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European Agency for Safety and Health at Work focuses on Nanomaterials

Published: Wednesday 18 March 2009

In the latest edition of its report entitled ‘Expert Forecast on Emerging Chemical Risks’, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has put nanoparticles on the top of the list of substances from which workers need protection. The report launch website notes that ‘while more research into the degree of damage from nanoparticles on human health is needed, sufficient information to develop interim working practices to reduce workplace exposure is available.’

In preparation for the report, a survey of European experts was undertaken; according to the report, the survey aimed ‘to identify emerging occupational safety and health chemical risks. The Delphi method was used in order to reach a broad consensus and to avoid non-scientifically founded opinions.’

The report notes that ‘according to one respondent, the reason the item is mentioned as the first emerging risk in the survey is because nanoparticles are new although they cannot be considered as a characterised risk in terms of ‘hazard × probability’ – neither the hazards of nanoparticles nor the probably of exposure based on measurement and exposure assessment are well-defined – and it is not a risk spread among many workers (only 25,000 workers may be affected in a population of hundreds of millions). [...] One respondent reminded us that exposure to ultrafine particles is not only an OSH [occupational safety and health] issue as, for instance, diesel-engines are used in daily life and create such particles.’

Follow these links to download the full report, to download the fact sheet, or to read the report launch press release.

 
 
Related Links:
The US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)) has published a Notice of Request for Information on Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) Including Single- Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) and Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) (Federal Register, Vol. 74, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 8, 2009). (8th April 2009)
 
An update from the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH Update) announced the online publication of a paper entitled ‘Issues in the Development of Epidemiologic Studies of Workers Exposed to Engineered Nanoparticles’, published in the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine (51(3):323-335, March 2009). (27th February 2009)
 
The US the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the availability of a new publication (NIOSH Publication No. 2009-116): Current Intelligence Bulletin 60: Interim Guidance for Medical Screening and Hazard Surveillance for Workers Potentially Exposed to Engineered Nanoparticles. (18th February 2009)
 
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) announced the adoption of a First Resolution on Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials, whose central demand is the application of the precautionary principle. (26th June 2008)