Overview

This Standard is about setting up and maintaining specialist conservation equipment for cultural heritage.

Cultural heritage can refer to objects that are on display or in storage or to historic buildings, structures, sites or settings or their components.

It includes setting up equipment, providing advice and support on its use, carrying out routine checks, maintenance and adjustment, referring specialist tasks to service engineers and maintaining a maintenance log. It does not extend to specialist maintenance tasks normally undertaken by the equipment's manufacturer or dealer.

This standard is for anyone who is responsible for setting up and maintaining specialist conservation equipment for cultural heritage.

 

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

  1. check that conservation equipment is in a safe condition and ready for use
  2. set up and prepare conservation equipment for the intended use in line with manufacturers’ instructions
  3. provide clear advice or instructions on how to use conservation equipment to relevant people
  4. solve routine operating or adjustment problems in line with manufacturers’ instructions
  5. carry out any user maintenance needed to maintain conservation equipment in good condition in line with manufacturers’ instructions
  6. identify and act on any potential problems that could lead to malfunctioning or safety risks without delay
  7. refer any required specialist maintenance tasks to service engineers or other qualified personnel
  8. maintain records of use, maintenance and faults in line with organisational procedures
  9. put away and store conservation equipment when not in use, ensuring it is safe and ready for future use

 

Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand:                       

  1. the physical and chemical characteristics of materials, the causes and characteristics of decay of heritage, and the effects of treatment and preventative measures on long-term condition and use of the heritage
  2. types of conservation equipment and its purpose in relation to cultural heritage
  3. how to check the condition of conservation equipment
  4. how to use, store, calibrate, maintain and adjust the conservation equipment with which you are working
  5. how to advise and instruct on the best use of conservation equipment
  6. how to identify a problem with conservation equipment and the implications of this for the safety of people, heritage and resources
  7. the importance of keeping conservation equipment to a specified standard
  8. the procedures for procuring specialist maintenance and repair services
  9. your organisation's requirements for record keeping