PREPARATION OF A LIST OF MISSINGISURPLUSI NON FUNCTIONAL ITEMS

After the second activity you will enter into Activity 3 i.e. verification of the stock leading to preparation of a list of items that are missing, surplus, broken or non functional. As indicated in Activity 2 after going through the indexed list of the items alphabetically in the stock register you must verify the physical presence and status of these items in the laboratory. For example again take the case of an 'auto calve'. Now visit the lab/store and see whether it is physically present in the lab or not. If it is present, check whether the specifications and information given about the autoclave in the stock register match with the autoclave available in the lab. Also see in what condition it is. Ts it in working condition, if not, can it be sent for servicing or repair? You must also verify the quantity of the stock available and number of items used with the latest entries in the issue and balance columns of the register.

After completing this exercise you should prepare a list of the items missing, surplus broken or non-functional, if any, in alphabetical order. If the item is non-functional, write whether it is repairable or non-repairable. This case of the non-functional items one should contact the dealer for repair. Regular maintenance of the apparatus is also an important activity for any science laboratory. You will perform this as the next activity. The apparatus/instrument(s) that has become non-functional, beyond repair or obsolete needs to be disposed off. You will perform & the activity related to the disposal of such an instrument later in this course.

For this exercise select the same two items as taken for Report I. Check the details of the status of these items from the lab/store and write the information in the table given under Report. Show this report to your counsellor.

Regular maintenance of the lab items such as apparatus/instrument(s) is a necessary exercise in any laboratory. Maintenance includes proper cleaning, regular servicing, repairing and proper storing to keep the apparatus1- instrument(s) in proper working condition. I this activity you will learn to contact the dealer for the servicing or repair of the apparatus/instrument.

Servicing of the instruments can be done in the following two ways. According to the service contract with the fid agency from where you have acquired the apparatus/instrument. (Generally in such cases payment for service contract for a specific time such as one year is made while making the purchase or immediately after the warranty period is over. This type of servicing is called preventive maintenance and the contract is renewed annually. The apparatus1 instrument(s) can be serviced regularly without the annual contract also. But in such cases payment is to be made every time the servicing is done.

2. As and when any apparatus/instrument goes out of order and needs repair. This type of servicing is known as repair maintenance.

When the instrument is under service contract, the firm or the agency sends its own people at required intervals for servicing/repair of that instrument. A record of the contract and the servicing of the instrument(s) are maintained in the lab. In this activity you will write a letter to the firm range about servicing1 repair/replacement of the instrument you have purchased from that dealer. The find agency will send an engineer to look into the type of problem and rectify it. After the work is accomplished you should check that the repair/servicing work is successfully accomplished i.e., the instrument is now in perfect working condition. If payment is to be made for the servicing/repair work, you must sign the bills submitted by the dealer and give the same to your superior responsible for processing and payment of the bill.

By now you know how to write an official letter. Given below is the format of the letter you will use to write to the dealer for repair, service or replacement of a laboratory equipment. Show your letter to your counsellor. The detail information about the equipment should be clearly mentioned in the letter. The name of the item, its detail and information about the dealer/manufacturer will be provided to you by your counsellor. All the students in your group should write individual letters.