A Better APProach to Chemical Inventory Management

You’ve probably done an experiment that required you to combine two different substances to create a chemical reaction of some kind. For example, mixing manganese dioxide with hydrogen peroxide in a bottle causes white smoke to emit from the container.

Now, imagine if you had to know how every chemical in your science lab would react in various conditions or situations. It’s impossible to remember all of the specifics about every chemical in a science lab just like it would be difficult to know at any moment if you are running low on a chemical.

To make sure there are enough chemicals on hand for all of the experiments that a school conducts throughout the year, as well as ensure that the chemicals are stored safely, requires a system that organizes it all. That’s why Fisher Science Education developed a chemical inventory management app called ChemAssist, featuring our chemistry superhero, Ava Gadro.

ChemAssist allows a school to store information about their chemicals in the cloud or within the app itself. By storing information in the cloud, it can be shared across multiple devices and with multiple users so that anyone with permission can access it at any time on their phone.

The app notifies a school when they are low or out of stock or if a chemical is expired or expiring soon. It also allows a school to create a list of the chemicals they need to reorder that can be emailed to someone who is in charge of ordering. The cloud-based version of the app sends notifications or push alerts about any chemical that has been recalled or discontinued.

Safety document sheets are available instantly. By scanning the QR code on any Fisher Science Education chemical bottle, someone can pull up its safety document sheet, which has been updated to be compliant with the new Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. These are the standards you would have to adhere to if you pursued a career in chemical research or chemical engineering.

The ChemAssist app is just one example of how the technology of cloud computing and smartphones can make complex tasks much simpler.