Museum Safety and Compliance Excellence
Manage visitor safety, collection protection, and operational compliance with digital tools designed for cultural institutions.
The Challenge
Museums balance collection preservation with public access, requiring environmental monitoring, condition reporting, and visitor safety management across historic buildings. Paper-based systems make it impossible to demonstrate continuous environmental control, track volunteer qualifications and DBS checks, or compile Arts Council accreditation evidence. Problems surface during insurance claims after environmental incidents, accreditation assessments when documentation is scattered, or liability cases when visitor safety records are incomplete.
How Assistant Manager Solves Museums Compliance
Each module is designed to address the specific challenges museums businesses face every day.
Checklist Management
Museums need gallery-by-gallery checklists covering environmental monitoring, pest traps, security, lighting, and visitor safety, with different requirements for different collection types
The Problems
Why This Matters for Museums
- Environmental readings are logged on paper in each gallery, with data sheets stored in different locations making trends impossible to identify
Gradual environmental drift damages collections over months without detection, until visible deterioration requires expensive conservation
- Gallery safety checks are rushed before opening, with volunteers ticking boxes without understanding what they're inspecting
Trip hazards, failing display case locks, or environmental control failures go undetected until visitors are at risk
The Solution
How Checklist Management Helps
Gallery-specific checklists with mandatory environmental readings, photo evidence of condition issues, and GPS verification that staff are in each location
Environmental data is consolidated for trend analysis, safety checks are verified with photos, and collection care is documented systematically
Use Cases:
- • Daily environmental monitoring (temperature, humidity, light levels)
- • Gallery opening safety inspections
- • Pest trap monitoring and integrated pest management
- • Display case and mount condition checks
- • Emergency exit and evacuation route verification
- • Lighting level monitoring for light-sensitive items
- • HVAC system performance checks
Feature Screenshot
Checklist Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Environmental readings are logged on paper in each gallery, with data sheets stored in different locations making trends impossible to identify
Real Scenario
"A textile collection shows fading after 18 months. Review of scattered paper logs reveals humidity gradually increased from 50% to 65% over that period - but without consolidated data, nobody noticed the trend until damage was irreversible."
Example 2: Gallery safety checks are rushed before opening, with volunteers ticking boxes without understanding what they're inspecting
Real Scenario
"A visitor trips on a lifting floor tile in a gallery. Investigation reveals the daily opening check was completed in under 5 minutes by a new volunteer who didn't understand what to look for - the form was ticked but the inspection was cursory."
Employee Scheduling
Museums need scheduling that tracks volunteer qualifications including gallery inductions, first aid, conservation handling briefings, and DBS status - you can't just move volunteers between galleries without proper training
The Problems
Why This Matters for Museums
- Volunteer rotas don't track who has completed gallery induction, first aid training, or DBS clearance for working with school groups
Volunteers are left unsupervised in galleries they haven't been trained for, or work with children without proper vetting
- Temporary exhibitions need additional staffing but rotas don't track who has been briefed on specific conservation handling requirements
Unbriefed staff handle valuable loans without knowing proper procedures, risking damage to borrowed items
The Solution
How Employee Scheduling Helps
Volunteer scheduling with gallery-specific induction tracking, DBS status visibility, and exhibition-specific training verification
Every volunteer is properly inducted before gallery duty, DBS checks are current for children-facing work, and exhibition handling briefings are tracked
Use Cases:
- • Gallery invigilator scheduling with induction verification
- • Volunteer rota planning with DBS status visibility
- • Education session staffing with safeguarding checks
- • Exhibition-specific handling briefing tracking
- • First aid coverage requirements across galleries
- • School visit and group tour staffing
- • Evening event and late night staffing
Feature Screenshot
Employee Scheduling
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Volunteer rotas don't track who has completed gallery induction, first aid training, or DBS clearance for working with school groups
Real Scenario
"A school group visits and a volunteer offers to help with the education session. Later, you discover they never completed their DBS check - they were scheduled because they were available, not because they were cleared for children-facing work."
Example 2: Temporary exhibitions need additional staffing but rotas don't track who has been briefed on specific conservation handling requirements
Real Scenario
"During a special exhibition, a staff member adjusts a display case without realizing it contains a loan worth £500,000. They weren't at the handling briefing and didn't know they shouldn't touch it without a conservator present."
Incident Reporting
Museums need incident reporting that captures visitor accidents, collection damage, environmental failures, security breaches, and near-misses - with evidence that supports insurance claims and accreditation reviews
The Problems
Why This Matters for Museums
- Visitor accidents are recorded in a paper book kept at reception, with incomplete information and no photos of the scene
When solicitor letters arrive months later, you can't remember the details and have no evidence to defend your position
- Near-miss incidents with displays or environmental control aren't logged, so developing problems aren't identified
A display case lock fails multiple times before finally allowing public access to fragile artefacts, or environmental control issues escalate to collection damage
The Solution
How Incident Reporting Helps
Mobile incident reporting with photo evidence, witness statements, environmental incident tracking, and near-miss logging by gallery
Every incident is documented immediately with photos, patterns in specific galleries are identified, and legal claims have comprehensive evidence
Use Cases:
- • Visitor slip, trip, and fall documentation
- • Collection damage incident recording
- • Environmental control failure tracking
- • Security incident and breach reporting
- • Near-miss and potential hazard logging
- • Display case and mount failure documentation
- • RIDDOR determination for staff and volunteer injuries
Feature Screenshot
Incident Reporting
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Visitor accidents are recorded in a paper book kept at reception, with incomplete information and no photos of the scene
Real Scenario
"A visitor claims they slipped on a wet floor 6 months ago. Your incident book has a brief note but no mention of warning signs, no photo of the area, and nobody can remember if it was actually wet or if the visitor simply lost balance."
Example 2: Near-miss incidents with displays or environmental control aren't logged, so developing problems aren't identified
Real Scenario
"A Victorian glass display case lock has been sticking for weeks - staff have mentioned it to each other but never logged it formally. It finally fails during opening hours and a toddler reaches in and damages a 200-year-old specimen before anyone can intervene."
Training & Development
Museums need training management that tracks multiple competency types including gallery inductions, collection-specific handling, emergency procedures, and safeguarding - with evidence for Arts Council accreditation
The Problems
Why This Matters for Museums
- Volunteer training records are kept in folders by different department heads, making it impossible to see who has completed what
Volunteers work in roles they're not trained for, or training gaps aren't identified until accreditation assessments
- Conservation handling procedures vary by collection type, but there's no systematic way to track who has been trained on each
Staff handle collections without proper training, risking damage to valuable or fragile items
The Solution
How Training & Development Helps
Digital training matrix tracking gallery inductions, conservation handling by collection type, safeguarding, and first aid certifications with automatic expiry alerts
All volunteer and staff training is consolidated in one place, gaps are identified proactively, and accreditation evidence is always ready
Use Cases:
- • Gallery-specific induction tracking
- • Conservation handling training by collection type
- • Safeguarding and child protection certification
- • First aid and emergency response training
- • Disaster salvage procedure briefings
- • Environmental monitoring training
- • Exhibition-specific handling briefings
Feature Screenshot
Training & Development
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Volunteer training records are kept in folders by different department heads, making it impossible to see who has completed what
Real Scenario
"During your Arts Council accreditation visit, assessors ask about volunteer training. You can't produce consolidated records - some are in the curator's files, some with the education officer, some missing entirely. This raises questions about your governance."
Example 2: Conservation handling procedures vary by collection type, but there's no systematic way to track who has been trained on each
Real Scenario
"A new curator moves a historic textile without consultation. They have general museum training but weren't briefed on your specific textile handling procedures. The item is damaged during the move because incorrect support methods were used."
HR Management
Museums need HR management for large volunteer teams including DBS tracking for education work, gallery clearances, training records, and emergency information - all accessible to duty managers
The Problems
Why This Matters for Museums
- DBS checks for volunteers working with school groups are tracked on spreadsheets that aren't kept current
Volunteers whose DBS checks have expired continue working with children, creating safeguarding risk
- Emergency contact information for volunteers is stored in different places, making it hard to reach people when needed
When a volunteer has an accident on site, you waste precious minutes trying to find their emergency contact details
The Solution
How HR Management Helps
Complete volunteer and staff profiles with DBS tracking, gallery clearances, training records, and emergency contacts in one accessible system
DBS status is automatically monitored with renewal alerts, all qualifications are visible, and emergency contacts are instantly accessible
Use Cases:
- • DBS check tracking with automatic expiry alerts
- • Gallery induction and clearance status
- • Volunteer qualification and training records
- • Emergency contact quick access
- • Reference and recruitment documentation
- • Volunteer hour tracking for acknowledgment
- • Skills matrix for gallery assignment
Feature Screenshot
HR Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: DBS checks for volunteers working with school groups are tracked on spreadsheets that aren't kept current
Real Scenario
"A parent questions whether all gallery guides are DBS checked. You check your spreadsheet and discover three volunteers who regularly lead school tours have expired certificates - one lapsed 14 months ago and nobody noticed."
Example 2: Emergency contact information for volunteers is stored in different places, making it hard to reach people when needed
Real Scenario
"A volunteer trips and injures themselves seriously. The duty manager can't find their emergency contact details - they're not in the volunteer folder, not at reception. After 20 minutes of searching, they find the information in an old email."
Forms Management
Museums need digital forms for school visits, exhibition loans, event planning, and condition reporting - with information accessible across departments when needed
The Problems
Why This Matters for Museums
- School group booking forms are paper-based, with special requirements and medical needs written down and easily lost
Critical information about student allergies, disabilities, or behavioral support needs isn't available when needed
- Loan agreements for temporary exhibitions are managed on paper, with conditions and insurance requirements not easily accessible to all staff
Staff don't follow lender requirements because the information isn't readily available, risking damage to borrowed items
The Solution
How Forms Management Helps
Digital forms for school bookings, loan agreements, event planning, and risk assessments, with data accessible to relevant staff
Critical information is always accessible, school group needs are visible during visits, and loan conditions are available to all exhibition staff
Use Cases:
- • School group booking forms with medical and access needs
- • Exhibition loan agreement and condition documentation
- • Event planning and risk assessment forms
- • Volunteer application and reference collection
- • Visitor feedback and complaint recording
- • Condition reporting for collection items
- • Photography and filming permission forms
Feature Screenshot
Forms Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: School group booking forms are paper-based, with special requirements and medical needs written down and easily lost
Real Scenario
"A school group arrives and a student has a severe allergic reaction. The education officer scrambles to find the booking form to check what the allergen was - the paper form is buried in a file cabinet and takes 10 minutes to locate during an emergency."
Example 2: Loan agreements for temporary exhibitions are managed on paper, with conditions and insurance requirements not easily accessible to all staff
Real Scenario
"A lender's condition report specifies that their artwork must be checked weekly during the exhibition. The conservator who arranged the loan knows this, but when they're on holiday, nobody else knows about the requirement and checks are missed."
Results Museums Businesses Achieve
Other Tourism & Attractions Solutions
Protect Your Collections and Visitors
Join museums using Assistant Manager to maintain the highest standards of care and safety.