NanoSafe III: A User Friendly Safety Management System for Nanomaterials in Laboratories and Small Facilities

Research in nanoscience continues to bring forward a steady stream of new nanomaterials and processes that are being developed and marketed. While scientific committees and expert groups deal with the harmonization of terminology and legal challenges, risk assessors in research labs continue to have to deal with the gap between regulations and rapidly developing information. The risk assessment of nanomaterial processes is currently slow and tedious because it is performed on a material-by-material basis. Safety data sheets are rarely available for (new) nanomaterials, and even when they are, they often lack nano-specific information. Exposure estimations or measurements are difficult to perform and require sophisticated and expensive equipment and personal expertise. The use of banding-based risk assessment tools for laboratory environments is an efficient way to evaluate the occupational risks associated with nanomaterials. Herein, we present an updated version of our risk assessment tool for working with nanomaterials based on a three-step control banding approach and the precautionary principle. The first step is to determine the hazard band of the nanomaterial. A decision tree allows the assignment of the material to one of three bands based on known or expected effects on human health. In the second step, the work exposure is evaluated and the processes are classified into three “nano” levels for each specific hazard band. The work exposure is estimated using a laboratory exposure model. The result of this calculation in combination with recommended occupational exposure limits (rOEL) for nanomaterials and an additional safety factor gives the final “nano” level. Finally, we update the technical, organizational, and personal protective measures to allow nanomaterial processes to be established in research environments.

Occupational Exposure to Ultrafine Particles in Metal Additive Manufacturing: A Qualitative and Quantitative Risk Assessment

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) can be released unintentionally during metal additive manufacturing (AM). Experts agree on the urgent need to increase the knowledge of the emerging risk of exposure to nanoparticles, although different points of view have arisen on how to do so. This article presents a case study conducted on a metal AM facility, focused on studying the exposure to incidental metallic UFP. It intends to serve as a pilot study on the application of different methodologies to manage this occupational risk, using qualitative and quantitative approaches that have been used to study exposure to engineered nanoparticles. Quantitative data were collected using a condensation particle counter (CPC), showing the maximum particle number concentration in manual cleaning tasks. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDS) measurements were performed, showing no significant change in the particles’ chemical composition, size, or surface (rugosity) after printing. A qualitative approach was fulfilled using Control Banding Nanotool 2.0, which revealed different risk bands depending on the tasks performed. This article culminates in a critical analysis regarding the application of these two approaches in order to manage the occupational risk of exposure to incidental nanoparticles, raising the potential of combining both.

Metody oceny ryzyka przy stosowaniu nanomateriałów

Stosowanie nanomateriałów w różnych dziedzinach krajowej gospodarki z jednej strony przyczynia się do wytwarzania produktów ułatwiających życie człowieka i do poprawy komfortu tego życia, z drugiej zaś, w przypadku nieprawidłowego zarządzania ryzykiem, może powodować zagrożenie dla zdrowia pracowników. Z tego względu konieczne jest identyfikowanie, ocenianie i ograniczanie zagrożenia związanego z narażeniem pracowników na te niebezpieczne materiały. Przedstawione w artykule szacunkowe metody oceny ryzyka zawodowego są obecnie jedynym rozwiązaniem umożliwiającym prawidłowe zarządzanie ryzykiem stwarzanym przez projektowane nanomateriały (ENMs) i podejmowanie odpowiednich działań w celu ograniczenia zagrożeń. Wdrożenie tych metod umożliwi polskim pracodawcom dostosowanie się do zaleceń wynikających z dyrektywy 98/24 EC w obszarze zarządzania ryzykiem zawodowym związanym z tymi specyficznymi substancjami chemicznymi. Podstawowymi rozwiązaniami problemu oceny ryzyka zawodowego stwarzanego przez nanomateriały są metody control banding (metody CB), uwzględniające właściwości fizykochemiczne i specyfikę oddziaływania nanocząstek na żywe organizmy. Metody te są coraz powszechniej stosowane w państwach UE, w USA i Kanadzie, a także zalecane przez Międzynarodową Organizację Pracy, Światową Organizację Zdrowia oraz Europejską Agencję Bezpieczeństwa i Zdrowia w Pracy.

Characteristics and risk assessment of occupational exposure to ultrafine particles generated from cooking in the Chinese restaurant

Ultrafine particles have been increasingly linked to adverse health effects in restaurant workers. This study aimed to clarify the exposure characteristics and risks of ultrafine particles during the cooking process, and to provide a reasonable standard for protecting the workers in the Chinese restaurant. The temporal variations in particle concentrations (number concentration (NC), mass concentration (MC), surface area concentration (SAC), and personal NC), and size distributions by number were measured by real-time system. The hazard, exposure, and risk levels of ultrafine particles were analyzed using the control banding tools. The NC, MC, and SAC increased during the cooking period and decreased gradually to background levels post-operation. The concentration ratios of MC, total NC, SAC, and personal NC ranged from 3.82 to 9.35. The ultrafine particles were mainly gathered at 10.4 and 100 nm during cooking. The exposure, hazard and risk levels of the ultrafine particles were high. These findings indicated that the workers during cooking were at high risk due to exposure to high levels of ultrafine particles associated with working activity and with a bimodal size distribution. The existing control strategies, including engineering control, management control, and personal protection equipment need to be improved to reduce the risk.

Control Banding: The New Approach of Risk Assessment in Malaysia

The control banding method is a simplified risk assessment for chemical handling tasks. It has been integrated into Malaysian risk assessment tool called Simple Risk Assessment and Control (SiRAC). A brief introduction of SiRAC is narrated with small medium enterprises (SMEs) as the initial target audience. SMEs are lacking in occupational safety and health knowledge and resources yet contributed 66% to employment in Malaysia. Purpose of study is to elaborate on this new tool of risk assessment. There are seven steps in the assessment where bands of hazards grouped with bands of exposure to select one of the appropriate four control approaches. Appropriate control guidance sheet will be selected based on task under each approach. SiRAC has its limitation in scope of coverage and only chemicals in liquid or solid forms can be assessed. SiRAC is using hazard classification introduced by the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) which has been embedded in the local legislation. Person to conduct SiRAC should be trained by approved training provider. SiRAC Online is under development to complement the tool. Despite its limitation and anticipated weaknesses, SiRAC is expected to be sufficient as an initial tool to assist SMEs in chemical risk management in Malaysia.

Morpho-Biochemical and Protein Turnover Readings of Growing Geese Consuming Vitamin Supplements

The aim of the study was to examine the protein turnover and morpho-biochemical readings of growing geese taking “Vitammin” feed additive. The control banding poultry received basic diet, the 1st experimental group received the diet with the addition of “Vitammin” in a dose of 0.2 ml/l of water, the 2nd experimental group – 0.5 ml/l of water. The research conducted showed that the use of “Vitammin” feed additive contributed to high-turnover rates and, consequently, improved the oxygen supply to organs and tissues in contrast to the control banding. In case of increasing the dose the additive it was noted that the rates of aerobic respiration increased as well, which is typical for the augmentation of metabolic processes and, subsequently, productivity.