Every employer is responsible for protecting staff and all collection users from the hazards and risks associated with pest management activities. These pages identify hazards, mitigation strategies, and provide some examples of policy and procedure documents that can be adapted for your institutional needs.
Safety for Humans
Human safety depends upon the type of treatment; each solution has its own inherent risk.
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SOLUTION |
RISKS |
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Isolation/bagging |
· Injury from use of hot tools and sharp tools |
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Low temperature or high temperature |
· Low temperature or high temperature |
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Controlled atmosphere environments, including use of compressed gases and oxygen scavengers |
· Exposure to oxygen depleted environments |
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Fumigation with toxic gases
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· Exposure to oxygen depleted environments |
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Pesticide Treatment of Collection areas |
· Handling and exposure to chemicals in liquid, aerosol, powder form |
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Insect Growth Regulators, in collection areas or for subterranean termites |
· Handling and exposure to chemicals in liquid, aerosol, powder form |
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Trapping |
· Handling of blunder traps/insect monitors and mechanical traps for vertebrates |
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Pesticide residues |
· Exposure to toxic chemicals |
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Risk Mitigation
Always consult and collaborate with your institutional operations/facilities management and health and safety professionals as you embark on a pest management solution. Note, that in the US and other countries, some solutions require individuals applying these treatments to follow very specific regulatory guidelines and restrictions. If you are using a chemical solution or treatment procedure that requires licensing or certification, be sure to contract and communicate with a pest management professional. These laws and regulations are set up to ensure human health.
Commercial pest management manufacturers are required by law to provide protocols for all pesticides for sale in the US. All pesticide products registered in the US are required to be properly labeled, with information specifying target pests, dose, application details, toxicity, and other details. Use of registered products is restricted by law; see the Regulatory Information section of this page for information about US national resources on pesticide risks and uses.
- Products labeled as “Restricted Use” can only be used by licensed pest control operators and pest management professionals.
- Products that are unrestricted are widely available and generally have lower toxicity but review of the label information is prudent.
For all pesticide use, protocols and measures must planned and established to protect both the operator and the environment. Each state has its own licensing requirements for pest management; these programs provide education and testing for safe use of pesticide products in a wide variety of situations. In addition, many resources are available to guide your safe implementation of solutions to active pest problems.
When items are handled prior to treatment using any of the solutions documented in the chart above, museum staff should be aware that historically, many organic and inorganic pesticides now known to be toxic to humans have been used for the protection of collections. While inorganic pesticides such as arsenic and mercuric chloride are no longer used in museums, they may remain on collections treated in the mid-twentieth century or prior. For example, organic pesticides like naphthalene may have been applied to collections more recently and have potential to become volatile, particularly at elevated temperatures and humidity. Collections care staff have reported dizziness and irritation immediately following acute exposure to collections treated with naphthalene, and chronic effects such as inflammation of the lungs are also a possibility. Sources for information on pesticide residues can be found on the AIC Wiki.
The AIC Wiki is a good starting point for basic health and safety information for museum professionals.
- See Personal Protective Equipment
- Chemical Safety
- Recognizing the hazards associated with your collection items
- Workplace Safety
- Regulatory Compliance
Collections care staff should take caution when handling collections, particularly those composed of organic materials as they may have been treated with pesticides, and be aware that exposure can occur through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal contact.
Applying each Solution requires a specific set of risk mitigation techniques. Refer to the specific JHA for on each solution page.
Safety for Collections
Safety for collection items is a primary concern in choosing a pest management solution. While this topic has received research attention by the food industry, studies are less available for museum collections. In addition, much of the published research in the cultural heritage fields focuses on the history of pesticide applications, the identification of pesticide residues, and the management of human risks during handling, display, and storage.
Hazards for collections include:
- Improper use of the solution technique, which may result in ineffective removal of the pest risk or damage to the collection item. Examples include: low temperature treatment when the freezer does not stay below -20 degrees Fahrenheit or the vacuum treatment of collection items that contain expanded foam supports.
- The use of a solution on a collection item when there is evidence that the solution technique will cause damage. Examples include: low temperature treatment of specific materials, the use of heat treatments on items containing adhesives, or the use of specific fumigant chemicals on pigments and dyes.
Each solutions page includes a section on “What materials cannot be treated this way.” In addition, the Job Hazard Analysis pages included in the Risks documents detail risk mitigation for collection items and include references to specific published information.
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SOLUTION |
RISKS |
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Isolation/bagging |
· Pest activity can continue · Build-up of volatile compounds inside an enclosed bubble or bag can increased concentration may cause changes to collection items. · Relative humidity differential, which can cause dimensional change. · Combustion, depending upon heat and object composition |
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Low temperature or high temperature |
· Relative humidity and temperature differentials can cause dimensional change or unintended damage · Effective treatment depends on reaching target and sustaining temperatures. |
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Controlled atmosphere environments, including use of compressed gases and oxygen scavengers |
· Pressure differentials may cause dimensional change and unintended damage. · Relative humidity and temperature differentials may cause dimensional change and unintended damage · Oxygen scavengers generate heat · Target and sustained low oxygen levels are required to eliminate all life stages. |
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Fumigation with toxic gases
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· Chemicals may cause unintended change and/or damage to collection components · Target and sustained chemical concentration are required to eliminate all life stage |
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Pesticide treatment of collection areas |
· Pesticide sprays, powders, crack and crevice treatments may allow spread of the chemical to unintended areas · Chemicals may cause unintended change and or damage to collection areas · Application to a specific area may not result in complete pest eradication |
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Insect Growth Regulators |
· Chemicals may cause unintended change or damage to collection materials · Pest damage may continue until effective generational change in pest populations has occurred; a prolonged larval feeding stage may result from this treatment
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Trapping |
· Poor housekeeping (not removing dead pests or replacing used traps) can attract more pests · Blunder traps/insect monitors can be poorly placed so that the adhesive inadvertently comes into contact with the art/artifact or housing materials. · Pheromone lures attract insects towards the traps/insect monitors and can draw insects into the collection area · Vertebrate traps must be carefully placed and may be ineffective in discouraging pest activity |
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Pesticide residues |
· Chemicals may cause unintended change or damage to collection materials |
Regulatory Information
To protect human health and the environment, most nations regulate pest management through development, assessment, use, and evaluation of pesticides. Regulatory control can take the form of complex laws, statutes and regulations that guide who can apply pest control, how it is applied, what species it is meant to eliminate, and what amount can be used. For more information, see the Regulations page under the Solutions tab.
These pages provide an overview of regulatory control based on the United States format, with recognition that different regulatory structures occur in other countries. In the United States, pesticides (fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, and fumigants) are regulated by national and state laws, and some municipalities have their own requirements.
Tracking and tracing federal regulations and laws can be complex. The following information is designed to provide you with a framework of where and how to find information:
- The United States [Federal] Code contains general and permanent laws enacted by Congress. These can be found at OLRC Home (house.gov) or https://uscode.house.gov/.
- Discussion and legal interpretation about Federal Code: Further information about federal bills and legislative history in a series of publicly available resources can be found in the Congressional Record, pertaining to specific legislations or actions relating pest control and specific chemical use. A variety of these resources can be searched using Proquest Congressional, a gateway allowing access to congressional publications and legislative research.
- Regulations upheld by federal agencies (arms of the executive branch of the federal government) set the standards for these overarching laws (Federal Code). Information available from specific agencies, such as the Departments of Commerce, Defense, and State, publish information in separate venues. The EPA falls under this category; its broad mission means that you may need to consult publications available from other organizations such as the Department of Agriculture, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and state and local government agencies.
- State and Local Governments complies with federal laws (following laws and statutes enacted by Congress) and can also create and administer their own laws and regulations. The laws and regulations pertaining to insects, bioremediation, and pesticides cross a broad range of interests and jurisdictions.
Each state has its own pesticide division which may also be closely associated with the individual state’s Department of Natural Resources and/or Agriculture, or Environmental Health. These agencies:
- certify and conduct examinations
- issue licenses
- review pest practices
- interpret regulations
- issue citations and fines
- recommend civil and criminal prosecution
A pest control license and specific prerequisites are required by states for pesticide use, teaching, training, bioremediation, and/or any pest control activities. Note that state requirements may be broad or activity specific and may not be applicable to cultural heritage materials.
- Local statutes and regulations are community-based but are usually informed by state requirements (such as a requirement to let local community members know about pesticide applications). Many communities rely on their local Agricultural Extension Offices as a resource for providing information to residents.
- Labeling Requirements for specific products are regulated by the EPA; in the US, any product used for pest control must be licensed and labeled. Labels include all aspects of chemical (or product) formulation, targeted pests, directions for use, health and safety information, and storage and disposal specifications.
- Specific Product information can be found at the National Pesticide Registry: http://npic.orst.edu/. This site informs the user about any products labeled/restricted/ in general use. The site can also be used to compare products.
Legality of Chemical Use for Pesticides
In the United States, chemicals are categorized by the EPA as restricted, minimum risk, or inert ingredient, in addition to label requirements.
Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs)
Check back soon
Residual Pesticides
The historical use of pesticides in cultural heritage institutions (e.g. arsenic, mercuric chloride, etc.) creates an ongoing problem for many natural science, anthropology and herbaria collections. Our Health & Safety page present important information on pesticides and residual dangers.