We are now accepting abstracts focusing on controlling health and safety risks from preparing, treating, managing, and exhibiting artistic, historic, and natural science collections as well as abating structural hazards and responding to disasters impacting collections.
We welcome case studies and action plans, and we encourage joint presentations by conservators, collections care professionals, and health & safety professionals!
Thursday, 29 October 2020
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
McEvoy Auditorium
Smithsonian American Art Museum
G and 8th Streets, NW, Washington DC
The Washington Conservation Guild, the Potomac Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management, and the Smithsonian National Collections Program, and the Lunder Conservation Center will once again host the Safety and Cultural Heritage Summit.
Previous Summit topics can be found here: 2019 Summit Abstracts. Topics and themes for consideration include but are not limited to:
- Safety challenges in installing and managing gallery exhibits–working at heights or outdoors; with heavy, large, or hazardous objects; with touchable/interactive exhibits
- Strategies for building constructive, working relationships between safety and collections professionals, illustrated by case studies, with action steps to resolution
- Identifying and managing hazardous materials in collections
- Safety strategies at both staff and management levels
- Identifying risks posed by conservation treatments and implementing safe work policies for conservation laboratories, with object- and material-specific hazards and management
- Emergency preparedness and response in collections, with action steps
- Scalable solutions for small and large institutions with small or large budgets
Presenters have 2 submission options:
- A podium presentation of 20 minutes, with 5-10 minutes for questions. (30 min. max)
- A lightning round presentation of 5-7 minutes. Group Q/A segment will follow.
Posters will be accepted but only if content can be reduced to a readable 8 ½ x 11 or folded 11 x 17 sheet handout, as there is no available space at venue for mounted poster presentations.
Abstracts must specify your submission preference, include a provisional title, and not exceed 300 words. Please indicate if you are prepared to deliver your presentation remotely.
Questions Welcomed! Please send your presentation and poster abstracts to
safety-summit@washingtonconservationguild.org by COB July 31.
