Ventilation in Chemical Store

captainlabmagnet

captainlabmagnet

I finally decided to get the ventilation in the chemical store sorted today. It's activated by a sensor along with the lights and so it doesn't run continuously like you'd expect for a chemical store. The previous tech wasn't bothered but today I was working away in there and felt quite dizzy after. I spoke to SSERC and they agreed it was unsuitable so the janitors are going to call the contractors responsible for inspection so I can have it fixed.

Not sure why it took me so long to finally ask about getting it fixed, I've probably just been too busy to notice. Any exposed metal in the store is rusting and the windows and glassware kept on the windowsill are coated in a white sediment so the effects of having it activated by a sensor are quite noticeable and it really should've been fixed a long time ago.

Anyone else had a similar issue with ventilation in their stores or prep room?
 
Didgit

Didgit

captainlabmagnet said:
I finally decided to get the ventilation in the chemical store sorted today. It's activated by a sensor along with the lights and so it doesn't run continuously like you'd expect for a chemical store. The previous tech wasn't bothered but today I was working away in there and felt quite dizzy after. I spoke to SSERC and they agreed it was unsuitable so the janitors are going to call the contractors responsible for inspection so I can have it fixed.

Not sure why it took me so long to finally ask about getting it fixed, I've probably just been too busy to notice. Any exposed metal in the store is rusting and the windows and glassware kept on the windowsill are coated in a white sediment so the effects of having it activated by a sensor are quite noticeable and it really should've been fixed a long time ago.

Anyone else had a similar issue with ventilation in their stores or prep room?
Click to expand...
Don't get me started !! :mad:
 
Dave T

Dave T

I've been banging on about ventilation in our store for at least 16 years..... we got a louvred vent (no extractor though; it's a passive vent) cut in the door about 10 years ago, but that was it...... :mad: No-one but us techs seems bothered, but at least I have a paper trail of emails, memos, appraisal documents to show I've asked again and again should anything happen. Gets to the point where you get fed up of moaning about it as nothing ever gets done.....:rolleyes:
 
St Caths Crew

St Caths Crew

We finally had ventilation put into the chem prep end of last year (years of asking), during the cold weather it sopped working and we haven't been able to get it looked at since, so we had it for about a month. :(
 
E

Emma R

I managed to get mine changed last year. Mine was the same motion activated light and fan when you opened the door. The thing that got them moving was during the hot weather the entire department smelt of ethanal because the chem store was about 28C for at least a week and the was nothing I could do to cool the room down or keep the fan running.
 
C

ClaireL

New build lab, but they hadn't put mechanical ventilation in the chem store. Fixed (I hope!) by venting through the door and window (I know!) so the mechanical ventilation in the preproom continuously draws through the chem store. You can tell it works (I've used the IR camera on a cold day...) and the chem store needs less airchanges as it doesn't have personnel in for any length of time...
 
CraftyTech

CraftyTech

I had a new build and the ventilation wasn’t great (white powder on bottles) so I got engineers in and they put in a new motor. It now sounds like I’m in an aircraft hanger but at least there is no white powder any more.
 
K

KayR

Our chemical stores' extractors are on timers. There's a vent on the door to help air flow too. Seems to work well.
 
P

Puds

Dave T said:
I've been banging on about ventilation in our store for at least 16 years..... we got a louvred vent (no extractor though; it's a passive vent) cut in the door about 10 years ago, but that was it...... :mad: No-one but us techs seems bothered, but at least I have a paper trail of emails, memos, appraisal documents to show I've asked
Click to expand...

Dave T said:
again and again should anything happen. Gets to the point where you get fed up of moaning about it as nothing ever gets done.....:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

It can be horrible in a chem store. We used to get head pain fairly quickly after going in there, brought on by the flammables.
We finally got ours sorted when we had a tech that used to get migraine after going into store. Lots of time off sick ( with sick form stating reason) & the school finally decided to sort it.
I'd said to the bursar, who came over & said, after a quick sniff, " It's doesn't seem too bad to me". I said. " Ok go in there, I'll shut the door & leave you there for half an hour & lets see how you feel after that". We'd already given them the CLEAPSS docs to no avail.
After a lot of wrangling we managed to get in a contactor who measured the air exchange flow etc.
We finally got decent ventilation.
 
Purple Cat

Purple Cat

It's real Science not Rocket Science
We have old electrically powered vents that sound like a plane taking off and are ridiculously power-hungry. I'm going to put them on for a couple of times a day, can't stand the noise otherwise.
 
L

ljwest91

Dave T said:
I've been banging on about ventilation in our store for at least 16 years..... we got a louvred vent (no extractor though; it's a passive vent) cut in the door about 10 years ago, but that was it...... :mad: No-one but us techs seems bothered, but at least I have a paper trail of emails, memos, appraisal documents to show I've asked again and again should anything happen. Gets to the point where you get fed up of moaning about it as nothing ever gets done.....:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Exactly the same here
 
D

Dan353

I remember shortly after I started the chemical store room extractor fan got disconnected as they had replaced all the windows and panelling.

I didn't know it was an issue until a nearby school asked me if they could borrow some chemicals as they had an issue with their ventilation and therefore couldn't access their store room and I told them mine hadn't been working for the last 6 months.
 
Didgit

Didgit

Dave T said:
I've been banging on about ventilation in our store for at least 16 years..... we got a louvred vent (no extractor though; it's a passive vent) cut in the door about 10 years ago, but that was it...... :mad: No-one but us techs seems bothered, but at least I have a paper trail of emails, memos, appraisal documents to show I've asked again and again should anything happen. Gets to the point where you get fed up of moaning about it as nothing ever gets done.....:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
It gets to the stage where you do it / organise it yourself...
If they didn't care beforehand...
 
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