Foreword

Publishing information

This guide is published by BSI Standards Limited, under licence from The British Standards Institution, and came into effect on 31 March 2012. It was prepared by Technical Committee IDT/2, Information and documentation. A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

Supersession

This Published Document supersedes BS 5454:2000 and PD 0024:2001, which are withdrawn.

Information about this document

This is an amalgamation and full revision of BS 5454 and PD 0024, and introduces the following principal changes.

• This Published Document follows a different structure from BS 5454:2000. The PD starts with detailed guidance on the nature of documents and best practice for their storage and use and this is followed by guidance regarding a new repository building.
• An update of the types of environment that protect archival materials has been provided, based on research available at the time of publication and in line with requirements specified in PAS 198.
• The guidance has been adapted to recognize a different approach to environmental management. This allows for environmental fluctuations to occur within recommended parameters, such as can occur with seasonal changes, instead of a tight level of stability and control being recommended around set points for temperature and RH.
• Explicit recognition has been made of the needs of archives and library collections managed in historic buildings and other existing repositories.
• A new distinction has been made between the needs of mixed traditional archival materials, where sensitive documents cannot be separated, and those of specialist archival materials, providing four different environmental recommendations.
• More detailed guidance has been given regarding the interaction between the storage environment and reading room and display conditions. A clause containing new guidance for reading room environments has also been included to take into account those documents taken out of storage.
• An emphasis on low energy solutions, first outlined in PD 0024, has been given within the guidance for achieving a suitable environment for archival material.

Use of this document

As a guide, this Published Document takes the form of guidance and recommendations. It should not be quoted as if it were a specification and particular care should be taken to ensure that claims of compliance are not misleading.

Any user claiming compliance with this Published Document is expected to be able to justify any course of action that deviates from its recommendations.

Presentational conventions

The provisions in this Published Document are presented in roman (i.e. upright) type. Its recommendations are expressed in sentences in which the principal auxiliary verb is “should”.

Commentary, explanation and general informative material is presented in smaller italic type, and does not constitute a normative element.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a Published Document cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

In particular, attention is drawn to the following regulations which may be amended from time to time. The commentary in this Published Document reflects the state of the regulations in 2012.

• The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 [1];
• The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 [1];
• The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 [2];
• The Data Protection Act 1998 [3];
• The Building (Amendment) Regulations 2011 [4];
• The Building Regulations (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 [4];
• The Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations 2007 [5];
• The Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 [5];
• The Equality Act 2010 (Disability) Regulations 2010 [6];
• The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 [7];
• The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 [8].

PD 5454:2012

Guide for the storage and exhibition of archival materials

Published:

31 Mar 2012

Withdrawn:

22 Feb 2018