User Manual

Basics in archives and libraries
13
Building Technologies 049_Archives_and_Libraries_A6
V10271399_a_en.doc
Fire Safety & Security Products 03.2009
3. Technical risks
Technical risks are usually the beginning of an event causing damage. To minimize
or eliminate them at the source is the paramount aim of careful planning.
– Sources of danger such as business enterprises (e.g. petrol station) and in-
dustrial plants, technical infrastructure (e.g. transformer), traffic, (e.g. train
line, flight corridor) can be found in close proximity to an archive or library
storage area.
– During storms, rain and continuing sunshine, inappropriately designed or
maintained building shells can be a significant risk for the objects stored within
(e.g. overheating, moisture).
– Inappropriately planned or executed components and facilities can lead to un-
controllable climate or pest situations on the inside of the building or show
lack of security.
– Existing, especially historical buildings can have risks because they do not
comply with current regulations anymore (e.g. insufficient fire protection, miss-
ing or antiquated option for fire fighting, narrow or missing escape routes, in-
sufficient insulation, lack of impermeability etc.) These risks can be caused
by e.g. angular method of construction, combustible building materials or re-
quirements regarding aspects of preservation of historical monuments (no
change permitted to the original substance).
– Pipes carrying water in the storage areas are a danger for the material that is
stored and should not be underestimated but avoided as a basic principle. As
water penetration and water infiltration are the most common reasons for cli-
mate problems, it is worth implementing water sensors in the areas at risk and
providing pump sumps.
– Inappropriately maintained and antiquated electro-technical installations or
devices provide a great risk of fire.
Careful choice of location and planning as well as appropriate maintenance of
equipment and devices make it possible to prevent technical risks or to reduce
them to an acceptable extent with appropriate measures.
As a basic rule, technical infrastructure incl. mains should be accommodated out-
side the storage areas if possible.
After hours, a so-called mains isolation for system parts that are not needed for
operations (computer work stations) in the storage areas makes sense.
4. Air pollutants
– The air in the environment contains different amounts of harmful substances
in the form of gas and particles which come from combustion processes in
motor vehicles, planes, heaters and power plants. Additionally, there are
harmful substances such as ozone, abrasion material, fine dust, salts etc.
– Unsuitable building materials of natural and artificial origin can give off signifi-
cant amounts of harmful substances (e.g. harmful organic substances in the
form of gas such as formaldehyde).
Filtering out the harmful substances in the air is a central concern in the air treat-
ment for archives and libraries. Depending on the quality of the outside air, differ-
ent particle filters are required, but in certain circumstances also systems for the
separation of gases.
When choosing building materials, particular attention must be given to their nox-
ious emissions during processing and use. Another aspect is the future possibility