Series editors' preface - Wood Tools

ensure that the chance of further infestation is
reduced and that, should it occur, biodeterioration
is recognized before it can become
established and serious damage results.
Dealing with the effects of infestation If
Anobium infestation has caused severe structural
damage it may be necessary to impart
additional strength to structural components
by consolidation, reinforcing the structure by
introducing dowels or loose tenons, or in
severe cases, replacing the entire component
or, if the surface is valued, its core. The extent
of reinforcement or replacement may be determined
by balancing the loss of original material
against the risk of further damage to the
object or injury to people. In some cases an
independent support for the structure of the
object may obviate the need for interventive
conservation.
6.2.7 Mechanical handling, packing and
moving
Handling and movement are essential in the
lives of objects but all object movements carry
risk and take time and other resources to
complete. Many of the most serious and
obvious kinds of damage arise as a direct
result of handling and moving objects.
Conservators often need to move objects for
examination, treatment, or photography but
before moving an object it is important to
consider the benefits the risks and the
resources required. This may help to show
that a move can be avoided, for example by
carrying out work in situ rather than moving
the object to a studio, or by photographing an
object in the conservation studio rather than
moving it to a separate photographic studio.
Some general principles for handling works
of art are listed below:
• Always think first
• Be careful
• Take your time, irrespective of the financial
value of the object
• Do one thing at a time
• Have enough people but only one leader
– it is advisable to always have at least two
people involved in any move, including
one person not responsible for the object
who will open and close doors etc.
General review of environment and deterioration 273
• Restrict access – keep those who are not
involved in the move away from the area
• Restrict handling to that which is essential
• Do not mix operations
• Keep everything clean
• Prohibit smoking, eating and drinking
anywhere in the vicinity
• Put like works together and tie before
moving
• During the move, avoid straining yourself
or the object
• Report the full circumstances and extent of
any damage as soon as possible.
The aim of every move should to be to accomplish
transfer of the object(s) from one place
to another without loss or damage to the
object and without injury to people or damage
to buildings or vehicles. Taking time to think
through the complete sequence of a move
before starting can help to make sure that
these aims are achieved.
The complete sequence of a move can
conveniently be considered as consisting of
four phases. These are touching, lifting,
moving, placing and leaving. Each of these
carries its own risks which need to be
managed. It is helpful to think through the
sequence of these operations from beginning
to end before starting the move to make sure
that all important aspects have been considered
before becoming committed to a course
of action that might end in damage, injury or
loss. A useful basic principle is to try to
imagine what could possibly go wrong and
then take steps to prevent it going wrong. This
simple but powerful notion has been called
‘Failure Mode and Effect Analysis’ (Gilbert,
1992). The following paragraphs review the
risks, preparation and protection for each
stage in the moving process. Some points are
applicable to more than one stage. Before an
object is moved it should be examined
carefully to determine inherent problems or
weaknesses and characteristics, such as size,
shape, weight, type of surface and fragility,
that might affect handling or movement.
Touch
The surface of an object often contains most
of its relevant information, yet is the most
vulnerable part. It may not be possible to
detect new damage if the object has suffered