ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Hi Kathleen,
I totally agree. Our work has covered many aspects of safety for exhbits but there has been an especial emphasis on proper electrical wiring. I'm "shocked" by some of the wiring I've seen in exhibits, even those built by reputable commercial firms. It's as if the National Electrical Code never existed.
Here are some of our procedures:
1) read and understand the pertainent parts of the National Electrical Code, especially Article 250 (Grounding).
2) Follow it as closely as you can.
We use metal NEMA boxes of either the type known as No. 12 or No. 1 These are reasonably priced,come in a variety of sizes and they totally enclose hazardous wiring and devices. Any wiring between these boxes is either in some sort of rigid conduit or at least uses UL approved flexible cords that pass through approved cord grips.
We use class 2 wiring for all pushbuttons and wherever else we can.
We use fuses on BOTH sides of transformers that step volttages down to class 2 levels (under 50 volts).
We pay very close attention to venting lighting and ease of bulb replacement.
John Bowditch
> ----------
> From: Kathleen Krafft
> Reply To: Informal Science Education Network
> Sent: Friday, August 6, 2004 10:26 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Urgent request: American Regulatory Standards
>
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Interesting question. I"d like to use this opportunity to initiate more of a discussion on safety standards in our profession. I have organized a session at the upcoming ASTC meeting in San Jose on safety, and would encourage you all to share concerns,
> procedures, whatever with us there (Monday morning) or in advance so we can share some of our various practices.
>
> Yesterday evening we just did our semi-annual walkthrough in which teams of exhibits committee volunteers and staff inspect every exhibit on our museum floor, including our outdoor Science Park and outdoor science-based miniature golf course we just opened.
> Safety concerns are kept track of and fixed, and everything is noted in an annual cumulative safety report I maintain, including safety-related things we do that are not from the inspection (such as changes to incoming exhibitions). What turns up is usually
> minor things like loose screws, or splintery part on a frame -- things that our museum guides have not noticed. This time we used "protrusion gauges" as well, from the cpsc playground standards below, and will replace some hooks for smocks in our early
> childhood area and one small knob on an exhibit.
>
> Standards I am aware of include:
>
> United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has guidelines for playgrounds, available for free on-line at www.cpsc.gov.
>
> ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) has Standard F1487 covering playground equipment; this must be purchased.
>
> Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) here in the US certifies all kinds of household and other equipment for safety. They have various guidelines you can purchase, but it can be pretty detailed and takes some doing to understand.
>
> We dealt with UL last fall when we had to get one of our traveling exhibitions, It's a NanoWorld, UL certified for installation at Epcot Center at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida-- everything there over 30 days is considered a permanent installation and has to
> be hard-wired in place and be UL certified and then there's an electrical inspection and building department inspection (very interesting story..) A UL inspector familiar with Epcot needs came here first and went thru the exhibition with us for 2 days, noting
> everything that had to be changed to meet their standards (I had already tracked down UL issue numbers for all components, including things we had bought surplus...); we then put vacuum blowers inside metal boxes, got rid of all power strips and used regular>
> outlets and junction boxes, replaced some light fixtures, changed some buttons, etc. Some things we thought would be a problem were not-- anything powered with low voltage "UL class 2 power transformers" for instance were fine because they were already
> certified not to present a shock hazard.
>
> Kathy Krafft
> Director of Exhibits
> Sciencenter
> Ithaca, NY
> 607-272-0600 ext 25
>
> Automatic digest processor wrote:
>
> > Subject: ISEN-ASTC-L Digest - 4 Aug 2004 to 5 Aug 2004 (#2004-167)
> > Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 00:07:43 -0400
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Subject: Urgent request: American Regulatory Standards
> > Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 14:25:37 +0100
> > From: Regan Forrest <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> > Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> > *****************************************************************************
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I am looking for a list of American Regulatory Standards that may apply to the design and development of hands-on exhibits.
> >
> > For example, I have this sort of detail for British Standards:
> > BS7188 sets out methods of testing impact-resistant playground surfaces for durability, absorbency and flammability, etc
> > BS 5696 applies to play equipment, BS5852 applies to fire testing . . . the list goes on goes on like this but this just gives you an idea. There are also references to specific Health and Safety Acts.
> >
> > I'm presuming there are analogous Acts, Standards and Statutes that apply to the US. If anyone has these in an easily emailable format (or knows where to find it on the web), you'd be saving my life! As it says in my subject line, I need it fairly urgently.
> >
> > Thanks a lot!
> >
> > Ms Regan Forrest
> > Interpretation Consultant
> > Haley Sharpe Design
> > Leicester, UK
>
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