Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Purchasing and
storing
4.1 OBJECTIVE
4.1.1 To know how does the purchases of stores laboratories materials and the
arrangements.
4.1.2 To understand the right procedures of purchasing materials and the effects
4.2 INTRODUCTION
To replenish the stock, we must prepare an order. In preparation for this, the stocks are
checked at, say, yearly intervals to see they agree with the stock requirement is ordered. In many
institutions, where owing to poor planning or other reasons storage facilities are poor, it is not
possible to hold stocks of any magnitude. In these case materials may have to be ordered more or
less as required. If this method of ordering is necessary, a convenient way to keep at the limited
stocks at the working level, other than by the continual checking of numerous stock cards, is to
enter the goods at the time of issue on a recorder list. Alternatively, the various written indents
which have been placed on the stores may be referred to. The item entered on the reorder list are
consolidated and orders for goods are placed at frequent intervals as necessary. This method is
particularly applicable to the reordering of chemicals, where unprecedented may easily deplete
limited stocks. It has the additional merit of ensuring fresh stocks are available. Its disadvantages
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are the loss of discounts and the extra time spent on the requisitioning and invoicing of goods. A
card index system suitable for reordering chemicals in small laboratories has been described.
It is advisable to prepare all the reagents in a central room under the supervision of senior
laboratory technician. There are several advantages in this, chiefly that uniformity in the strange
of the solutions used throughout the department in ensured. Since all preparative work demand a
reasonable degree of personal concentration, entrance to the preparation room should be striated
to those persons whose presence is absolutely necessary. To store the prepared bulk solutions, a
numbers of containers for the dilute acids and other solutions in constant demand required.
Polythene aspirators are the most suitable for this purpose. In addition to the normal apparatus,
other larger items are required/in the preparation room. This is particularly true of the volumetric
The various aids to purchasing, such as the British Instruments Directory and
Buyers’ Guide, are of great assistance but these must be supplemented, for
brands of glassware and other standard apparatus may be brought from large supply
house, but there are many items which do not appear in their catalogues and which
may be required in the laboratory and workshop for the special work. To meet this
difficulty the store man must help himself by keeping a notebook or card index in
which the particulars of the specialist suppliers, including their speed delivery and
prices are kept. It is useful, too, to record the name of the reprehensive with whom
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one actually deals, for reference on future occasions. These and other particulars
should be collected and consulted by the lab assistance. When specialist equipment is
to be purchased such literature is also of assistance the person who work with the
equipment and, is often the case, he will approach the lab assistance to ask about
information and advice. The knowledge of the research worker, in terms of his
quality, and cost, ensure that the right apparatus for the work is made available at the
right time.
4.2.3 Cost
The cost of the goods must be considered in relation to the amount of money
available.
4.2.4 Quality
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UNIT 4 : PURCHASING AND STORING
The discriminating of buyer compare the quality of the goods with the
price. The goods must stand up to the use for which they are intended. For
example, the cost of crucible tongs varies considerably according to the material
of which they are made. In terms of length of lifeand their suitability for
gravimetric work, however, nickel tongs are infinitely better than cheeper iron
laboratories. Those who have had the experience of heating soda glass true, for
example, will appreciate the ultimate saving which can be made when hard glass
4.2.5 Delivery
However cheap and whatever the quality, the goods are of no use if they
do not arrive when required. For this reason the delivery time is an important
quality and delivery) when purchasing the goods, but if storage arrangements are
The condition of sale is laid down in the supplier may affect the purchase and
should be considered. Most firms are accommodating when wrong goods are
delivered or items are lost or damage in transit. Nevertheless, the customer should
be aware about the condition such as whatever or not the cost carriage is borne by
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the vendor, the method of singing the goods, and whether the prices as quoted in
Stores must be in keeping with the nature and size of the establishment they are
designed to serve and may accordingly be classified into three types such as
i. Central store
establishment and in industry and hold large stocks to meet the varied
it is desirable for instance that the storeman should have a very intimate
knowledge of all apparatus held in the stores and to a great extent the use
to which it is put.
departments which draw supplies from the store may not be satisfied with
the type of material which has been purchased and with which they are
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department or division and which within the limits of the division may be
called the main store. The material housed is usually applicable to one
serve from a central position many laboratories within the same department.
Petty issues to individuals are not permitted from the main store
and similarly only major issues such as complete containers and case lots
are made to dispensing stores. In some instances a case lot may be divided
for dispensing small quantities of materials for local needs. The storeman in
store.
for requirements additional to the initial set of apparatus with which they are
issued in their local the students is required to sign for apparatus at the store
and these items, plus the initial locker issue are debited to him and may be
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UNIT 4 : PURCHASING AND STORING
charged for if not returned in good condition at the end of the final term.
Students are allowed to use the particular store in their area but no other. 1
available, efficient layout and space utilization, bulkiness of items stored and
amount of stock to be held. Whatever size is decided upon it must allow for the
When laboratories are in the planning stage the storage requirements are
with no thought as to its actual storage capacity. Stores must be planned in the
same way as laboratories and the space allocated must be realistic in relation to
the needs. The amount of stock to be held affects the size of the store. This
depends upon the local availability of equipment and on the period of time which
yearly intervals enable much cheaper purchases to be mud bit the storage
be given to aisles sizes, heights and layout of stacks and other similar matters.
There is, however a limit as to how much space should be utilized and a point is
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reached where the difficulty of stowing material exceeds any advantage in space
gained. The ease with which material may be stowed away depends on the height
and depth of the racks and bins and the layout of the aisles.
For complete safety and for ease of removal of material, certain general
rules apply. Heavy items must be stored low down and smaller items which often
be required should be within arm’s reach. Materials which are not often used and
bulky items of light weight may be kept on top of the racks. Similarly, if separate
storage is not available and bulk package storage and bin storage are used in the
same store, the bulk packages may be kept on top of the stacks. Racks may be
made higher if the bin fronts are reinforced so that they may b used as a ladder.
The type of material stored will quite obviously affect the stores layout because of
the need for the different shelf and bin arrangements. The material kept in the
physics department store for example necessitates quite different bin design as
objective of this stock book to maintain a record of all items of permanent value
customary to record all items above a certain value. The general apparatus held in
bulk in the main stores may also be included on the stock book, but once such
items leave the storeroom they are no longer and inventory item.
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constitutes a permanent item. For instances, does a large. Pyrex aspirator, which
cost a considerable sum of money, falls within this category? There is no strict
line of demarcation and the items listed must be based on the local understanding
of the storekeeper.
The stock book is made up for inspection annually and the stockeeper
must locate the various items which may have been dispersed to the far corners of
the department. The task is onerous and difficult. To overcome this difficulty and
to track the movement’s portable furniture and other equipment each item is given
the stock book against the item and to further assist together with its full
description.
The outside bodies from time to time donate sums of money for the
department, often regard such apparatus as being on permanent loan. A list such
their initials are painted on the apparatus and the details of the donation are
recorded against the item in the stock book. The particulars recorded in the book
thus enable the original order to be found quickly. The stock book information
also helps to locate equipment, already existing in the department, which may be
As equipment wear out it must be struck off the stock book. Some items
never wear out but become as old as to become redundant, these too should be
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excluded. The stock book itself may be lost or destroyed by fire and duplicate
record should be kept and store in a place safe from fire or water.
4.4 Conclusions
The process of purchasing and storing the equipment should be happened in the
right procedure. If we use systematic procedure, the laboratory will be a good place for
practical work. So, as a science teacher we should make sure that all process in
Question
I What to purchase
A I, II and III
B I,II and IV
C I,III and IV
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A Cost
B Quality
C Supplier personality
D Delivery
A Students
B The principle
C Science teachers
D Lab assistance
B serves a particular department or division and which within the limits of the
division
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1. After we receive the equipments, what are we do if the equipments were broken?
C Make a report and tell the supplier the problems that happen
B Invoice D Quotation
2. Which these are NOT the objective of stock book in stores management?
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II Spaces available
IV Space utilization
A I, II and III
B I,II and IV
Answer
1. A 2. C 3. C 4. D 5. A 6. C 7. B 8. D 9. B 10. C
References
Amritage, Philip and Fasemore, Johnson. (1977). Laboratory Safety: A Science Teacher’s
Chisman, Dennis (1987) Preliminary Issues, Practical Secondary Education: Planning for
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Fahkru’l-Razi Ahmadun, Chuah Teong Guan and Mohd Halim Shah. 2005. Safety:
Principles & Practices in the Laboratory, Penerbit Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang.
Hegarty-Hazel, Elizabeth (1990), The Student Laboratory and the Science Curriculum: An
Overview, The Student Laboratory and the Science Curriculum, pt.1, pg.3.
Woolnough, Brian E. (1991). Setting the scene, Practical Science, pt.1, pg.6. Woolnough,
Brian E. (1991). Setting the scene, Practical Science, pt.1, pg. 13.
Woolnough, Brian E. (1991). Setting the scene, Practical Science, pt.1, pg. 14.
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