Introduction (4 of 8)
Why should I wear gloves? (continued)
Some paper conservators prefer not to wear gloves when handling books – as they can make it difficult to turn the pages, risking more damage. If your organisation is happy for you to handle certain types of object without the use of gloves, ensure that your hands are clean and dry. However, gloves should ALWAYS be worn when handling the following types of material:
- metals
- furniture
- painted, lacquered or gilded surfaces
- plaster
- taxidermy
- geological specimens
- plastics
- photographic items
- unglazed ceramics
Always change gloves when they get dirty, ensuring that dirt is not transferred from one object to another.
Gloves not only protect the object, in some cases they will also protect you. In the past, museum objects were often made or treated with substances that are now considered harmful. For example, taxidermy regularly involved the use of arsenic – and objects such as gas mantles may contain radioactive material. Even if the object that you are handling was not made or treated with such substances, it may have been contaminated through storage in close proximity.
