Developing Policies and Procedures

An IPM Plan should be guided by both policies and procedures. Policies are general statements of guiding principles, they define the objective of the program – the “why.” Procedures explain the “how,” giving concrete instructions on how the necessary tasks should be conducted. When generated in a thoughtful and collaborative manner, policy documents should help ensure that all the institutional stakeholders buy into the goals of your IPM plan and are knowledgeable on how to carry it out. A good IPM plan will involve most of the following elements:

Developing collection management practices that are consistent with city, state, and Federal health safety regulations.
Methods to foster good communication with other departments responsible for ensuring the success of an IPM Plan (e.g. Facilities Operations and Custodial Services).
Procedures to facilitate a swift and unified response to pest problems among departments with the understanding that the achievable goal is management; no policy will ever eradicate the pest problem.

Policy and Procedure Templates

The MPWG developed a series of templates to assist institutions in formulating and writing an IPM policy document and some of the specific procedures needed for implementation. The templates contain suggested headers and topics to guide you in writing a policy and procedures tailored to your institution and situation. Some examples of additional resources written by individual institutions are also given here for reference. For definitions explaining the difference between policy and procedure documents please reference the IPM Glossary.

Examples of Policy Documents

The following documents have been provided by various members of the museum community and vetted by the MPWG. They are provided here as examples of best practices. Please remember that these have been created for specific institutions and are provided here only for reference as you create policy statements for your institution. Contact the appropriate institution for clarification or permission to adapt these documents as appropriate.

American Museum of Natural History, Division of Paleontology Pest Management Policy outlines general principles and long-term goals to help in the prevention and treatment of pest outbreaks and while titled a “policy,” it provides procedures that address packing materials, monitoring, reporting, environmental controls and housekeeping.
Canadian Museum of Nature Pest Management Policy outlines the eleven main points of the pest management policy and is provided as an example of a policy document with a clear layout.
General IPM Policy of the Baltimore Museum of Art outlines the goals and objectives of the IPM program, procedures for implementing the program, parameters for prevention and handling active pest problems.
Historic New England Integrated Pest Management contains information on specific pests, procedures for monitoring, building maintenance, environmental controls, and descriptions of several infestation treatments. This document is an example of a combined procedures/staff education document.
Natural History Museum London IPM Policy includes sections on governance, goals and objectives, costs, and policy review.
University of Pennsylvania Museum IPM Policy features sections on good housekeeping, improvement of collection storage and exhibition methods, surveillance, and documentation. This policy provides an example of an extensive and clear policy for a collection holding institution, with a dedicated IPM manager that is part of a larger organization.

Examples of General Procedure Documents

The following documents have been provided by various members of the museum community and vetted by the MPWG. They are provided here as examples of best practices. Please remember that these have been created for specific institutions and are provided here only for reference as you create procedures for your institution. Contact the appropriate institution for clarification or permission to adapt these documents as appropriate.

The Smithsonian Institution’s Integrated Pest Management Checklist provides a checklist of considerations for IPM implementation.
The J Paul Getty Trust, Facilities, Integrated Pest Management Program Protocol utilizes an understanding of identified pest behavior, habits, and lifestyles, as well as physical barriers (i.e. screens) and mechanical controls (i.e. traps) to monitor and minimize the presence of pests.
Minnesota History Center IPM Procedures clearly spells out responsibilities of individual staff members. The document is detailed enough that staff unfamiliar with the specifics of collections and practical procedures will be able to follow directions.
National Cultural History Museum, Pretoria IPM Procedures gives listed overviews of various tasks to support a successful IPM program including restrictions on food and plants, optimal environmental conditions, and housekeeping guidelines.
Excerpts from the Peary-MacMillan Artic Museum and Arctic Studies Center Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan includes mentions of the IPM program and institutional repsonse procedures for insect infestations.
U.S. Army Standard Operating Procedures for Integrated Pest Management (2006) is an example from an institution with a dedicated conservation staff, an IPM specialist, and multiple buildings and off-site storage facilities.

For additional procedures documents, visit the Sanitation and Building Envelope pages on this site.

Updated 2025