[NHCOLL-L:3924] Wet collections underground?

[John Early]

Dear colleagues

 

Does anyone know of a museum or similar institution anywhere in the
world that has wet collections or flammable dangerous goods stored
underground?

 

The reason I ask...

 

The Auckland Museum would like to build a collection store for its wet
collections (mostly 70% ethanol, small fraction in formalin) in part of
an existing but underutilised underground car park.  We are getting the
run around from the NZ authorities whose approval is required and who
seem to keep changing the rules. We've met all the design conditions
regarding fire rated walls, floors and ceilings, ventilation systems,
fire suppression, secondary containment etc but now they are saying "no"
because the store will be underground (why couldn't they have said that
in the first place?).  It seems that they haven't had a similar
application before, don't really know how to handle it apart from just
saying no, and are making up the rules as they go.  Our slim but only
hope is to demonstrate that it has been done elsewhere where it has
satisfied building codes and standards.

 

Please get in touch with me if you are able to help.

 

Many thanks

 

John Early

Curator of Entomology

jearly at aucklandmuseum.com


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