Collection Assistance

Collection assistance (CHV) is used as first aid to the collection during incidents. CHV focuses specifically on the collection, in contrast to BHV (in-house emergency services), which focuses on human safety. It is recommended that every collection management organisation draw up a CHV plan. You can outsource the entire plan to our experienced conservation advisor. However, we recommend that you have one or more employees participate because the strategy works exceptionally well with involvement from the organisation. In addition, we offer support services such as CHV training and CHV kits.

The CHV plan contains the procedures and actions that employees must use during an incident or calamity. The risk is determined for each type of calamity (e.g. fire, water or vandalism). Specific guidelines are laid down for every kind of calamity or object type. A priority list is also provided for when an evacuation of the collection is necessary. The plan also records which employees are on the CHV team.

The CHV plan determines which employees (usually in management and maintenance) will be on-site when an incident has occurred. These employees are trained to act in the event of calamities so that further damage is prevented. To ensure that your employees have the necessary knowledge, we provide CHV training courses for the entire team. It is not feasible for every museum to have a trained team in house. It is therefore also possible to outsource these tasks in whole or in part to Art Salvage.

CHV kits are an aid in combating contingencies. This kit consists of different modules with materials that enable you to react adequately in the event of an emergency. The kit can be used in case of minor emergencies, or as "first aid", after which further steps are taken. The kits consist of separate modules stacked on top of each other on a trolley with wheels – so, it is easy to add modules when desired. The kits are designed to be easy to use and provide you with all the necessities for your safety and that of the collection. You will also find a calamity poster in the kit that you can place in a strategic spot in the office or depot. It briefly states what you should and should not do in the event of specific calamities.

General kits*

  • Basic CHV Kit

  • Basic plus CHV kit

  • Comprehensive CHV Kit

Modules to complement the CHV kit*

  • Anti-graffiti

  • Corona

  • Chemicals

  • Dust

  • Water

  • Pests and mold

* For a list of the contents of the kits, please e-mail info@artsalvage.eu, stating: the name of the kit or module.

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