S02E01: Danger, Danger!

The C Word (MP3 Feed)

Today we tackle the hot topic of hazards: what’s lurking in our collections and how do we talk about risks? We also talk chemicals, health and safety attitudes, and when not to drop an object. Tune in for an interview with Lauren McGhee and Ellie Rowley-Conwy about firearms conservation, and Kerith Koss Schrager about health and safety attitudes in conservators.

00:00:28 Welcome to season two!
00:01:11 News in brief
00:03:12 What kind of hazards do we face as conservators?
00:04:22 Radioactivity and Jenny’s desire for a Geiger counter
00:10:06 How do we communicate risks?
00:12:23 Asbestos, mercury, and arsenic
00:14:01 It’s OK to say no – when do we ask for help?
00:18:08 Biohazards and our old friend Mould
00:20:14 Firearms and explosives
00:21:22 Interview with Lauren McGhee and Ellie Rowley-Conwy
00:35:00 Don’t be afraid to ask for advice
00:36:45 Drugs, disposals, and documentation
00:41:33 Chemicals and COSHH
00:43:38 Interview with Kerith Koss Schrager
01:03:40 Our health and safety attitudes
01:13:39 Questions, comments, and corrections: Arduino shout-out
01:14:41 Patreon shout-out!

Show Notes:

– Icon Professional Development: Health & Safety for Conservators (Edinburgh) on October 11th 2017: https://icon.org.uk/events/icon-professional-development-health-safety-for-conservators
– Icon Professional Development: Health & Safety for Conservators (Birmingham) on October 20th 2017: https://icon.org.uk/events/icon-professional-development-health-safety-for-conservators-0
– Icon Professional Development: Health & Safety for Conservators (London) on November 21st 2017: https://icon.org.uk/events/icon-pd-health-and-safety-for-conservators-london
– Journal of the Institute of Conservation Turns 40 with Anniversary Special Issue:
https://icon.org.uk/news/journal-turns-40-with-anniversary-special-issue
– Kadec Asbestos Management: http://www.kadec.co.uk/
– Royal Armouries Conservation Services: https://royalarmouries.org/
– Science Museum Group: https://group.sciencemuseum.org.uk/
– COSHH guidelines for the UK: http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/
– AIC Health & Safety: http://www.conservation-us.org/specialty-topics/health-safety

Resource List:

– ‘Communicating Pesticide Contamination Messages’ by Jane Henderson and Kloe Rumsey: http://collectionforum.org/doi/abs/10.14351/0831-4985-29.1.49?code=pnhc-site
– ’Not a Known Carcinogen: Health and Safety Considerations of New and Innovative Treatments’ by Kerith Koss Schrager, Anne Kingery-Schwartz and Julie Sobelman: https://aics45thannualmeeting2017.sched.com/mobile/#session:edf5d9e81099519ac98f29ec684374ae
– Handling and Exhibition of Potentially Hazardous Artifacts in Museum Collections:
https://www.connectingtocollections.org/dangerous-collections/
– How-To Guide: Hazards in Museum Collections: http://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/how-to-guide-hazards-in-museum-collections/
– UK Guidance on Radioactive Substance Regulation (RSR): Radioactivity in Museums:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/radioactive-substance-regulation-radioactivity-in-museums
– Resource List for Residual Pesticides: http://museumpests.net/resources-2/solutions-residual-pesticides/
– Arsenic and Old Lace: Controlling Hazardous Collection Materials:
https://www.connectingtocollections.org/arsenic-and-old-lace-controlling-hazardous-collection-materials/
– Mercury in Museum Collections – Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) Notes 1/7:
http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1439925170006
– Lead in Museum Collections and Heritage Buildings – Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) Notes 1/8: http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1439925170022
– Lock, Stock and Barrel: Firearms Collecting for Museums:
https://www.connectingtocollections.org/lock-stock-and-barrel-firearms-collecting-for-museums/
– The Wonderful Uses of Asbestos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxfZSEboVM4
– Chemical classifications: http://www.hse.gov.uk/chemical-classification
– Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS):
https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_rev04/English/ST-SG-AC10-30-Rev4e.pdf
– ‘The Uses of Cyclododecane in Conservation’ by Sophie Rowe and Christina Rozeik:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/sic.2008.53.Supplement-2.17? journalCode=ysic20

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Hosted by Jenny Mathiasson, Kloe Rumsey, and Christina Rozeik.

Intro and outro music by DDmyzik used under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Additional sound effects and music by Calum Robertson.

Made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license.

A Wooden Dice production, 2017.