Trainer Larry Carr will deliver two introductory-level sessions to raise our awareness of the hazards present in museum collections.

Asbestos Awareness for Museums

This awareness-level health and safety training session will cover:

· The properties of asbestos fibres and their effects on health including the negative compounding consequences of smoking and asbestos exposure

· The major types of asbestos found in both the built environment and in object collections

· Visual examples of asbestos containing materials which have been identified in object collections

· The well-established methodology for identifying potential asbestos hazards in object collections, as has been adopted by many national museums

· Methods to avoid the risk of exposure to asbestos fibres

· A brief overview of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and the ‘Duty to Manage’

· Examples of how museums can comply with the legislation

· General procedures to deal with an asbestos emergency.

Please note that attendees will be required to complete a short multiple-choice test covering the key information delivered by the training.

Introduction to Collections Hazards

This introductory-level health and safety training session will cover:

· General principles of health and safety useful for understanding how to work safely with object hazards

· Toxic metals: arsenic, mercury and lead

· Pesticides and preservatives

· Mould

· Radiation

· Other hazardous substances: carbon tetrachloride; poisons; controlled drugs

· Nitrate film

· Explosives and energetic substances

· Physical hazards.

A certificate of attendance will be provided.

This course is for anybody who works or volunteers in a museum, archive or library which is a member of the Rapid Response Network.