Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Do we need a separtate forum for lab safety and waste treatment?

Do we need a separtate forum for lab safety and waste treatment?

fusso - 10-5-2019 at 10:28

I think, due to some threads discussing about lab safety and waste treatment specifically, we need a separtate forum dedicate for these, maybe simply "lab safety and waste treatment"?

[Edited on 190510 by fusso]

XeonTheMGPony - 14-5-2019 at 13:51

I'd like that, it is an important field of study for the home lab.

DavidJR - 14-5-2019 at 13:58

I agree that it would be valuable.

Unrelated but I'm also somewhat surprised that we don't have an analytical chemistry subforum...

Ubya - 15-5-2019 at 09:15

Quote: Originally posted by DavidJR

Unrelated but I'm also somewhat surprised that we don't have an analytical chemistry subforum...

surely it would be more useful than "computational models" :'D

CharlieA - 15-5-2019 at 12:09

ditto

fusso - 15-5-2019 at 15:46

Quote: Originally posted by Ubya

Quote: Originally posted by DavidJR

Unrelated but I'm also somewhat surprised that we don't have an analytical chemistry subforum...

surely it would be more useful than "computational models" :'D

Especially when most of us dont know how to code

j_sum1 - 15-5-2019 at 17:02

I think computational models was created because it does not fall easily into the categories already in existence. IOW, the decision is based on definition not on volume.

Analytical methods does have some blurring with the existing forums: it might overlap into technochemistry if you are constructing something, apperatus if you are looking to buy, repair or modify some equipment, OC if that is what you are analysing, or general chemistry if you are discussing titration techniques (does anyone do that?) or tests for specific ions.
I can see a case for lumping all this together but I can also see how it might not aid finding stuff.

Most poeple I think access the board through the recent posts feature rather than browsing the individual forums. And if they are looking for something then they search. So, the point might be moot. Beyond a basic categorisation I don't think the individual forums do much.

I do see a case for grouping together everything related to safety, waste, toxicity, disposal etc. Of course we have 15 years of historical threads that would not move but that shouldn't be a problem. I will see what the other mods think and whether it would be beneficial on the whole.

Ubya - 15-5-2019 at 23:09

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

Most poeple I think access the board through the recent posts feature rather than browsing the individual forums. And if they are looking for something then they search. So, the point might be moot. Beyond a basic categorisation I don't think the individual forums do much.

you are right, most of us browse through "today's posts", but i think categorization is important. if i need something i use google or the website search engine, but many times happened to me to find a topic i was interested in, and looking for something similiar in the corresponding subforum, it makes things easier and more tidy (just a personal preference) and just more welcoming/user friendly to newer members (i used to scroll everyday each subforum before finding out the "today's posts" button hahahaha)

topics about safety pop up quite frequently, putting everything together seems logical to me

we wait you with a response from the mods decision

woelen - 16-5-2019 at 01:41

It's OK to me to add such a subforum. I would like to make it a broad forum, with a title like

"Responsible amateur chemistry: safety, storage, waste treatment".

Maybe we should move a number of threads to this forum. If someone is willing to investigate and find threads about this subject and post links to this place, then I am willing to make the subforum and move the threads to the new forum. I have no time to do all investigations myself, but with a concerted effort, we could make this possible.

j_sum1 - 16-5-2019 at 01:58

Exactly what I was thinking. Except I'd like a more snappy title.
Some collation of existing threads for the transition would be great. Maybe we could have an ongoing policy of submitting threads that need to be moved.

Do we want the forum to also include threads like "Lide after detonation", wump incident, the recent one scared of retina damage after Mg ignition etc.

What about "when chemistry goes wrong"?
What about "bad days in lab or with glassware"?
Then there are threads on cleaning glassware.

My thinking is that whatever we call it and whatever description we tag under the title, it must be pretty clear what is included and what us not. Populating with existing threads will really set the tone.

There are probably some candidate threads for stickies straight away. And if not, it won't be hard to get some good titles to get them started.

j_sum1 - 16-5-2019 at 02:02

Perhaps, "Lab Housekeeping".
Responsible practice, safety, toxicity, hazard management and waste disposal.

Mr. Rogers - 16-5-2019 at 04:04

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

Perhaps, "Lab Housekeeping".
Responsible practice, safety, toxicity, hazard management and waste disposal.

I think this is a really good idea. It would reflect well for the hobby I think.

XeonTheMGPony - 16-5-2019 at 04:16

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

Exactly what I was thinking. Except I'd like a more snappy title.
Some collation of existing threads for the transition would be great. Maybe we could have an ongoing policy of submitting threads that need to be moved.

Do we want the forum to also include threads like "Lide after detonation", wump incident, the recent one scared of retina damage after Mg ignition etc.

What about "when chemistry goes wrong"?
What about "bad days in lab or with glassware"?
Then there are threads on cleaning glassware.

My thinking is that whatever we call it and whatever description we tag under the title, it must be pretty clear what is included and what us not. Populating with existing threads will really set the tone.

There are probably some candidate threads for stickies straight away. And if not, it won't be hard to get some good titles to get them started.

I'd duplicate those threads if possible, that way they remain in both to drive home the point that every thing carries the risk, and the price of complacency / carelessness is very high one

Ubya - 16-5-2019 at 04:45

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

Perhaps, "Lab Housekeeping".
Responsible practice, safety, toxicity, hazard management and waste disposal.

Life in the Lab
Responsible practice, safety, toxicity, hazard management and waste disposal.

After class I'll post here relevant topics I can find

Pumukli - 16-5-2019 at 06:00

A bit unrelated, but I second DavidJR's idea on a separate analytical subforum! Sometimes I do classical titrations and although I don't find them worth writing a report in Prebublication but I'd not mind if someone looked at what I did and corrected my errors or suggested a better approach.

Actually, I have a few analytical chem related questions but I don't want to post them into Beginnings - which is just a "drop here everything you couldn't fit elsewhere" for me.

fusso - 16-5-2019 at 07:41

And I agree that having members voluntarily submit the threads when we discover them is good enough, no need to rush. But best to mention the timeframe of the forum which they searched so others don't need to re-search the same timeframe a few times. I think a max of 2 times of scanning by 2 different members is enough to catch any missing threads.

Quote: Originally posted by Pumukli

A bit unrelated, but I second DavidJR's idea on a separate analytical subforum!

Then I 3rd it!
BTW are these called forums or subforums? I'm not familiar with forum terminologies; sorry for this quite stupid question

DavidJR - 16-5-2019 at 12:52

Quote: Originally posted by Ubya

Life in the Lab
Responsible practice, safety, toxicity, hazard management and waste disposal.

I like that name

j_sum1 - 16-5-2019 at 13:29

Quote: Originally posted by DavidJR

Quote: Originally posted by Ubya

Life in the Lab
Responsible practice, safety, toxicity, hazard management and waste disposal.

I like that name

Sounds a bit biochem for me.

Go for brains, Igor.
Mwahahaha.

woelen - 23-5-2019 at 11:49

I created the new section and moved all threads, mentioned a few posts ago. I used j_sum1's second line of text for the name of the section and the description below it. In this way, the main goal (using responsible practices in your lab) is visible from the main section name and the desciption gives more insight in what we think of.

If there are more threads which you want to have moved to this new section, please post them in this thread. I will then move them to the new section (if the request is reasonable).

fusso - 24-5-2019 at 17:54

About recycling: https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=77...

Sulaiman - 24-5-2019 at 18:50

A general purpose reference database would be fantastic.

It may be more convincing if we 'published' our post-experiment activities a little more when showing experiments,
as an integral part of the experiment.

fusso - 20-6-2019 at 16:54

Laboratory Tips and Tricks
https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=13...
(Edit: added description)

[Edited on 190621 by fusso]

Tsjerk - 21-6-2019 at 06:59

Quote: Originally posted by Sulaiman

A general purpose reference database would be fantastic.

It may be more convincing if we 'published' our post-experiment activities a little more when showing experiments,
as an integral part of the experiment.

I think we don't need to, doing so makes it look like you think the reader is not capable of disposing his waste in a normal way. If anyone is not sure about how to do it he can go to this new subforum and ask.

j_sum1 - 21-6-2019 at 14:24

Formatting seems to get broken when threads are moved to the new forum. Not sure why.

XeonTheMGPony - 24-6-2019 at 04:36

Hopefully we can get some nice written stickies on dealing with the heavy metals, Nickle, Mercury, Lead salts

The Azide's / Cyanide's, neutralizing / destroying