Occupational hazard exposures among archivists

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Archival Science
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Archival work environments often have poor ventilation and high concentrations of materials, leading to harmful substance accumulation.
• Continuous exposure to these conditions poses risks for various health problems among archivists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and synthesize research on occupational hazards faced by archivists.
• To classify these hazards, detail their health impacts, and propose protective strategies.
• To enhance the occupational health and safety of archival professionals.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines.
• Searched databases like Web of Science and PubMed for studies from 2000-2025.
• Applied inclusion/exclusion criteria and a four-stage systematic approach for data synthesis.

Main Results:

• Archivists encounter chemical hazards (e.g., formaldehyde, toluene volatile organic compounds), causing respiratory and neurological issues.
• Biological hazards like mold and dust mites lead to allergies and respiratory diseases.
• Physical hazards include poor temperature/humidity control, lighting, and ergonomic stressors causing eye strain and musculoskeletal injuries.

Conclusions:

• Archivists face substantial chemical, biological, physical, and ergonomic hazards impacting their health.
• Further research is crucial for understanding archivists' occupational health.
• Developing targeted protective strategies is urgently needed to mitigate these risks.