Chemical use cleared

Press, 23 February 1989, Page 21

Chemical use cleared

The Canterbury Museum has been given a clean bill of health by two Health Department inspectors called in by the museum to inspect the use and storage of dangerous chemicals. The museum’s director, Mr Michael Trotter, said he asked the Health Department to check the use and storage of chemicals used in the display department to confirm that they complied with required standards. The museum had been confident it was not doing anything wrong but it wanted to make sure after allegations by a former staff member that chemicals were being dangerously used, he said. A former preparator in the museum’s

display department, Mr Gary Sutton, had claimed that the way chemicals were used at the museum had adversely affected his health, and that the lack of safety procedures contravened the law. Mr Trotter said protective clothing had always been available and was used by staff when necessary. The department was satisfied chemicals were being used and stored correctly and that adequate safety precautions were being taken by staff dealing with them. Mr Trotter will ask department officers to return to the museum to monitor dust and fume levels when staff are using chemicals they are not familiar with.