COMPREHENSIVE RISK ASSESSMENT

摘要

Comprehensive environmental assessments of risks to the collections of the Canadian Museum of Nature were completed in 1993, 1998, and 2003. The assessments are based on comprehensive identification of specific risks within a framework of sources of hazards, called agents of deterioration, and expected frequency of risk events, ranging from continuous to less than one event per century. Between these assessments, numerous projects were undertaken to mitigate risks to collections. These activities have resulted in a significant net reduction in total risk to collections but not all changes in assessed risks relate to changes in actual risk. Comparison of results among the three risk assessments indicates that differences result from: 1. Changes in perception of risks 2. Changes resulting from improved understanding of, or ability to quantify, risks 3. Changes to magnitudes of specific risks as a result of risk treatments In addition to enabling priority setting for further collection care and conservation research activities, repeated risk assessment has greatly increased staff, management and governance awareness of collection care issues and of changes in risks to collections over time. The results allow estimation of the benefits of proposed risk treatments and of the expected benefit of further risk characterization.