Stockroom Student Assistant

Requirements

1. Enrolled in 12 credits for regular student assistants during fall/spring, 6 credits for FWSP during fall/spring during periods of employment
1. Must not exceed the maximum eligibility for aid (FWSP only)
2. Cannot be enrolled in a lab course at the time of employment that would cause a conflict of interest (Principles of Chemistry, General Organic and Biochemistry I/II, Qualitative Analysis, Chemistry for Everyone.)

Priorities

1. SAFETY - Understand the safety rules and implement them across every aspect of your job duties. This includes ensuring that other students obey the safety rules.
2. SERVICE - Your job is to service the the freshman chemistry laboratories (i.e. the students taking labs). Be prompt, helpful and courteous to the students that pay your salary.

Day-to-Day Operations

1. Read instructions for that day’s experiments. There may be multiple reagent and waste disposal requirements.
2. Ensure lab carts contain proper reagents and supplies.
3. Ensure lab carts contain proper quiz packet for each section.
4. Notify lab supervisor if TA is late for cart pickup, all lab sections must start on time.
5. Wash any glassware that has soaked in Alconox for 24 hours, dry in oven, hood or rack.
6. Reassemble vials and caps after completely drying, return to storage bins. If vials appear cloudy or still seem dirty place them in the “Hard to Clean Vials” bin.
7. Return dry glassware to its proper storage location.
8. Verify lab rooms contain paper towels, lab detergent, gloves, and pipets, replenish if necessary.
9. Ensure lab doors are locked, lights are off, and gas valves are closed when lab sessions are completed.
10. Fill out your time card to reflect the hours you worked.
11. Evening staff must fill reagent bottles in preparation for the next morning’s experiments.
12. Friday
    1. must fill quiz packets for the next week of labs
    2. clean and disassemble dropper bottles, placing dropper assemblies in Alconox bath
    3. put poly-seal caps on all bottles
    4. return reagent bottles to their proper location
    5. clean cart surfaces
    6. setup cart for next week’s experiments
    7. turn in signed time cards

Things to Know

1. All glassware must be cleaned with Alconox and rinsed with De-ionized water. Rinsing with tap water may leave residue that will interfere with some experiments.
2. Never put any plastic in the oven.
3. Never accept signed out equipment from students that is dirty or contains a label. Ask them to clean the item and bring it back.
4. If a signed-out item is (presumed) broken, label the item with a description of the problem and place it on the supervisor’s bench.
5. Never overfill a container, including the waste containers. It will be impossible to pour and will make a mess.

What to do if?

1. The cart doesn’t contain a certain reagent but I don’t know where it is or how to make it.
   1. Notify the lab supervisor, if you ever have any doubts about dispensing or making a chemical reagent always see me first.
2. The cart doesn’t contain the right quiz. I looked in the cabinet and there’s nothing there.
   1. Notify the lab supervisor.
3. I mistakenly put aqueous waste into the organic waste container.
   1. Notify the lab supervisor.
4. I broke a thermometer.
   1. Don’t worry. None of our thermometers contain mercury. You can dispose of the broken glass in the glass trash.
5. There’s someone wandering around that I don’t recognize.
   1. No one is permitted in the stockroom or lab rooms without authorization (meaning they are registered for the course, are TA’s, or instructors). Ask for identification. If they don’t provide you with any, ask them to leave. If necessary call the police.
   2. No students taking the labs are permitted in the stockroom. Only staff, TAs, and instructors are permitted in the stockroom.
6. I have to use the restroom but no one else is in the stockroom.
   1. If you have to leave the stockroom for any reason make sure the window is closed and the door is locked.
7. I don’t like wearing goggles
   1. No goggles = No job (Simple as that)
8. I finished my shift but the other staff member that should be here is not.
   1. Never leave the stockroom empty. Notify the lab supervisor. If you can’t reach the lab supervisor and you have to leave, close and lock the window and door.

How to get fired

1.  Miss work without calling the lab supervisor
   1. If you’re in a car accident, I understand. There are numerous other reasons why you may not be able to call. All of which may be reasonable. However, missing work without notifying me because you didn’t feel like coming in or you wanted to go do something with your buddies isn’t a valid excuse.
2. Not wearing goggles when working with chemicals, including waste disposal, filling bottles, etc
   1. Safety first, I ask questions later.
3. Leaving the stockroom unattended without closing and locking the window and door.
4. Violation of confidentiality and acts of dishonesty.