Technical material on document management

We can store your files in our office, on our own premises, in a rented warehouse or with a storage service provider. However, it is always necessary to determine the duration of the storage period and to maintain the archives, i.e. to dispose of the archives annually. We can assist our partners in determining the legal retention period, in developing the appropriate disposal procedure or even in the disposal itself. The basis for the archival records and the preservation order is the Archival Plan, which is a list of records, which is the basis for the classification and sorting of records for disposal, and which divides the archival material into items (groups of objects, and in justified cases, types of records), in an order that is appropriate to the organisation of the undertaking and specifies the period of retention for administrative purposes of the documents in the items that may be discarded and, in the case of an organisation with a public service mission, the time limit for the deposit of documents that cannot be discarded. 

When drawing up a filing plan, the specific characteristics of the organisation, its activities and the relevant general and specific legal framework must be taken into account. The following is a summary of the general legislative background to records management and retention:

• The retention of financial documents is determined on the basis of the Accounting Act (Act C of 2000), which was changed in 2000, therefore documents before 2001 must be retained for 5 years, and documents generated in 2001 and after for 8 years.
• The Tax Act (Act CL of 2017) also provides for the retention of tax documents, which should be kept for 5+2 years (§78 (3)), but in practice it is recommended to keep them for 10 years due to self-audits.
• The Social Security Act (Act LXXXI of 1997) requires employers to provide information for the purpose of determining employees' pensions. Previously, these records had to be kept for 50 years, but today's practice is to keep payroll records for 75 years, due to the increased pension age. Other payrolls and registers are kept for 10 years.
• In all cases, the rule is that the year of scrapping is the year following the retention period, so the year of scrapping should be determined as: Kstart year + retention period + 1 year

The Hungarian National Archives published in 2017 Recommendation on archival preservation based on. 

Risk factors for the preservation of the archives

Air temperature and relative humidity

High temperatures (above 25 °C) accelerate the deterioration and chemical degradation of paper and parchment-based documents (they dry out and lose their elasticity). For photographic materials, temperatures above 20 °C and sudden temperature changes are already damaging (softening gelatine and accelerating the degradation of colour negatives and positives). Magnetic and optical media must also be protected from temperatures above 22 °C and from sudden temperature changes (sudden temperature changes can cause elongation or shrinkage of the tapes and warp the discs). 

Fluctuations in temperature can increase the speed of chemical processes.

Low or high relative humidity (RH %) is also damaging. Below 40% RH, paper documents dry out, above 65% RH they become stretched and wavy. Above 65% RH or condensation favours the activation of acids on poor quality woody paper. The inherent acidity attacks the cellulose fibres, breaking them down and causing the paper to physically weaken. At high RH values of 50% or above for the photographic material, the gelatin swells, becomes sticky, and the image becomes blurred. RH below 20%, on the other hand, causes the emulsion to shrink, crack and the substrate to become brittle. 

For the archival material as a whole, fluctuations in relative humidity are particularly dangerous and can cause more damage than a constant deviation from the ideal value, but within the limits of acceptability.

Dust and air pollutant gases

Airborne particulate matter - fine particles of inorganic minerals, fine dust from building materials, small plant particles (fibres, fibres, pollen), micro-organisms (bacteria, mould spores), plastic particles, soot (coal particles), tar, etc. - and all gases that are not permanent constituents of the air (nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, certain noble gases) can cause physical, chemical and biological damage to the archived material. The most common air pollutant gases are sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides and ozone.

In the presence of humidity, acidic air pollutant gases (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides) break down the cellulose that forms the pulp of the paper, can cause chain breaks in the protein molecules of the parchment and thus cause physical damage. Ozone, which has an oxidising effect, transforms certain groups of cellulose molecules in a humid environment, causing discolouration of paper documents and photographs and making them more sensitive to acids and other chemical attack. Acidic and oxidising gases can cause fading, fading and dissolution of organic inks and dyes, also in humid environments.

Dust can cause physical and chemical damage to paper and parchment-based archival and photographic materials, mainly due to its ability to absorb gas, grease and moisture. Dust settling on magnetic and optical media can impair readability and cause information loss.

Acidifying and oxidising air pollutant gases can enter a building not only from outside, but can also be generated inside. Ozone is created when photocopiers and electrostatic air purifiers are used. The use or proximity of strong cleaning products containing ammonia, chlorine or formaldehyde also poses a risk to archives. Wear and tear of flooring and floor covering materials that are not sufficiently dense will cause dust formation.

Light, ultraviolet and infrared rays

Light is made up of electromagnetic waves that can be perceived by the human eye, with wavelengths between 380 and 750 nanometres (nm) (1 nm = 1 millionth of a millimetre). Depending on its wavelength, light in this range is seen as blue, green, yellow, orange, red (the so-called "light wavelength"). Ultraviolet (UV) light is shorter than blue and infrared (IR) light is longer than red. UV and IR rays are invisible (invisible) to the human eye.

The energy of an electromagnetic beam is inversely proportional to its wavelength. The high energy of UV rays and shorter wavelength light beams can trigger irreversible chemical processes (photooxidation, photodegradation) in cellulose and protein molecules. These processes cause colour changes and physical weakening in paper and parchment. 

UV and short-wavelength light rays also trigger and accelerate the decomposition processes in photographic material in the presence of moisture. Strong or prolonged exposure to light can cause photographs, especially colour images, to fade or darken. The thermal effects of IR rays damage all archival documents.

The amount of UV radiation falling on the surface of documents is described by the radiant energy per square metre of surface area per second. It is measured in microwatts per square metre (μW/m2). Illumination is measured in lux.

About half of the solar radiation reaching the Earth is visible, the rest is IR and UV. Thus, solar radiation contains most of the UV rays and short wavelength light rays that are particularly harmful to paper and parchment-based filing and photographic materials. Of the artificial light sources, 80-90% of the total energy emitted by incandescent lamps is infrared (heat), the rest being light and very small amounts of UV radiation.

Microorganisms

Among the biological contaminants of the archival material, bacteria and mould spores are always present in the air in a fine distribution. They are usually activated at temperatures above 22 °C and RH values above 65%.

Bacteria break down paper, animal proteins, starch and other organic matter. When infected, the paper or parchment weakens, smells rotten and has yellowish, brownish stains. Their damage is often difficult to distinguish from that of moulds.

In our climate, there are nearly 200 known species of cellulolytic fungi. Their spores are very resistant to drought and heat. Temperatures of 24-30°C and relative humidity of 65-90% are the most favourable for their growth and dangerous levels of proliferation (mould growth takes a few weeks at 75% RH and a few days at 90% RH). In addition to paper and parchment, gelatine and emulsion layers of photographic materials are also good substrates. Mould-infested documents smell musty, have fluffy surfaces, thin, discolour, stain, weaken, mould and tear. The most common paper and parchment-destroying fungi are Aspergillus, which causes grey, black or brown stains, Penicillium, which causes white or coloured stains, and Chaetomium, which causes brown stains.

Rodents, insects

The presence and damage of rodents (mice, rats) is indicated by the distinctive jagged chew marks on the edges and corners of the documents. The lack of regular cleaning, the neglect of the environment of the archives building and the failure to observe hygiene requirements may be a major contributory factor.

The best temperature for insect colonisation (silvery coleoptera, cockroaches, moths, etc.) is 25-30°C, but they can be active at lower temperatures. For them, the optimum relative humidity is 70-90%. They feed on organic matter and satisfy their water requirements from the air and by decomposing organic matter. Mould fungi and cellulose broken down by bacteria are suitable food for them and they often multiply where archival material has been subject to microbiological contamination.

The silvery coleopteran is one of the most dangerous of the insect pests. It can cause serious damage in a short period of time by chewing through the surface of paper, leaving a distinctive chip pattern. Its larvae die below an RH of 70%. Cockroaches are omnivorous, chew holes and leave their droppings at the site of damage. They are dark-, heat- and moisture-loving. The larvae of moths (cloth moth, upholstery moth, etc.) are damaging, consuming the cover and glue of bound volumes, with a circular chewing pattern.

Other hazards

The integrity and preservation of archival material may be compromised:

• the occurrence of major or minor disasters (fire, flood, burst pipes, leaks, etc.);
• burglary, theft, intentional damage.

Damage to archival material can also be caused by improper handling, transport and use. 

Requirements for a filing room for the storage of archives material

Archive temperature and relative humidity adapted to the material in the archives

The optimum environment for the paper archives, in terms of temperature and relative humidity, is provided by the archives, with a temperature of 19 °C, with a daily variation of 1 °C, a relative humidity of 50% and a daily variation of no more than 5%.

Even a repository with a relatively stable climate within a tolerance range of 14-22 °C and 45-60% RH is acceptable: the daily variation does not exceed ±2 °C and ±5% RH, and the seasonal variation is no greater than ±3 °C and ±5% RH.

In a room where the temperature is within the tolerance range of 14-22 °C and the relative humidity is within the tolerance range of 45-60%, but the variation is greater than the values indicated in the second paragraph, paper archival material should be stored only as a temporary solution and only temporarily. In the emergency repository, efforts shall also be made to maintain relative stability of temperature and relative humidity at all times.

A room in which either extreme temperature or relative humidity falls outside the tolerance limits on a sustained basis shall not be used for the storage of paper filing material. The replacement of a room used as a repository but unsuitable for storage (appropriate storage of the archival material held there) in which the relative humidity exceeds 70% on a sustained basis shall be provided for on an off-schedule basis.

In order to maintain the temperature and relative humidity specified in the first paragraph, a separate filing room or a climate-controlled cabinet shall be provided for the storage of parchment-based filing material.

The optimum storage temperature for black and white photographic material is 2 °C. Higher temperatures are acceptable for photographic material in good condition, but should not reach 20 °C and the daily variation should not be more than ±1 °C. The permissible RH is 35% with a maximum daily variation of ±5%.

The optimum temperature for colour negatives, film and paper images is also 2°C. Depending on the condition of the photographic material, the temperature can be higher but should not reach 15 °C. The permissible daily temperature fluctuation is ±1 °C. The permissible RH is 25% with a daily fluctuation of ±5%.

If the photographic material is removed from the archives, it should be gradually acclimatised to the external temperature. Sudden temperature changes should be avoided.

The optimal storage environment for magnetic media is 18±2 °C and 30±5% RH. Abrupt changes in climatic conditions should be avoided.

Characteristics of the climatic environment required for optical media:

20 °C, with a daily variation of ±2 °C, and an RH value of 35%, with a daily variation of ±5%. Optical discs should be protected from sudden temperature changes.

Control of relative humidity

The central air-conditioning system maintains the temperature, relative humidity and distribution of the air in the archive at a pre-regulated level. In the absence of central air conditioning, the relative humidity of the archive room may be controlled by a humidifier without heating or by a dehumidifier, preferably a freeze-dryer (one unit can usually control the humidity of a room with a volume of 500 m3).

Relative humidity varies inversely with temperature in a closed space. Therefore, the relative humidity can be maintained at the desired level without air conditioning by a combination of heating and ventilation, within certain limits. However, this method is only really effective in dry weather and in a room with a stable climate.

Air pollution

The optimum is when the air in the repository contains no more than 1 μg/m³ of sulphur dioxide, 5 μg/m³ of nitrogen oxides, 25 μg/m³ of ozone and a dust content of no more than 75 μg/m³ of harmful air pollutant gases.

The most effective way to filter the air is through filters installed in the central air conditioning system. Much of the dust in the air can also be filtered out by humidifiers or dehumidifiers that are fitted with filters.

In the absence of mechanical equipment, the amount of air pollutants in the filing room can be reduced by frequent dusting and indirect ventilation, i.e. ventilating the filing room only through a door (to another room) and not opening a window to the outside.

The part of the building used for archiving must not contain any equipment, fixtures, fittings, coverings or surfaces coated with plastic paint that emit harmful gases. The use of plastic glue is prohibited. Cleaning products containing ammonia, chlorine and formaldehyde shall not be stored near the archives and their use shall be avoided as far as possible. The concrete floor shall be covered with a solid layer of sealant to prevent dust from the concrete floor.

Illumination

The archival material must be protected from direct sunlight. Therefore, natural light should be completely excluded from the archives room as far as possible.

Luminaires that are UV-free or emit little UV radiation should be used to illuminate the archives. An alternative is to reduce the UV content of the fluorescent lamps commonly used in archives to below 75 μwatt/m2 by filtering, for reasons of economy. In general, the plexiglass coating on the fluorescent tube armatures does not transmit a significant part of the UV radiation, but the actual value should also be checked by means of a special device for measuring UV radiation.

The intensity and duration of illumination should be minimised. For archival work 200 lux is sufficient, otherwise - except for colour photographic material - the brightness of the archival lighting should be 50 lux. Colour photographic material shall be stored in the dark. At 50 lux, the duration of illumination of organic inks and dyes and of lignin-containing paper on archival material shall not exceed 720 hours (360 hours at 100 lux) in one year. For colour photographic material, the duration of illumination shall not exceed 250 hours per year, also at 50 lux.

The filing room must be disconnected from the electricity supply when no one is in it, also for fire safety reasons.

Burglary and fire and water damage prevention

In addition to the expected rules for the use of the archives and the consistent enforcement of the Fire Code, it is essential that

• filing rooms and the corridors leading to them must be fitted with metal doors at least 120 cm wide, which can only be opened from the inside without a key;
• windows in the filing rooms must be fitted with bars or electric alarms if there is a risk of forced entry;
• sewage, gas and pressurised water pipes must not pass through the file;
• a high sensitivity fire alarm system and a gas extinguisher must be installed in the filing room.
• Large archives should be divided into fire compartments.

Main aspects of archive buildings

• The planned new building or the building converted for archives purposes should provide sufficient storage space for the regular receipt of archival material for at least 15-20 years in advance, based on the legal obligation. The space available for archives should also allow for future expansion. 
• The filing rooms of the building shall at all times ensure an optimum temperature and relative humidity appropriate to the material of the documents stored therein, protect the documents from the harmful effects of direct sunlight, air pollutant gases and dust and comply with the other requirements listed in Chapter II. 
• The coordination of functional, architectural, fire and safety aspects should start at the initial design stage. 
• It is important that the archival aspects are properly taken into account throughout the design and construction phase. One of the prerequisites for this is that the archives should draw up its own set of criteria in consultation with experts, even before the planning process begins. 
• The planning should consider both investment and expected maintenance and operating costs. This is particularly important when designing architectural and technical solutions to ensure an optimal climate in the archives. 

Design aspects of the building

• There should be good separation between filing rooms, work areas (workrooms, tidy rooms) and public spaces. 
• The archives should have a room for dusting documents, drying documents that have become damp for whatever reason, and for separating contaminated documents, as well as a covered car park, which is essential for the safe receipt of documents. 
• In filing cabinets, the wall surfaces should be smooth, whitewashed or coated with a porous paint. In the route for the transport of filing material within the building, the flooring shall be smooth, with a solid surface, non-slippery, with no threshold interruptions, and with a slope to bridge any level differences not steeper than 10%. A lift with a capacity of at least 600 kg shall be provided to facilitate the transport of documents between floors. 
• It is advantageous to protect archives from the sun if they do not have windows. If there are, they should be small and narrow and should not adversely affect the climate in the archives. 
• Even in the case of an adapted building, efforts should be made to reduce the size of windows, and where possible, eliminate them. Any remaining windows should be fitted with blinds (shutters, shutters, shutters, etc.) and, where possible, made non-opening. 
• The windows of the order rooms, workrooms and conservation workshops, as well as the research room, should preferably be fitted with UV-filtering glass. If this is not possible, the glass shall be covered with a film or coating to filter out UV radiation. 
• One way of controlling the temperature and relative humidity inside the building is to provide air conditioning in the archives, workrooms and public areas. However, this equipment is very expensive to run. Therefore, it is advisable to use architectural solutions and insulation techniques that ensure a suitable climatic environment without air conditioning or with very limited operation of air conditioning. This solution has a one-off cost impact that pays off in the long term. 

Equipment of the archives

1. Filing racks:

The filing room should be equipped with racks in particular to ensure the proper storage of the filing units. The most suitable racks for this purpose are fixed or movable (solid) racks made of metal, coated with hammered or baked enamel.

The height of the scaffolding should preferably not exceed 2.2 m. If the room conditions permit the installation of a fixed scaffolding system higher than 4 m, the construction of a dividing slab or gallery is mandatory. Stable, safe ladders shall be provided for moving filing units on higher shelves.

The racking should allow for the storage, easy removal and re-installation of filing units in a secure and space-efficient manner. 

To achieve this

• the vertical members and anchorages must be strong enough to support the full load of the shelf line;
• the height of the shelves should be easily adjustable;
• the depth of the shelf (length of the shorter side) should be such that the filing units do not extend beyond the edges of the shelf;
• the width of the shelves should allow the filing units to be positioned only close enough together so as not to hinder easy movement;
• the scaffolding should not have sharp edges or protruding corners.

To ensure the free flow of air:

• the vertical members should be open; 
• a gap of at least 15 cm must be left between the bottom shelf of the scaffolding and the floor (this is also necessary for cleanability);
• the upper shelf (or closing element) of the scaffolding must be at a sufficient distance from the ceiling (when determining the distance, in addition to air movement, the emission of light fittings on the ceiling must be taken into account);
• there must also be a gap of at least 15 cm between each unit of mobile scaffolding.

When arranging fixed racks within a filing cabinet, pairs of racks shall be arranged in rows, and rows of racks shall be arranged perpendicular to the main circulation corridor, which shall be at least 1.2 m wide.

When determining the distance between rows of racking, the height of the racking and the need to move the filing units without damage should be taken into account. For racks not more than 2,2 m high, the clearance shall not be less than 0,8 m.

Care should be taken to:

• racks parallel to the outside wall of the building are separated from the wall by a traffic corridor;
• racks positioned perpendicular to the outside wall of the building are separated from the wall by a space at least large enough to allow adequate cleaning;
• the filing units on the racks next to the partitions are not in contact with the wall, but at least 15 cm away from it.

If the size of the filing room so warrants, the pairs of racks shall be separated by solid metal sheets in sections of five or six for fire safety reasons.

Solid racks must be moved in such a way that neither the archival material nor the staff handling it can be damaged. The method and speed of operation, including acceleration and braking, must be such that the filing units cannot slip or fall off the shelves.

For the safe handling of filing units removed from the shelves, a suitable storage surface (e.g. a work table, a work surface built into the racking - which can be pulled out or folded down - or a filing trolley provided for this purpose) must be provided at a distance that is easily accessible.

In the case of old-style archives with wooden racks, the condition of the wood, the strength and load-bearing capacity of the racks must be checked at least once a year, and care must be taken to reduce the risks associated with the use of wooden racks (fire risk, risk of decay). 

2. Storage lockers

For maps, blueprints and other large documents, as well as films and photographs, metal cabinets with drawers coated with hammered lacquer or baked enamel - only the latter for films and photographs - are usually best. (Do not store films and photographs in wooden cabinets.)

Regardless of what kind of document storage you use, a chest of drawers:

• Preferably no taller than 140 cm;
• more than one drawer cannot be pulled out at the same time,
• the bottom drawer should be at least 15 cm from the floor level;
• to make handling and moving drawers easy;
• drawers close tightly and cannot fall down when opened.

In addition to the previous paragraph, drawers in cabinets used for storing maps and plans should be flat, move along their shorter edges and have a stopper to prevent documents from sliding inside.

3. Filing trolleys:

Easy-to-handle trolleys on rubber wheels for transporting up to 1 linear metre of filing material within the building are an essential part of the filing equipment.

The archive trolley:

• be of a size and shape that allows the full surface area of the documents it carries to be supported;
• be equipped with a parking brake;
• do not contain more than two shelves.

The trolley should have a rim if there is a difference in level on the transport route or if it is used for transporting small documents (e.g. microfilm).

A long trolley with a concave surface is needed to transport the rolled sheets.

File trolleys for the transport of large filing units (e.g. maps, plans, drawings) in a standing position should be of low design and equipped with a side plate.

4. Instruments for checking the air conditioning and lighting of the archives:

Ensuring a stable climate in archives that is favourable to the archival material requires regular monitoring of relative humidity and temperature and recording of the measured data. Therefore, archives must have instruments suitable for measuring relative humidity and temperature.

Devices for measuring relative humidity: portable motorised or rotating psychrometers that do not require calibration, hygrometers and hygrographs that are placed in archives and usually require monthly calibration, and thermo-hygrometers and thermohygrometers that also record the measured data, and thermo-hygrometers and thermohygrographs that can measure temperature. The calibration of hygrometers, hygrographs and thermohygrometers and thermohygraphs can be carried out by means of a psychrometer. A thermometer with minimum-maximum values is also suitable for measuring temperature.

It is advisable to seek the assistance of an expert for the purchase and archiving of the thermometers and thermometers.

There are no simple means of measuring and recording the quality and quantity of solid and gaseous air pollutants, such as temperature or relative humidity. Measurement of air pollution should be carried out at least once every five years by a specialised laboratory or specialist.

When installing a lighting system in the archives, the level of illumination and UV radiation in the archives and in all rooms where archival material is temporarily stored or used shall be measured. Measurements shall be repeated when lighting fixtures are generally replaced. Larger archives should have the necessary digital luxmeter and UV meter to carry out the measurements, but measurements can also be carried out by an external expert. 

Environmental stability 

• A building with air conditioning must also be insulated to ensure temperature and relative humidity stability for at least 24 hours. 
• The air tightness of a building is adequate if the natural air exchange rate does not exceed one to two air exchanges per day for new buildings and three to four for adapted buildings. 
• In order to maintain environmental stability, rooms with significantly different climates should be separated by doors and enclosures (airlocks). 
• Wait for internal environmental conditions to stabilise before opening new buildings or premises (recommended time: one to two months). 

Protection aspects 

• In addition to the legal requirements for property protection and fire safety, the design should also take into account water damage and rodent and insect control. 
• The floor of the building, including the side walls in the case of floors below ground level, should also be watertight. If the possibility of water ingress cannot be completely excluded (flooding, inland water, proximity to a main street drain, etc.), drainage must be provided in the archives. 
• The inlet and outlet points of wires and cables must be sealed so that insects and rodents cannot enter the building or the archives. Ventilation openings shall be fitted with netting or screening. The use of false ceilings should be avoided, as covered, uncontrolled spaces are a constant source of danger. 

Organisation and continuous implementation of preventive conservation activities

By providing training and further training opportunities, it should be ensured that document managers and archivists are equipped with the basic knowledge of file protection and can use it in their daily work. 

In order to prevent incidents that could jeopardise the integrity of the archives (e.g. building leaks, damp walls, fires caused by faulty electrical wiring and equipment, insect infestations, etc.), particular attention must be paid to the constant inspection and maintenance of the technical condition of the archives building.

As part of the control of rodents and insects that are a threat to archival material:

• the archives building and its surroundings must be kept clean, and rubbish bins with lids must be kept away from the building; 
• care must be taken to ensure that there are no trees or bushes in the immediate vicinity of the archive building; 
• exclude the possibility of foodstuffs, potted plants or cut flowers being placed in the archives and in any room where archival material is temporarily stored or used. 

The preventive conservation activity should be organised on the basis of a condition survey of the whole archival material and the related multiannual conservation plan. 

It must be carried out on the basis of a conservation plan and at a predetermined frequency:

• the dusting of archives; 
• checking (observing, studying) the state of the archives; 
• the necessary replacement of containers and protective covers; 
• making and preparing copies of archival material for security purposes; 
• the making of copies for your own use; 
• the conservation and restoration of damaged documents; 
• the maintenance and copying of video and audio recordings and computer media. 

The procedures for documenting the tasks listed in the preceding paragraph, as well as the practices for the retention, periodic evaluation and analysis of the documentation, should be established. 

As a matter of urgency, appropriate measures should be taken to deal with infected documents attacked by rodents, insects and micro-organisms and to mitigate the consequences of other serious damage to the archives (e.g. leaking). 

Large-scale work requiring special equipment (removal, disinfection, conservation, restoration, etc.) can only be carried out by an external company with appropriate guarantees, knowledge of the requirements for handling archival material and the necessary equipment. The written agreement with the service provider must cover all relevant matters concerning the integrity and security of the archives.