Yesterday we reviewed the status of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed reporting requirements for nanomaterials and the Agency’s recent approval of a pesticide containing nanosilver. Today we will look at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) recent research concerning how nanomaterials affect worker safety and health.
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Are nanomaterials in or coming to a workplace near you?
If you do not currently handle nanoscale materials (nanomaterials) in your workplace, you may soon be. Nanoscale materials have a range of potentially beneficial public and commercial applications. For example, they could improve products such as anticancer therapies, TVs, vehicles, batteries, and solar panels.
And, even if you do not manufacture products that contain nanomaterials, it is very likely that you do, or soon will be, handling products that contain nanomaterials. These materials are currently used in hundreds of consumer products, including electronics, cosmetics, clothing, food, and medicines. As an EHS professional, especially if you are a safety manager, it is important to stay up to date on the research exploring the health effects of nanomaterials on workers.
Some potential hazards of nanoparticles include inhalation and absorption hazards. The small particles could be asbestos-like, depending on the material, when inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
What is NIOSH doing?
NIOSH has published a number of reports and research documents concerning worker health and nanomaterials dating back to 2007.
In 2011, NIOSH published a recommended exposure limit (REL) of 2.4 micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m3) for fine titanium dioxide (TiO2) and 0.3 μg/m3 10-hour time weighted average (TWA) airborne concentration for ultrafine TiO2—the nano form. In 2013, the Institute published a REL of no more than 1 μg/m3 8-hour TWA for employers in companies that manufacture or use carbon nanotubes or carbon nanofibers.
At the 2016 annual meeting of the Society of Toxicology, NIOSH researchers presented a number of papers concerning various aspects of nanomaterials in the workplace.
Most recently, NIOSH has asked for comments on its research concerning occupational exposure to silver nanomaterials. Silver nanomaterials are commonly used in applications such as jewelry, utensils, photography, monetary currency, and antibacterials. They are being used in an increasing number of medical and consumer products, such as electronics and textiles.
In the draft bulletin, NIOSH concluded that the currently available data are too limited to develop a REL for silver that is specific to particle size. The Institute is recommending that effective risk management control practices be implemented so that worker exposures to silver nanomaterials do not exceed the NIOSH REL of 10 µg/m3 (8-hour TWA) for silver metal dust, fume, and soluble compounds, measured as a total airborne mass concentration. The REL is based on preventing workers from developing argyria, which is bluish-gray pigmentation to the skin and mucous membranes, and argyrosis, which is bluish-gray pigmentation to the eyes.
More and more workplaces are affected by the increasing prevalence of nanomaterials. Be sure to check Safety.BLR.com® for tips and tools for training workers for the multitude of hazards in the workplace.