An Exploratory Assessment of Applying Risk Management Practices to Engineered Nanomaterials

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cioffi DL ; Guseva Canu I ; Iavicoli I ; Leso V ; Piacci M ; Schulte, Paul A.
• Description:
  The widespread industrial application of nanotechnology has increased the number of workers exposed to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), but it is not clear to what extent prevention guidance is practiced. Our aim was to explore the extent that companies manufacturing and/or using ENMs apply risk assessment and management measures. Thirty-four companies were surveyed with an international 35-item questionnaire investigating company and workforce features, types of ENM handled, and risk evaluation and preventive measures adopted. Among participating companies, 62% had a maximum of 10 employees. Metal-based nanomaterials were most frequently identified (73%). Environmental monitoring was performed by 41% of the companies, while engineering exposure controls were approximately reported by 50%. Information and training programs were indicated by 85% of the sample, only 9% performed specific health surveillance for ENM workers. Personal protective equipment primarily included gloves (100%) and eye/face protection (94%). This small-scale assessment can contribute to the limited amount of published literature on the topic. Future investigations should include a greater number of companies to better represent ENM workplaces and a direct access to industrial settings to collect information on site. Finally, deeper attention should be paid to define standardized frameworks for ENM risk assessment that may guide nano-specific preventive actions. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Engineering Environmental Exposure Environmental Monitoring Eye Metals Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Protective Clothing Respiratory Protective Devices Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Sense Organs Staff Development Surveys And Questionnaires

  More +
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Industry Engineering Controls Environmental Monitoring Exposure Levels Eye Protection Eye Protective Equipment Face Masks Face Shields Gloves Nanomaterials Nanotechnology Personal Protective Equipment PPE Preventive Measures Questionnaires Risk Assessment Risk Factors Risk Management Sampling Statistical Analysis Survey Training Workers

  More +
• ISSN:
  1660-4601
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSI - Division of Science Integration
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  16
• Issue:
  18
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057298
• Citation:
  Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019 Sep; 16(18):3290
• Contact Point Address:
  Ivo Iavicoli, Department of Public Health, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
• Email:
  ivo.iavicoli@unina.it
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1065bed41cfd1b48fbf998460bbbed31fe5c1994d12f6178f3905101ec54d322548c623240a6a3fc54b8aa634a6d112b9122cb3b76176a152d9dfcc9f271c114
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/214693/cdc_214693_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 940.26 KB ]