on.
7. You also need to supply the Dangerous Goods (DG) code (Section 14 of the MSDS), and the standard words that go with that classification (these are on posters near the entrance to the labs, or can be found here)
8. For any chemical that has a DG code, you must also supply the packing group, which is also on the compound's MSDS (Section 14). Write I, II or III
9. From section 2 of the MSDS, if the compound is a carcinogen, this needs to be indicated. If things are vague (e.g. “prolonged exposure can cause cancer”) put words to that effect in the column. If the compound is clearly a carcinogen, it needs to be stored in the carcinogens lab. There's also an explicit list here
10. Indicate whether the compound is on the PACIA Illicit register, by writing I, II or III (i.e. find the relevant class). The list is here (pdf) (if this is dead, Google "PACIA illicit code practice appendix")
11. Indicate whether the compound is on the Chemical Weapons Convention by writing 1, 2 or 3 in the relevant box. Otherwise leave blank. The chemicals on the Chemical Weapons Conventions Lists are here - look half-way down the page, Table 4, there are Word documents for Schedules 1, 2 and 3.
12. Indicate whether the compound is on the Poisons List NSW by putting the number corresponding to its schedule, as on the list. The poisons list is very long and very tedious, but checking off your items shouldn’t take long as it’s alphabetical. The list is here
13. Indicate whether the compound requires an End User Declaration. These are very rare, but some chemicals require us to fill in an EUD before we can receive it. I’m expecting this whole column to remain mostly blank, however. You'll know when you have to fill out an EUD when you order the chemical and receive a phone call

These steps are dull, but we are legally obliged to do all this, and it saves a huge amount of time if we do it all as we go along.

New compounds must be labelled with "MHT" and its location on the bottle in permanent ink upon arrival. Make sure they are then allocated to the correct space - under the hoods or in the fridge/freezer (labels often come with storage recommendations), and is in the correct place, alphabetically (excl. prefixes such as 1,3- and N,N-). Try to keep on your bench only those compounds you are using frequently.