Nanotechnology Work Health

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Nanotechnology Work Health Safety

• Dr Howard Morris
• Nanotechnology Work Health Safety Manager
• Safe Work Australia
• 11 May 2011

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Presentation Structure

• Application of Work Health Safety Regulatory
  Framework to nanotechnologies nanomaterials
• Issues that impact on nanotechnology work health
  safety management regulation
• Work to address issues Nanotechnology Work
  Health Safety Program
• Current future focus

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Engineered Nanomaterials Advances in
understanding

• Hazards
• limited understanding, but growing
• no novel toxicities, but generally more toxic
  than macrosize (Toxikos, 2009)
• range of hazard severities
• Potential exposure
• application/process dependent
• higher for free nanomaterials
• Effectiveness of conventional controls
• can effectively reduce exposures to nanomaterials
  (RMIT University 2009)
• Measurement of emissions exposures
• use combination of techniques (OECD WPMN 2009)

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Application of work health and safety regulatory
framework to nanotechnologies

• Obligations under work health and safety
  legislation need to be met for nanomaterials and
  nanotechnologies
• work health and safety regulations generally
• regulations for hazardous chemicals
• Issues are being addressed to ensure effective
  regulation of engineered nanomaterials
• Nanotechnology Work Health Safety Program

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Application of precautionary approach to
nanotechnologies

• Where understanding of hazards is limited, Safe
  Work Australia is advocating a precautionary
  approach be taken to controlling exposures to
  engineered nanomaterials
• Advice to Australian nanotechnology organisations
  is
• to use the best practicable means of preventing
  or minimising workplace exposures to engineered
  nanomaterials
• Developing guidance on how to do this

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Safe Work Australias Nanotechnology Work Health
Safety Program

• Supported by funding under National Enabling
  Technologies Strategy
• Focus areas
• Nanotechnologies Work Health Safety
  Regulatory Framework
• Understanding hazardous properties of engineered
  nanomaterials
• Evaluating effectiveness of workplace controls
• Emissions and exposure measurement capability
• Information guidance for Australian
  nanotechnology organisations
• Participating in international initiatives
  ensuring consistency with international
  approaches

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Safe Work Australias national stakeholder groups

• Nanotechnology Work Health Safety Advisory
  Group
• promoting a coordinated national approach to the
  management of nanotechnology work health safety
  issues
• Nanotechnology Work Health Safety Measurement
  Reference Group
• developing nanomaterial exposure and emissions
  measurement capability

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Nanotechnology Work Health Safety Program
Published reports

Plus Work health and safety assessment tool
for handling engineered nanomaterials
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Designing workplace controls

• As for other chemicals,
• Apply the hierarchy of controls
• aim to use approaches as high as possible in the
  hierarchy
• in practice a combination of approaches will work
  best

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Effectiveness of workplace controlsModification
of fullerenes
C. Sayes et al. (2004) Nano Letters 4(10)1881-87
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Effectiveness of workplace controlsProcess
enclosure
Reduction in exposure through process enclosure
(Han et al)
Number of CNTs/cm3 Before process enclosure After process enclosure
Personal 193.6 0.018
Area 172.9 0.05

• Can significantly reduce emissions from
  nanomaterial processes
• Blending with carbon nanotubes for composites,
  Han et al, Inhalation Toxicology, (2008)
• Can be used in combination with other control
  measures
• Engineered nanomaterials Effectiveness
• of workplace controls
• N. Jackson et al, RMIT University (2009)

Use of PPE when working in fume cabinet
with engineered nanomaterials CSIRO, 2009
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Effectiveness of workplace controlsCan filter
materials capture nanoparticles?

• YES
• MPPS around 300nm for HEPA filters
• Capture mechanism depends on particle diameter
  Nanosafe2, 2008
• Capture efficiency depends on
• Flow rate
• Type of filter material
• Engineered nanomaterials Effectiveness of
• workplace controls
• N. Jackson et al, RMIT University (2009)

Reference Filter material type certification Filtration efficiency for particles lt100 nm
Martin Moyer (2000) N95, lt5 penetration lt5 penetration
Richardson et al. (2005) N95, lt5 penetration lt5 for low flow rate Max gt5, high flow rate
Richardson et al. (2005) P100, lt0.03 penetration lt0.03 for low flow rate Max gt0.03, high flow rate

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Nanotechnology Work Health Safety Program
Current research projects
Commissioned Project Organisation
Experimental research into durability of carbon nanotubes and their potential to cause inflammation CSIRO/UK IOM/ Edinburgh University
Examination of laser printer emissions Examination of health risk from laser printer emissions Queensland University of Technology/WHSQ Toxikos
Review of physicochemical (safety) hazards Toxikos
Assessment of measurement techniques for different types of engineered nanomaterials measurement of exposures in workplace settings Queensland University of Technology/WHSQ

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Safe Work Australias participation in national
nanotechnology forums

• Forums convened by DIISR under National Enabling
  Technologies Strategy (NETS)
• Health, Safety Environment Working Group
• Communications Group
• Standards Australia Nanotechnology Committee
  (NT-001)
• Chair
• Health, Safety Environment sub-committee

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Safe Work Australias participation in
international forums

• UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the GHS
• ISO Nanotechnology Technical Committee
• OECD WPMN SG8 Nanomaterial Exposure Measurement
  Mitigation
• Liaison with international partners

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ISOs Nanotechnology Technical Committee (TC229)

• 36 Participating members 8 Observer members
• Australian input
• through Standards Australia Nanotechnology
  Committee (NT-001)
• support through DIISR

Working Group Focus Convenor
1 Terminology Nomenclature Canada
2 Measurement Characterisation Japan
3 Health, Safety Environment USA
4 Materials Specification China
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ISO Definitions ISO/TS 80004-1

• Nanoscale
• The size range from approximately 1 nm to 100 nm
• Nanomaterial
• Material with any external dimension in the
  nanoscale or having internal structure or surface
  structure in the nanoscale
• Engineered Nanomaterial
• Nanomaterial designed for specific purpose or
  function
• Manufactured Nanomaterial
• Nanomaterial intentionally produced for
  commercial purpose to have specific properties or
  specific composition

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ISO TC229 - Health, Safety Environment
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OECD WPMN - Exposure measurement mitigation of
manufactured nanomaterials
Project Topic Status
Emission assessment for identification of sources and release of airborne manufactured nanomaterials in the workplace Compilation of existing guidance. ENV/JM/MONO(2009)16 Published
Comparison of guidance on selection of PPE for use in the workplace Published
Comparison of guidelines relating to exposure to nanomaterials in laboratories. Published
Evaluate data and provide recommendation on measurement technologies and sampling protocols for determining concentrations of manufactured nanomaterials in air Current
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Addressing carbon nanotubes issues

• Understanding hazards
• Review of nanomaterials health hazards (Toxikos)
• Durability of carbon nanotubes and their
  potential to cause inflammation
  (CSIRO/IOM/Edinburgh University)
• Regulation
• Health hazard assessment for classification
  (NICNAS)
• Measurement of carbon nanotubes
  emissions/exposures
• Detection in the workplace (CSIRO)
• Determining/validating suitable techniques
  (QUT/WHSQ)
• Developing guidance
• Guide for safe handling disposal of carbon
  nanotubes (CSIRO)

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Durability of carbon nanotubes and their
potential to cause inflammation
(CSIRO/IOM/Edinburgh University)

• Key findings in the report include
• Carbon nanotubes can be durable but may also
  break down in simulated lung fluid, depending on
  the type of sample
• If they are fibre-like and sufficiently long,
  carbon nanotubes can induce asbestos-like
  responses in the peritoneal cavity of mice, but
  this response is significantly reduced if the
  nanotubes are less durable
• Tightly agglomerated particle-like bundles of
  carbon nanotubes did not cause an inflammatory
  response in the peritoneal cavity of mice
• Shorter carbon nanotubes or bundles of carbon
  nanotubes can still be hazardous in the lungs
• All forms of carbon nanotubes should be handled
  with a high level of caution in the workplace

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National Codes of Practice for Safety Data Sheets
and Workplace Labelling

• SDS and Labels must be provided if chemical
  classified as hazardous
• Many engineered nanomaterials are not currently
  classified as hazardous
• Issues with SDS for nanomaterials (Toxikos 2010)
• Safe Work Australia
• supports precautionary approach to handling
  nanomaterials
• recommends SDS/label provided for engineered or
  manufactured nanomaterials unless evidence they
  are not hazardous
• proposes additional non-mandatory parameters in
  SDS Heading 9, on Physical and Chemical
  Properties

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International engagement on Safety Data Sheets

• ISO project on Preparation of safety data sheets
  for manufactured nanomaterials
• Australia contributing to project
• Australian proposal reported to UN Sub-Committee
  of Experts on the GHS
• Papers to December 2009 2010 meetings

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A Precautionary Approach to Control Possible
approach to developing guidance

• Define aim maximum airborne concentration levels
• Benchmark Exposure Levels (BELs)
• For groups of nanomaterials
• Precautionary pragmatic
• Basis of measurement
• OECD Emission Assessment Guidance?
  Being validated
• Determine workplace controls needed to achieve
  BELs
• For different nanomaterial groups
• Various processes

Nanoscale Material National Exposure Standard (TWA)
Carbon black 3mg/m3
Fumed silica 2mg/m3
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2011 Planned Projects Main Focus - Guidance
Training
General guide on safe handling disposal of nanomaterials
Training course on safe handling disposal of nanomaterials
Develop guidance on nanotechnologies regulatory framework
Update to review of toxicology health hazards
Examining potential release of nanomaterials from articles during cutting/machining

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• Obligations under work health and safety
  legislation need to be met for nanomaterials and
  nanotechnologies
• Issues are being addressed to help ensure the
  effective regulation and management of engineered
  nanomaterials through the Nanotechnology Work
  Health Safety Program

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Further Information

• My contact details
• Phone [phone]
• Email howard.morris_at_safeworkaustralia.gov.au
• Website www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au