NSW Branch Members

I'm sure, like me, you've experienced or seen some funny (and perhaps scary) things in the lab.

For me, it was a fellow young trainee who was the year above me, and a 3rd year Chem student, who decided to mouth pipette concentrated H2SO4 and sucked in a little too hard. He had two things going for him.....  the safety shower/ handwash was not far from him and we were in a pathology lab and so there were lots of medical practitioners nearby. I remember my colleagues just looked at him dumbfounded that he would do something so stupid. In case you're wondering, the lab had many bulbs for pipetting so it wasn't like he had no choice in the matter. 

He gave up Chemistry and became a mathematician and now works in the US. He's probably wealthier than I'll ever be!

What's your funny or scary story that made you go "Hmmmmm"?

That is terrifying!

I had a funny moment this week when the reagent I was mixing unexpectedly turned BRIGHT PINK. Turns out someone had put detergent in the wash bottle I was using!! The choice curse words which came out of me seemed to amuse the other lab occupants..

I'm sure, like me, you've experienced or seen some funny (and perhaps scary) things in the lab.

For me, it was a fellow young trainee who was the year above me, and a 3rd year Chem student, who decided to mouth pipette concentrated H2SO4 and sucked in a little too hard. He had two things going for him.....  the safety shower/ handwash was not far from him and we were in a pathology lab and so there were lots of medical practitioners nearby. I remember my colleagues just looked at him dumbfounded that he would do something so stupid. In case you're wondering, the lab had many bulbs for pipetting so it wasn't like he had no choice in the matter. 

He gave up Chemistry and became a mathematician and now works in the US. He's probably wealthier than I'll ever be!

What's your funny or scary story that made you go "Hmmmmm"?

That is terrifying!

I had a funny moment this week when the reagent I was mixing unexpectedly turned BRIGHT PINK. Turns out someone had put detergent in the wash bottle I was using!! The choice curse words which came out of me seemed to amuse the other lab occupants..

I'm sure, like me, you've experienced or seen some funny (and perhaps scary) things in the lab.

For me, it was a fellow young trainee who was the year above me, and a 3rd year Chem student, who decided to mouth pipette concentrated H2SO4 and sucked in a little too hard. He had two things going for him.....  the safety shower/ handwash was not far from him and we were in a pathology lab and so there were lots of medical practitioners nearby. I remember my colleagues just looked at him dumbfounded that he would do something so stupid. In case you're wondering, the lab had many bulbs for pipetting so it wasn't like he had no choice in the matter. 

He gave up Chemistry and became a mathematician and now works in the US. He's probably wealthier than I'll ever be!

What's your funny or scary story that made you go "Hmmmmm"?

I'm sure, like me, you've experienced or seen some funny (and perhaps scary) things in the lab.

For me, it was a fellow young trainee who was the year above me, and a 3rd year Chem student, who decided to mouth pipette concentrated H2SO4 and sucked in a little too hard. He had two things going for him.....  the safety shower/ handwash was not far from him and we were in a pathology lab and so there were lots of medical practitioners nearby. I remember my colleagues just looked at him dumbfounded that he would do something so stupid. In case you're wondering, the lab had many bulbs for pipetting so it wasn't like he had no choice in the matter. 

He gave up Chemistry and became a mathematician and now works in the US. He's probably wealthier than I'll ever be!

What's your funny or scary story that made you go "Hmmmmm"?

I guess this is the moment that I look a bit po-faced. I guess I've never regarded labs as fun places. I studied part-time, and worked in a place where I handled some extremely dangerous substances and very toxic reagents. We technical assistants were fortunate to have experienced scientists as our bosses, and I remember we saw quite a few safety films to reinforce the message. The message of working safe, always be aware of your surroundings and never be distracted stuck with me to the day I retired at 72, still working on the bench. I do know that working with some substances (e.g., HF) would take me to a Zen-like zone where nothing else existed except the task.

I'm sure, like me, you've experienced or seen some funny (and perhaps scary) things in the lab.

For me, it was a fellow young trainee who was the year above me, and a 3rd year Chem student, who decided to mouth pipette concentrated H2SO4 and sucked in a little too hard. He had two things going for him.....  the safety shower/ handwash was not far from him and we were in a pathology lab and so there were lots of medical practitioners nearby. I remember my colleagues just looked at him dumbfounded that he would do something so stupid. In case you're wondering, the lab had many bulbs for pipetting so it wasn't like he had no choice in the matter. 

He gave up Chemistry and became a mathematician and now works in the US. He's probably wealthier than I'll ever be!

What's your funny or scary story that made you go "Hmmmmm"?