e-learning / Packing for Moving / Section 5

Risk Management in Transit (3 of 6)

Environmental risks

Changes in the environment can adversely affect objects.

• Unsuitable or fluctuating temperatures or relative humidity can be damaging, so it is best to maintain a constant, stable environment where possible. Although this is often difficult to achieve when moving an object, packing materials can help to buffer against any changes. But you should plan the move to minimise the time spent in transportation.
• Whenever objects travel, they should be inspected for signs of pest activity on leaving and returning to an institution. Refer to the Introduction to Museum Pests e-learning tool.
• Covering objects, or enclosing them in boxes, will help protect them from dust, and will also offer some protection from rain while loading for transport.