[NHCOLL-L:1541] Museum Safety Training Course

[CAHawks at aol.com]

GW University Special Topics Course
Introduction to Health and Safety in Museums (MSTD 297.80) (PUBH 290.33)

Credit Hours: 2 - PUBH, 3- MSTD 
(students who register through MSTD will complete an additional research 
project with one of the course directors)

Prerequisites:  None

Course Dates:   Summer Session, 2002 (09 July -15 August)

Registration:  Begins 4 April 2002. Registration information is available at 
www.gwu.edu/~specprog/essentials
                  Course Registration Nos. 
                 91576 (PUBH 290.33, 2 credit hours)
                 92571 (MSTD 297.80, 3 credit hours)          

Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:10-7:00 pm

Web Site: TBA

Course Directors: Catharine Hawks (MSTD)  and David Goldsmith (PubH)

Methods of Instruction: Lectures, visits to Smithsonian facilities, Web 
quizzes, term paper/presentation

Grading Methods:    Best 4 of 5 quizzes -25%; Presentation /paper - 65%; 
Class participation - 10%

Course Learning Objectives

1) To describe the major health and safety issues in museums and related 
Institutions relative to employees, volunteers, and visitors.

2) To identify major health and safety hazards that might be encountered in 
museum operations (exhibit preparation, collection management and care, 
research, and interpretive programming).

3) To provide state of the art occupational safety and health management for 
museums.

4) To provide an understanding of the pertinent regulations and the role of 
regulatory agencies in ensuring safety in museums.

5) To identify procedures to improve public safety and staff emergency 
response in museums.

6) To describe methods of controlling museum hazards and preventing 
occupational and environmental health effects, including occupational safety, 
fire prevention, electrical safety, machine guarding, local exhaust, 
ventilation, hazardous waste handling, and personal protection equipment.

Course Schedule

WEEK 1
Session 1 Tue 09 July (Instructors: Goldsmith, Hawks, Makos)
Introduction to the course
Bibliographies and technical references/resources 
Overview of health & safety hazards in museum-related work including hazards 
to museum visitors and volunteers

Session 2 Thr 11 July (Instructor: McCann)
Overview of safety and safety programs: program administration, health and 
safety committees, inspections, emergency procedures, employer/employee 
rights and responsibilities, workers compensation, regulations, job hazard 
analyses, OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, Chemical Hygiene Programs, 
Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), and OSHA construction standard vs 
general industry standards (e.g., for exhibit preparation)

WEEK 2
Session 1 Tue 16 July  (Instructor: Goldsmith/Guidotti) 
Overview of toxicology; toxicology of specific biological, chemical, 
radiological hazards as outlined in Week 1; medical toxicology as it applies 
to museum staff and visiting public

Session 2 Thr 18 July  (Instructor: Goldsmith)
Toxicology continued; routes of entry, how standards are set (risk 
assessment), differences between occupational and community health standards

WEEK 3
Session 1 Tue 23   (Instructors: McCann/Ertel)
Chemical handling, storage, and labeling, with emphasis on laboratory safety 
and exhibit shops
Hazardous waste disposal

Session 2 Thr 25 July (Instructors: Hawks, Makos)
Outlines for papers/presentations due
Special Topics: Object testing for contaminants, NAGPRA issues, disclosure 
statements for loans, deaccessions, repatriation agreements, pest control 
methods, contaminated storage/exhibit furniture, hazards in field work, 
exhibition safety for the public

WEEK 4
Session 1 Tue 30 July (Instructor: McCann))
Role of monitoring and surveillance: exposure monitoring, biological 
monitoring, medical surveillance, permissible exposure standards

Session 2 Thr 01 August (Instructors: McCann/Ertel)
Health Hazard Control:  Ventilation; substitution; personal protective 
equipment including respirators; radiation protection; biohazards protection 
in field and laboratory settings

WEEK 5
Session 1 (Museum Support Center, Smithsonian) Tue 06 August (Instructors: 
Ridgway/Dietrich)
Safety hazard evaluation and control: ergonomics; physical plant safety
Disaster and emergency medical situations; safety in emergency response and 
recovery

Session 2 (Museum Support Center, Smithsonian) Thr 08 August (Instructor: 
Stemen) 
Fire protection: fire codes; fire protection systems; fire protection in 
public displays and fluid collection storage
    
WEEK 6   
Session 1 Tue 13 August (Instructors: Goldsmith, Hawks)
Final papers due
Discussions of special topic (e.g., contamination of cultural property by the 
WTC disaster)

Session 2 Thr 15 August (Instructors: Goldsmith, Hawks)
Oral Presentations and discussions
Course summary

____________________


Catharine Hawks
Conservator
2419 Barbour Road
Falls Church VA 22043-3026 USA
t/f 703.876.9272
cahawks at aol.com