Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T08:43:06.988Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Nanomaterials and Occupational Safety: An overview

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

André Gazsó  and
René Fries
André Gazsó
Affiliation:
Institute of Technology Assessment, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria. Please send inquiries to
René Fries
Affiliation:
Institute of Technology Assessment, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Nanomaterials and products containing such materials are already in widespread use because they exhibit technologically interesting, nano-specific features such as increased tensile strength, improved electrical conductivity, special optical characteristics or special medico-chemical properties. Nonetheless, the same features that make these substances so interesting technologically potentially harbor risks for those persons who handle them. This is because small particle size, coupled with increased reactivity due to special surface features, determines their biological activity and therefore toxicity. The increasing applications are exposing ever more employees – especially those working in research laboratories or in industrial production and processing – to nanosubstances. This makes occupational safety a major issue from a regulatory standpoint. Based on the available literature on occupational safety, the following nanomaterial-relevant topics have been identifi ed: health risks, adaptation of detection and measurement methods, actual exposure scenarios at the workplace, defi nition and compilation of existing worksites for nanomaterials, recommendations for worker safety by the authorities and by industry, as well as preventive occupational medical care.

Type
Reports
Information
European Journal of Risk Regulation , Volume 3 , Issue 4 , December 2012 , pp. 594 - 601
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Lidia Morawska, Michael R Moore and Zoran D Ristovski, “Health impacts of ultrafine particles – Desktop Literature Review and Analysis”, September 2004, available on the Internet at <http://www.environment.gov.au/atmosphere/airquality/publications/health-impacts/index.html> (last accessed on 16 July 2012).

2 E.g. R.J. Aitken, KS Creely and CL Tran, “Nanoparticles. An Occupational Hygiene Review”, UK Health and Safety Executive – Institute of Occupational Medicine, 2004, available on the Internet at <http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr274.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012);Vicky Stone (ed.), “Engineered Nanoparticles: Review of Health and Environmental Safety ENRHES – Final Report”, 2009, available on the Internet at <http://ihcp.jrc.ec.europa.eu/whats-new/enhres-final-report> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

3 C. Möhlmann, “Kennzahl 120130 – Ultrafeine Aerosole am Arbeitsplatz”, in Handbuch des Institutes für Arbeitsschutz der Deutschen Gesetzlichen Unfallversicherung, available on the Internet at <http://www.ifa-handbuchdigital.de/120130> (last accessed on 31 October 2012). See also Bergamaschi, Enrico, “Occupational Exposure to Nanomaterials: Present Knowledge and Future Development”, 3(3) Nanotoxicology (2009), pp. 194–201 CrossRefGoogle Scholar; European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, European Risk Observatory Report, “Literature Review – Workplace Exposure to Nanoparticles”, 2009, available on the Internet at <http://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/literature_reviews/workplace_exposure_to_nanoparticles> (last accessed on 31 October 2012); Schmid, K., Danuser, B and Riediker, M, “Nanopartikel am Arbeitsplatz”, 36(1) Atemw. Lungenkrkh. (2010), pp. 14–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

4 Austrian Ministry for Environment (BMLFUW, Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Umwelt und Wasserwirtschaft), 2010, Austrian Nanotechnology Action Plan, available on the Internet at <http://www.umweltnet.at/article/articleview/81646/1/7033> (last accessed on 31 October 2012), p.18

5 BMBF (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung), 2010, Aktionsplan Nanotechnologie 2015, p. 32f.

6 SRU (Sachverständigenrat für Umweltfragen am Deutschen Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit) (2011), Sondergutachten zu Vorsorgestrategien für Nanomaterialien, September 2011, available on the Internet at <http://www.bmu.de/pressemitteilungen/aktuelle_pressemitteilungen/pm/47726.php> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

7 Nel, Andre, Xia, Tian, Mädler, Lutz and Li, Ning, “Toxic Potential of Materials at the Nanolevel”, 311(3) Science (2006), pp. 622–627.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

8 Schweizerisches Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU), 2007, Synthetische Nanomaterialien – Risikobeurteilung und Risikomanagement – Grundlagenbericht zum Aktionsplan, available on the Internet at <http://www.bafu.admin.ch/publikationen/publikation/00058/index.html?lang=de> (last accessed on 31 October 2012), p. 54.

9 Oberdörster, Günter, Oberdörster, Eva and Oberdörster, Jan, “Nanotoxicology: An Emerging Discipline Evolving from Studies of Ultrafine Particles”, 113(7) Environmental Health Perspectives (2005), pp. 823–840.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

10 EPA, Environmental Protection Agency (2011), “Informationssammlung zu Luftverschmutzung” (‘particle pollution’), available on the Internet at <http://www.epa.gov/air/particlepollution/index.html> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

11 Austrian Environmental Agency (UBA), “Luftschadstoffe Staub”, 2011, available on the Internet at <http://www.umweltbundesamt.at/umweltsituation/luft/luftschadstoffe/staub/> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

12 Davidson, Cliff I., Phalen, Robert F. and Solomon, Paul A., “Airborne Particulate Matter and Human Health: A Review”, 39(8) Aerosol Science and Technology (2005), pp.737–749.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

13 Delfino, Ralph J., Sioutas, Constantinos and Malik, Shaista, “Potential Role of Ultrafine Particles in Associations between Airborne Particle Mass and Cardiovascular Health”, 113(8) Environmental Health Perspectives (2005),.pp. 934–946.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

14 NanoTrust-Dossiers No. 012, 014 and 021, available on the Internet at <http://nanotrust.ac.at/nano.ita.en/dossiers.html> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

15 Ulrich Fiedeler and René Fries, “Measurement and characterisation of airborne nanoparticles”, Nano trust Dossiers, March 2012, available on the Internet <http://epub.oeaw.ac.at/ita/nanotrust-dossiers/dossier025en.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

16 BAuA (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin), “Ergebnisse der Fragebogenaktion von BAuA und VCI zu Tätigkeiten mit Nanomaterialien in Deutschland, zweite Firmenbefragung”, 2008, available on the Internet at <http://www.baua.de/de/Themen-von-A-Z/Gefahrstoffe/Nanotechnologie/pdf/Survey.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

17 EU-OSHA (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work), “New and Emerging Risks in Occupational Safety and Health – Outlook 1”, 2009, available on the Internet at <http://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/outlook/te8108475enc_osh_outlook> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

18 AUVA, “Nanotechnologien. Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz”, Merkblatt M310, 2011, available on the Internet at <http://www.auva.at/mediaDB/761748_M310.pdf>(last accessed on 31 October 2012).

19 Austrian Ministry for Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection (BMASK), “Leitfaden für das Risikomanagement beim Umgang mit Nanomaterialien am Arbeitsplatz”, 2011, available on the Internet at <http://www.arbeitsinspektion.gv.at/NR/rdonlyres/6C01F836-C1B1–4142-B6F2–0ED672D27A69/0/Nano_Leitfaden_2010.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

20 A.J. Harford, J.W. Edwards, B.G. Priestly and P.F.A. Wright, “Current OHS Best Practices for the Australian Nanotechnology Industry – A Position Paper by the NanoSafe Australia Network”, November 2007, available on the Internet at <http://mams.rmit.edu.au/72nuxiavskpg.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

21 BAUA (dt. Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin), “Leitfaden für Tätigkeiten mit Nanomaterialien am Arbeitsplatz”, August 2007, available on the Internet at <http://www.baua.de/de/Themen-von-A-Z/Gefahrstoffe/Nanotechnologie/pdf/Leitfaden-Nanomaterialien.pdf?__blob=publicationFile> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

22 SUVA (Schweizerische Unfallversicherungsanstalt), Nanopartikel an Arbeitsplätzen, September 2009, available on the Internet at <http://www.suva.ch/nanopartikel_an_arbeitsplaetzen.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

23 Myriam Ricaud and Olivier Witschger, “Nanomaterials: Definitions, Toxicological Risks, Characterisation of Occupational Exposure and Prevention Measures”, Institut national de recherche et de sécurité (INRS-France), June 2009, available on the Internet at <http://www.inrs.fr/inrs-pub/inrs01.nsf/IntranetObject-accesPar-Reference/ED%206050/$FILE/ed6050bis.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

24 Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Approaches to Safe Nanotechnology – Managing the Health and Safety Concerns Associated with Engineered Nanomaterials, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2009–125, March 2009, available on the Internet at <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009–125/pdfs/2009–125.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

25 Landesanstalt für Umwelt, Messungen und Naturschutz Baden Württemberg, Nanomaterialien: Arbeitsschutzaspekte, available on the Internet at <http://www.lubw.baden-wuerttemberg.de/servlet/is/56759/nanomaterialien_arbeitsschutzaspekte.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

26 Schulte, Paul, Geraci, Charles, Zumwalde, Ralph et al., “Occupational Risk Management of Engineered Nanoparticles”, 5(4) Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (2008), pp. 239–249 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed. See also: Schulte, Paul, Geraci, Charles, Zumwalde, Ralph et al., “Sharpening the focus on occupational safety and health in nanotechnology”, 34(6) Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health (2008), pp. 471–478 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed; Savolainen, K., Pylkkänen, L., Norpa, H. et al., “Nanotechnologies, engineered nanomaterials and occupational health and safety – a review”, 48(8) Safety Science (2010), pp. 957–963.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

27 Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology (BCST), “Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Management of Chemical Hazard, Updated Version. Expert Consensus Report”, National Research Council Washington, D.C., The National Academies Press, May 2011, available on the Internet at <http://dels.nas.edu/bcst> (last accessed on 31 October 2012) or <http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12654> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

28 US Department of Energy, “Approach to Nanomaterial Environmental Safety & Health”, May 2008, available on the Internet at <http://orise.orau.gov/ihos/nanotechnology/files/NSRCMay12.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012). and: ASTM-Standard Guide for Handling Unbound “Engineered Nanoscale Particles in Occupational Settings”, Standard Designation: E2535 – 07, 2007, available on the Internet at <http://65.209.24.100/ABOUT/overview.html> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

29 VCI (Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V.), “Position des VCI zur Produktverantwortung – Schutz von Mensch und Umwelt oberste Priorität bei Einsatz von Nanomaterialien”, 08.03.2011, available on the Internet at <https://www.vci.de/Downloads/PDF/Position%20des%20VCI%20zur%20Produktverantwortung.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

30 Ralf Cornelissen, Frans Jongeneelen, Pieter van Broekhuizen and Fleur van Broekhuizen, “Guidance working safely with nanomaterials and –products, the guide for employers and employees”, May 2011, available on the Internet at <http://www.industox.nl/Guidance%20on%20safe%20handling%20nanomats&products.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

31 Hessisches Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Verkehr und Landesentwicklung, “Sichere Verwendung von Nanomaterialien in der Lack und Farbenbranche”, Band 11 der Schriftenreihe der Aktionslinie Hessen-Nanotech, September 2009, available on the Internet at <http://www.hessen-nanotech.de/mm/Betriebsleitfaden_sichere_Verwendung_Nanomaterialien_Lack_Farbenbranche.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

32 Harford, Edwards, Priestly and Wright, “Current OHS Best Practices for the Australian Nanotechnology Industry”, supra note 20.

33 Paul Schulte, Charles Geraci, Ralph Zumwalde et al., “Occupational Risk Management of Engineered Nanoparticles”, supra note 26.

34 Luana Golanski, Arnaud Guillot and Francois Tardif, “Are conventional protective devices such as fi brous fi lter media, cartridge for respirators, protective clothing and gloves also effi cient for aerosols?”, Nanosafe Dissemination Report, le Commissariat à l’énergie atomique (CEA): January 2008, available on the Internet at <http://www.nanosafe.org/home/liblocal/docs/Dissemination%20report/DR1_s.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012). A well as: Golanski, Luana, Guillot, Arnaud and Tardi, Francois, “Experimental Evaluation of Individual Protection Devices against Different Types of Nanoaerosols: Graphite, TiO2 and Pt”, 12(1) Journal of Nanoparticle Research (2010), pp. 83–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

35 OECD, “Comparison of Guidance on Selection of Skin Protective Equipment and Respirators for Use in the Workplace: Manufactured Nanomaterials”, Series on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials. Number 12. ENV/JM/MONO(2009)17: 19th June 2009, available on the Internet at <http://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/ displaydocumentpdf/?cote=ENV/JM/MONO%282009%2917&doclanguage=en> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

36 Hessisches Ministerium für Wirtschaft, supra note 31 37 UBA (Austrian Environmental Agency), Sicherheitsdatenblatt, available on the Internet at <http://www.umweltbundesamt.at/umweltsituation/chemikalien/sdb/> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

38 CSC (Conféderation des syndicats chrétiens, Belgischer Gewerkschaftsverband), “Produits dangereux – Guide de l’action syndicale”, available on the Internet at <http://www.csc-en-ligne.be/Actualite/Campagnes/produits_dangereux/produits_dangereux.asp#guide> (last accessed on 31 October 2012.)

39 John Frangos, “Evaluation of MSDS & Labels Associated with use of Engineered Nanomaterials”, Safe Work Australia Symposium: 10th September 2010, available on the Internet at <http://safeworkaustralia.gov.au/AboutSafeWorkAustralia/WhatWeDo/Research/Nanotechnology/Documents/EvaluationMSDSLabelsAssociatedEngineeredNanomaterials.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

40 Conti, Joseph A., Killpack, Keith, Gerritzen, Gina et al., “Health and Safety Practices in the Nanomaterials Workplace – Results from an International Survey”, 42(9) Environmental Science & Technology (2008), pp. 3155–3162.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

41 See supra note 12.

42 VCI (Verband der Chemischen Industrie), “Leitfaden zur Informationsweitergabe in der Lieferkette beim Umgang mit Nanomaterialien über das Sicherheitsdatenblatt”, 6 March 2008, available on the Internet at <https://www.vci.de/Downloads/122313-Leitfaden_Sicherheitsdatenblatt_03.2008.pdf> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).

43 SECO, ABCH, “Sicherheitsdatenblatt (SDB): Leitfaden für synthetische Nanomaterialien. Schweizerisches Staatsekretariat für Wirtschaft”, SECO, Arbeitsbedingungen / Chemikalien und Arbeit (ABCH), 21 December 2010, available on the Internet at <http://www.seco.admin.ch/dokumentation/publikation/00009/00027/04546/index.html?lang=de> (last accessed on 31 October 2012).