Todd:Use of the Inventory

Home        Contact        Internal        People        Papers        Research        Teaching        Links        News        Construction       

Operation of the Todd Group Chemical Inventory

How to Keep Track of Orders

It is very important we maintain an up-to-date chemical inventory. This allows us to find compounds we own quickly. We need to check regularly that our inventory is up-to-date and this can be extremely tedious, but we can take steps to make this task easy, simply by keeping track of all new purchases and deleting chemicals from the inventory as they are used up or thrown out.

So:

(1) Whenever new chemicals are ordered, print out TWO copies of the order form. Special storage instructions (e.g. fridge, flammables cupboard) should be noted on the order form. Have both copies signed by either Mat or a postdoc. Use one copy to order the chemical, and leave the other copy in the inventory IN tray. When the chemical arrives, enter it into the database, and then its order form may be removed from the IN tray and discarded.

(2) Whenever a chemical runs out or is to be discarded, the container must be retained and placed in the inventory OUT box. When the chemical has been deleted from the inventory, the container may be removed from the OUT box and discarded.

This way, it is easy for the people responsible for their chemicals to retrieve all the orders and empty containers and update the database accordingly.

Entering Chemicals into the Inventory

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" 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.

Our inventory is held on a shared drive along with the inventories of all the other groups. The complete inventory for the building may be searched in the service room, or by emailing Gemma Thompson. Note that this inventory is separate from the store inventory. Thus to search for a chemical, search: i) us, ii) building, iii) store. IF you come up blank, we order the chemical.

• If you don't have access to the inventory, ask Mat
  
• Do not share the inventory with people outside the group. Be careful when editing the database, in particular when sorting data, which can scramble the columns
  
• Do not, in a moment of drunken confusion, delete the database
  

Chemical Locations and Responsibilities

Chemicals are located in the following places. People responsible for those locations are listed:

Under FC4040 - Althea and Fiona
Under FC404 - Swapnil and Ahamed
Under FC4038 - Nilupa
Flammable Cabinet B - Mingfeng
Flammable Cabinet E - Soo
Fridge - Anthony
Freezer (Room 533) - Michael

When the time comes for an inventory check, we will colour the whole inventory red. You need to check the chemicals you're responsible for - i.e. make sure the entries are present and correct. If the chemical is listed accurately, get rid of that entry's red colour.