How do you do a chem stock take? I have a chem store but no idea what's in it or the amounts, just started at a new school I have nothing online and cant find a paper copy anywhere of a old stocktake.
chem stock take
- Thread starter Space-nerd
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Ive made a document I'm just unsure how to do the amounts, i don't have a balance that can measure over 200g
This is something you should fix. A good balance is key to a lot of this job.
I have 4 prep rooms but they're all a mess, there may be one somewhere, it will take me months to sort through everything. 
I use my highly calibrated hand a lot of the time, a lot of our stuff isn't that dangerous so it's more a matter of knowing what you have and an approximate quantity.
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Start with a list of everything you can see, use CLEAPSS guidance to sort out what chemicals you probably shouldn't be keeping or using, are no longer useable, identify those that need special storage conditions, e.g alkali metals under liquid paraffin make sure they are okay.
Guesstimate the amount in containers, liquids in bottles is fairly easy to do, solids not so as some are in a big container but are not very dense but again if you have a bucket of marble chips you will probably be okay to but down 3Kg and not be too far out.
Guesstimate the amount in containers, liquids in bottles is fairly easy to do, solids not so as some are in a big container but are not very dense but again if you have a bucket of marble chips you will probably be okay to but down 3Kg and not be too far out.
We use Cleapss E233 chemical stock list. If you're starting from scratch make sure the store is relatively tidy and the same chemicals are together before you get going. We don't weigh or measure the open containers as it would take us far too long, we make a best estimate on it based on how full the container is. If we can't work it out we'll list it as its full weight because we know it won't be any more than that.
I used to use the CLEAPSS E233 but now have moved to labLogger to do my stocktaking - I see you are a member of the LL user group. I'll PM you.
My top tip would be using a template with storage codes (CLEAPSS or @Wobbly John templates both have storage codes on theirs, I think?) so you can also check as you go along that everything is stored in the right places. Good luck!
CovTech
Lvl 41 Alchemist
First things first, make sure your stores are all up to stuff by using CLEAPSS handbook section 7 and the E233 chem stock list to sort out the storage categories and ensure you're holding everything in accordance with CLEAPSS recommendations
That might already be the case, and you just find you're ticking them all off, but its worth checking out as there's often a few surprises squirrelled away in the back of a forgotten shelf
After that, to make the thing seem less imposing I broke our total stock into 7 smaller groups of roughly the same size by category and our storage solutions so that we do one section per half term and one in the summer
Everything gets checked at least once annually and we don't have to spend 2 days doing it all in one go, makes it seem like less overall
Guesstimate the volumes based on the bottle size - a 2/3rds full 1L bottle is 600ml of soltion - and weight the solids bottle and all
You'll need to get hold of a higher capacitance balance than 200g - depends how anal your boss is, a decent 5kg scale with no decimals should be ok and not more than £10
That might already be the case, and you just find you're ticking them all off, but its worth checking out as there's often a few surprises squirrelled away in the back of a forgotten shelf
After that, to make the thing seem less imposing I broke our total stock into 7 smaller groups of roughly the same size by category and our storage solutions so that we do one section per half term and one in the summer
Everything gets checked at least once annually and we don't have to spend 2 days doing it all in one go, makes it seem like less overall
Guesstimate the volumes based on the bottle size - a 2/3rds full 1L bottle is 600ml of soltion - and weight the solids bottle and all
You'll need to get hold of a higher capacitance balance than 200g - depends how anal your boss is, a decent 5kg scale with no decimals should be ok and not more than £10
Wobbly John
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...
About 10 years ago, I wrote a Chemical Stock Control spreadsheet, and made it free to download and use for school science technicians.
It works in excel, or on Microsoft Teams, or on Google documents, although the GHS symbols dont work on Google sheets.
It is probably the only pre=populated software for this, with links to Hazcards, and MSDS. I also have templates to print labels on Brother QL series label printers.
You are welcome to download a version and use it at your school.
There are videos of how to use it on my Youtube channel :
It works in excel, or on Microsoft Teams, or on Google documents, although the GHS symbols dont work on Google sheets.
It is probably the only pre=populated software for this, with links to Hazcards, and MSDS. I also have templates to print labels on Brother QL series label printers.
You are welcome to download a version and use it at your school.
There are videos of how to use it on my Youtube channel :