1. Laboratory Management - Paper Work with Purpose
Patricia Hugman
Senior Laboratory Technician
St Joseph’s College Toowoomba
Previously presented at ConQEST 2014 by
Wendy Hurle, Lab Manager; Narre Warren South P-12 College
cover

2. Budgets and Inventories Chemical OH&S General Management aspects
 Introduction
Budgets and Inventories
Chemical OH&S
General Management aspects
Forum – over to you
Structure of the session/Topics covered today
(15mins x 3) (20 mins – forum)
about 20 minutes for discussion, sharing and questions so each section will have to be an overview rather than in-depth
Or we might discus as we go (depending on how I am feeling)

3. Introductions Presenter – Patricia Not set in stone tablets
Job description
manager roles
technician roles
Who am I – 5 years as lab tech (standing on the shoulders of giants), a few years ago moved to 1.5 technicians in our school (3 technicians later)
Who are you (single labbie / multiple labbies) (less than 1yr – 3yr – 7yr)
What we say is not law, not gospel – it’s just how we do things and some of the stuff we think might work for others.
Unlike Moses – we weren’t given any stone tablets for this. Yes, there are rules to follow but most practices are …
best done the way YOU can sustain them
(within framework of what your immediate supervisor requires).
Last year …  I am doing everything right  just one thing to improve
Hopefully sessions like this means you don’t have to reinvent the wheel
If you need a job description is … the DET SOO (OO2 & OO4)
Looking at job descriptions – there are management duties and expectations and there are technician duties and expectations.
In many schools the sole lab tech will do it all, in bigger schools there will be a more defined separation.
Today we are looking at the management aspects and this is mainly admin, paperwork, records.
There’s plenty else we have to take care of!

4.  Budgets and Inventories Chemical OH&S General Management aspects
 Introductions
 Budgets and Inventories
Chemical OH&S
General Management aspects
Should be about 2:40

5. Budgets and Inventories
Keeping track of:
Money - budgets expenditure record analysis
Stock - equipment locator Supplier lists consumable levels
Lab Management is the science of keeping track
Three of the areas we need to keep track in - stock (consumables), money and resources
As Lab Managers we hold the strings of the science department – keeping everything running smoothly.
Money:
Provide guidance in the planning of budgets – some of us do it all and hand over the finished article to the Head of Science
Some of us provide all the detail about shortfalls in the department only to be ignored.
Handling the budget – being responsible for the day to day expenditure of that money. Much of this is knowing where the money has gone
Spreadsheets – how many departments
Stock: where everything is, who supplies it and having enough of it all.
Reminds me of the swan – gliding serenely over the water while all the time her legs are swimming like crazy to maintain position

6. Budget Control by subject by function
Junior Science
Teacher resources
Staff requisites
Classroom resources
In/excursion
Senior Science (Bio, Physics, Chem, Earth, Ag, Sc21)
Prep room
Department costs
Affiliation/membership
Chemical
Equipment
Repair
Updating
breakages
Consumables
Operating & office
Technology (updating)
Library (text, workbooks & resources)
In/excursions
This will depend on the schools Accounts departmental preferences
Does anyone else use a different system

7. At SJC...Consumables

8. Budget control - details
DATE, brief description, SUPPLIER, order number, Invoice number, (TOTAL WITH GST), TOTAL WITHOUT GST
Spreadsheet (Excel, ???) or Database (Access, ???)
Couple of examples:
Amount and where $$ allocated
Allocation to each dept (whether by subject or function) means you always know how much each has left.
Reconcile as often as your accounts department gives you the figures.
References for ready info when looking up (goes without saying but...) DATE, DESC GOODS, SUPPLIER, ORDER AND INVOICE NUMBERS, TOTAL AMOUNT, GST AMOUNT
Database tracking
tracking

9. Budget monitoring
HOD or Accounts can ask questions anytime ... Need to be able to supply figures

10. Spread sheets vs Databases
- manipulate data that is entered
Databases
- are used to collect, manipulate, filter and report on various kinds of data.
Dbase or S/sheet– to each their own
Whichever one you use: learn more about it ... Business Dept teachers or internet tutorial or paid PD or Labbies network

11. Inventory Control Equipment register -
inc Posters - DVDs - videos - software
Supplier register – easy replacement
Chemical register – continuous updating
Main equipment locations and quantities – lab stock, posters, DVDs and videos
Chemical register – location, quantities, stock quantities, class sets if stored elsewhere. MSDs and risk assessments filed in an accessible place. Won’t go into detail about these here as we won’t have time
These represent months of work ... Hard copy back-up, does your school back up your computer each night? Is your work retrievable if the power goes off?

12. Inventory control What Supplier Cost Serial # Where Room /area
cupboard
Each room has cupboards, shelves, drawers (filing cabinet, desk, floor)

13. Suppliers – get list too
Suppliers change – suppliers change their details - keeping up to date records

14. Keeping track of resources
record books / borrowing book
Broken record
“where to find” (suppliers, staff, parents)
using the EQ LABBIES list
Will the Dept still operate if you are not at work / Can someone do your job if you are called away unexpectedly?
Procedure manual
Records you need to keep: Phone number and addresses of suppliers, Logs of borrowed equipment, meeting minutes (often the only way you can ‘prove’ you were promised something)
Repair and Maintenance of equipment esp. by outsiders
Breakages book – forms basis of what I need to order

15. Chemical Register Need to add chem supplier
Suppliers change – suppliers change their details - keeping up to date records

16.  Budgets and Inventories  Chemical OH&S General Management aspects
 Introductions
 Budgets and Inventories
 Chemical OH&S
General Management aspects
Should be about 2:40

17. Chemical OH&S SDS …chemWatch or Vendor or both
Handling / use
Storage / disposal
Hazardous Goods Register
Risk Assessment
SDS –Safety Data Sheet – all the info you need about chemicals. Those you have, those you considering purchase – via Chemwatch or supplier’s webpage. Read them thoroughly eg looking for reaction & allergies
Handling – you / teaching staff / students … what r u doing  what do u need to know.
consider concentration - the salt & the solutions are 2 very different things –– give RA accurately for what is actually being used / produced
Mini MSDS – to go out on pracs making sure there are First Aid instructions simple & clear
use consistent layout for teaching staff/students (ChemWatch Gold vs. Vendor SDS).
Spill Kits in all classrooms & preparation areas
Storage specific safety cabinets
locked storage area – cabinets or room
Disposal be aware of what you are handling & the effect it may have on others/environment
as an educational facility we need to model responsible practices to the next generation (though we are small cf industry … )
use of general / sinks / all going to the prep room for disposal (must have prompt disposal or good labelling)
collection of waste – contact company before you start collecting as they may have specific requirements ($$ separates << $$ mixture vs. space)
RA – Risk Assessment – a risk assessment should be done by the user (for what you doing the lab). Unless I am teaching in the classroom, I should not be doing a risk assessment for the classrooms (not all schools hold this policy)
Hazards: materials, processes, people.
Important to have the basics for quick reference
Different schools will have diff constraints, different expectations, different reporting, different directives
Risk Assess – many schools use it to get a RA + prac request.

18.  Introductions  Budgets and Inventories  Chemical OH&S  General Management aspects
Should be about 2:40

19. Communication Relationships - managing staff
Liaison know your useful people
Communication do I know that you know what I mean?
- does the department know what I am doing?
Managing staff – know yourself – understand others – everyone has strengths & weakness’ - a little bit of grace goes a long way
getting on well with your teachers – you are indispensible to each other
Knowing how to deal with personnel problems. As a manager you are responsible for working with others to overcome problems (eg grievance procedures, advocacy)
Liaison - Useful people in your school? Accounts staff and business manager, Maintenance and facilities staff, OH&S committee/rep, the AP whose jurisdiction is science, the IT staff
Communication - the talking to AND the feedback from – knowing the message has been understood
Dept Staff meetings – making sure there is a lab report on the agenda

20. Managing the Science stuff
Providing advice to teaching staff regarding conduct of prac
Prep notes & Written record of modifications - stored yr to year in folder 

21. Prep Advice
Providing advice to teaching staff regarding conduct of prac
(Few prac are done straight from the book)
Group with appropriate subject
reminders from last year
Print & send with prac
Store in folders for next yr
Few prac are done straight from the book because each school has different resources and myriad of restrictions)
Group with appropriate subject (beware the teachers that don't read )
… reminders from last year (catch more bees with honey / apples set in gold) … do not tell them how to do it!

22. Prep notes
Prep notes & Written record of modifications - stored yr to year in folder
Overview/teaching plan
possible prac (compiled over yrs)
pracs done
Check with teachers how prac went … dialogue on improvements

23. Scheduling – prac & other resources
diary;
Outlook (invite to appointment)
Risk Assess (scheduling)
Net-bookit / PC Schools
Other

24. Forum – you & me 3:15 Sometimes it’s just how you look at it.
This section is for your questions and comments we only have 15 minutes so please try to word your comment or question briefly.

25. Thank you for listening for your ideas USB will arrive by post
Survey will arrive by
3:25pm
Do they want copy of Database on USB