Disclaimer

Note: The foregoing list of articles and guides is offered for information purposes only. Some of the information included in the lists of published articles on this page may be out of date particularly with regard to toxicological data and regulatory standards. More recent publications may include more up to date information, but there has been no attempt by the committee to re-review and update previously published articles in the AIC News or to exhaustively catalogue current legal requirements and standards applicable to the profession. When using references from the publications listed, please use the most recently published articles on any particular topic. Also, because new information on safety issues is continually published, resources outside of AIC should be consulted for more specific information on toxicological data and regulatory standards. Many of the references listed in the links above as well as the "Health and Safety Technical Resources for the Conservator" Guide, July 1998 can serve as resources for this type of information.

ALSO: See our Disaster Response & Recovery Web pages for other useful info.

The AIC Health & Safety Committee strives to fulfill this charge by undertaking the following programs:

Findings from Ground Zero/WTC disaster site

Guides published in AIC News

Beginning in 1998, the Health & Safety Committee has prepared or commissioned special pull-out sections for AIC News. The committee strives to release a new guide annually.

Title of Guide		AIC News Issue
Heavy Metals, their Salts, and other Compounds (pdf) Expanded Heavy Metals Reference Guide (pdf)		November 2008
Fall Protection; Working Safely at Heights (pdf)		November 2006
A Conservator's Guide to Labeling Hazardous Chemicals (pdf 220kb)		September 2005
Health and Safety Technical Resources on Pesticides for the Conservator (pdf)		September 2004
Air Monitoring Guide (pdf)		November 2003
A Conservator's Guide to Respiratory Protection (pdf)		September 2002
From Cradle to Grave: Waste Management for Conservators	4/1	November 2001
Set Up for a Safe Space: A Chemical Hygiene Plan	3/1	July 2000
Biological Monitoring in the Workplace	2/1	November 1999
Health and Safety Technical Resources for the Conservator	1/1	July 1998

Luncheon Lectures at the AIC Annual Meeting

The Committee has sponsored a free luncheon lecture on various health and safety topics at every AIC Annual meeting since 1995.

"Solvent substitution: Theory and Tools for Safer Choices"	John Burke Dr. David Erhardt Dr. Mark Ormsby	Dallas, TX
"Preventing Overuse Injuries in Conservators "	Dr Michael McCann	Philadelphia, PA
"Conserving Your Health and Safety"	Dr. Patricia H. Hamm	St. Louis, MO
"What Have We Here? Hazards Associated with Disaster Recovery"	Monona Rossol	Arlington, VA
"Line of Defense: Proper Selection of Gloves and other Personal Protective Equipment"	Kathryn Makos	San Diego, CA
"Putting It in Proper Perspective: A Practical Guide to Health Hazard Regulations"	Kathryn Makos	Norfolk, VA
"No Magic Bullets: Ethical Considerations for Pest Management Strategies"	Wendy Jessup (coauthored with Monona Rossol)	St. Paul, MN
"Health Hazards in Conservation" (Evening Lecture)	Angela Babin	Denver, CO
"Health Hazards in Conservation" (Evening Lecture)	Angela Babin	Nashville, TN
"Save and Regulated Art Conservation" (Evening Lecture)	Monona Rossol	Denver, CO

Articles published in AIC News

Name of Article	Issue	Author
Fall Protection; Working Safely at Heights	November 2006 (31:6) Insert 1–8	Dan Paine
Working at Heights	September 2006 (31:5) 1, 7–8	Evan Kopelson
Survey of Past Participants in the AIC Respirator Fit Testing Workshop	May 2006 (31:3) 14	Health and Safety Committee
All Ears: The Importance of Noise Protection	March 2006 (31:2) 17–18	Catherine Coueignoux-London
Some Chemical Things Considered: Cyclododecane	Janurary 2006 (31:1) 16–17	Marilen Pool
A Conservator's Guide to Labeling Hazardous Chemicals	September 2005 (30:5) Insert 1–12	Judith Bischoff
Hazardous Holdings: AIC Archives Discusion Group, June 12, 2005, 3:45–5:15 p.m.	September 2005 (30:5) 1, 11–13	Health and Safety Committee
Does a Woman's Solvent Exposure Affect her Offspring? Summary of a Recent Study	May 2005 (30:3) 18–19	Dennis Ertel
Healthy & Safety Technical Resources on Pesticides for the Conservator: An Annotated Bibliography	September 2004 (29:5) Insert 1–8	Marilen Pool
Mold: Evaluation of Risk and Decontamination	September 2004 (29:5) 1, 3–4, 7	Dennis Ertel
Ultra Violence to Your Eyesight	July 2004 (29:4) 11–12	Mary Ballard
Is Your Old Dust Mask the Respirator You Thought It Was?	March 2004 (29:2) 21–22	Dennis Ertel
Air Monitoring Guide	November 2003 (28:6) Insert 1–8	Dennis Ertel
News from the National Library of Medicine Website	November 2003 (28:6) 18–20	Health and Safety Committee
OSHA: A Dual Role in American Workplaces	September 2003 (28:5) 1, 5, 7–8	William Coulehan
A Practical Guide for Work with Bird Droppings and Roosts	July 2003 (28:4) 17–20	David Hinkamp
Summary of Two OSHA Inspections in Museums	March 2003 (28:2) 19–20	Dennis Ertel
Conservator's Guide to Respiratory Protection	September 2002 (27:5) Insert 1–8	Craig Colton
Decontamination in Conservation	September 2002 (27:5) 1 , 3–6	Dennis Ertel
HEPA HEPA HEPA	January 2002	Chris Stavroudis
From Cradle to Grave: Waste Management for Conservators	November 2001 (26:6) Insert 1-12	Michael White; Judith J. Bischoff; Chris Stavroudis; Lisa Goldberg and the Health and Safety Committee
Health and Safety News	November 2001 (26:6) 13	members of the AIC Health & Safety Committee
Solvents Considered at AIC Annual Meeting in Dallas: "A Teas Refresher"; "Solvent Solver Program"; and "Solvent Grade: Does it Matter?"	September 2001 (26:5) 1, 3-7	John Burke Mark Ormsby David Erhardt
Mothballs Reconsidered	July 2001 (26:4) 21	members of the AIC Health & Safety Committee
Health & Safety News: Ergonomics Standard Published; Linonene Products Pollute Indoor Air; and Safety Booklet	March 2001 (26:2) 11
Regulations Change for Cobalt Indicating Silica Gel	January 2001 (26:1) 14	Lisa Golberg and Steven Weintraub
Overuse Injuries in Museum Conservators	Sept 2000 (25:5) 1,3-6	Michael McCann
Set Up for a Safe Space: A Chemical Hygiene Plan	July 2000 (25:2) Insert 1-7	Michael Grey White and the Health and Safety Committee
Health and Safety News: Health and Safety Responsibilities for Employees, Interns, Volunteers, Apprentices, and Students	Jan 2000 (25:1) 14	Kathryn Makos
Biological Monitoring in the Workplace	Nov 1999 (24:6) Insert	Health and Safety Committee
Conserving Your Health and Safety: Using Consistent Choices to Minimize Exposure	Sept 1999 (24:5) 1,18-19	Dr. Patricia Hamm
Health and Safety News	Jan 1999 (24:1) 12	Cathy Hawks
Health and Safety Technical Resources for the Conservator	July 1998 (23:4) Insert 1-13	Health and Safety Committee
Health and Safety News: Internet Health and Safety Resources	May 1998 (23:3) 8
Health and Safety News: Results of the Health and Safety Committee Survey	Mar 1998 (23:2) 6-9
Health and Safety News	Jan 1998 (23:1) 6-7	Hilary A. Kaplan
Health and Safety News	May 1997 (22:3) 8	Hilary A. Kaplan
MSDSs: Reading Between the Lines for the past decade...	March 1997 (22:2) 1-5	Monona Rossol
Health and Safety News	Jan 1997 (22:1) 8	Hilary A. Kaplan
Health and Safety News	Sept 1996 (21:5) 7	Hilary A. Kaplan
Health and Safety News	Sept 1996 (21:5) 2	Hilary A. Kaplan
Selection of Personal Protection Equipment	March 1996 (21:2) 1-4	Kathryn Makos
Health and Safety News	Nov 1995 (20:6) 9-10
Health and Safety News	May 1995 (20:3) 11
A Conservator's Guide to Respiratory Protection...	Mar 1995 (20:2) 1-6	Craig E. Colton
Health and Safety News: Publications Update	Jan 1995 (20:1) 9, 26
Health and Safety News	Sept 1994 (19:5) 10
Health and Safety	Mar 1994 (19:2) 5
Dangers of prepolymerized isocyanates	Jan 1994 (19:1) 10
Toxic Waste from Alloys	Jan 1994 (19:1) 10
Lead Roofs	Jan 1994 (19:1) 10
Ergonomics in Conservation: How to limit the risk of injury...	Jan 1994 (19:1) 1-3	Angela Babin
OSHA PEL Nightmare	Nov 1993 (18:6) 10
Natural History Animal Specimen Guidelines	Nov 1993 (18:6) 10
Male Reproductive Hazards	Nov 1993 (18:6) 10
Some Health and Safety considerations for Flood Salvage Efforts	Sept 1993 (18:5) 7-8
Correction - Cadmium standard	July 1993 (18:4) 4
Health and Safety News: Review of Sodium borohydride, Final Cadmium standard, Report on study of Polyester Resin Curing agent	May 1993 (18:3) 6
Test your knowledge of the Hazard Communication Standard	Mar 1993 (18:2) 6-8
Miscarriages Again tied to Solvents	Mar 1993 (18:2) 6
Using TLV's for Common-Sense Risk Assessment....	Jan 1993 (18:1) 1-5	Monona Rossol
Museum Exhibition Safety Guidelines	Nov 1992 (17:6) 8-9
Health and Safety News, Correction:, Reviews of Methylenedianiline (MDA), Methy Bromide, Toluidine red pigment	Nov 1992 (17:6) 8-9
Mineral Spirits Toxicity Rating Increased	Sept 1992 (17) 6
Caution Pertaining to the Use of Water Trap Vacuum Cleaners	Mar 1991 (16:2) 11
Art Conservation and the Right to Know	Mar 1990 (15:2) 5-6
"Solvent Toxicity" and Health and Safety Comm. Response	May 1989 (14., no.3) 17
DMF Toxicity - New Information	May 1989 (14:3) 16
Formaldehyde Standard Deferred for Many Laboratories (53 FR 33807-8)	Na. 1989 (14) 11
Federal Art Hazards Bill Passes	Jan. 1989 (14:1) 11

Respirator fit testing of AIC members at the AIC Annual Meeting

The Committee is striving to provide low-cost respirator fit testing to attendees at the AIC Annual Meeting. Regulation requires that testing cannot be performed without an OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire completed by both the conservator and their physician or other licensed health care professional. The form is available at the OSHA site, we have made a copy here, and as a dowloadable pdf file. In addition, the AIC and the Committee requires a signed Physician or Other Licensed Health Care Professional Approval Form (pdf file) to be provided to us before we can begin fit testing. This form allows your physician or other licensed health care professional to indicate that you passed the OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation without disclosing confidential medical information.

Committee member Catharine Hawks during respirator fit testing in Philadelphia by industrial hygienist Dennis Ertel, Jr., then with Law Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc. Dennis is currently with Sandler Occupational Medicine and is a member of the AIC Health and Safety Committee.

The Health & Safety booth in the exhibition area at
the AIC Annual Meeting

We provide sample publications for perusal, samples of respirators, gloves, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) by various manufacturers and strive to answer questions about health and safety issues. Here, Committee member Kathy Ludwig, in a quiet moment at the booth, reorganizes the respirators at the Philadelphia Annual Meeting.

Organizing seminars and pre-/post-conference sessions

Practical Aspects of Mold Remediation Workshop	Dr. Elliott Horner; organized by Hilary A. Kaplan	Dallas, TX
Practical Aspects of Mold Remediation Workshop	Dr. Elliott Horner; organized by Hilary A. Kaplan	Philadelphia, PA
Respirator Fit Testing	David Jacobi; organized by Hilary A. Kaplan	Norfolk, VA

Other sites with Health & Safety information of interest

Conservation OnLine (CoOL) Health and Safety Section
The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (NPG)
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services:
Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets
(listings for individual compounds are in pdf format)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Table of Contents for Part 1910 Subpart Z - Toxic and Hazardous Substances
DOT's Office of Hazardous Materials Safety
National Safety Council's Cross+Roads homepage
includes pages on chemicals, MSDSs and ergonomics
The Center for Disease Control's ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) ToxFAQ's page
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and the United States Fire Administration Hazardous Materials Guide for First Responders
Search the ChemFinder.com site
Explains the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Chemical Hazard Label
The State of California maintains a list of chemicals Known to the State of California to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity (Prop. 65)
The Vermont Safety Information Resources, Inc.
site contains links to MSDSs at three sites, Vermont, Florida, and California.
The National Toxicology Program (US Department of Health and Human Services) Chemical Health and Safety Data
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Chemical Reactivity Worksheet

Committee Member Contact Information