1.2 Industry Overview
In March 2006, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars created an inventory of 212 consumer products or product lines that incorporate nanomaterials (http://www.nanotechproject.org/inventories /consumer/analysis_draft/). These products were broken down into eight categories using a publically available consumer product classification system. As of March 2011, the number of consumer products has increased by 521% (212 to 1,317 nano-enabled products) with products coming from more than 24 nations [WWICS 2011]. These products include acne lotions, antimicrobial treatment for socks, sunscreens, food supplements, components for computer hardware (such as processors and video cards), appliance components, coatings, and hockey sticks. Of the current 1,317 nano-enabled products, the largest product category with 738 products was health and fitness. The most common type of nanomaterial used in these products was silver (313 products), followed by carbon (91 products) and titanium dioxide (59 products).
Roco [2005] reports that worldwide, the investment in nanotechnology has increased from $432 million in 1997 to about $4.1 billion in 2005. In this same time period, the U.S. government investment in nanotechnology has increased to nearly $1.1 billion. Estimates made in 2000 suggested that $1 trillion in products will use nanotechnology in some way by 2015. The National Science Foundation estimates that the number of workers in this industry will increase to 2 million worldwide by 2015.
Currently, most production facilities are relatively small, with lab, bench, or, at most, pilot plant operations [Genaidy et al. 2009]. This is also indicative of downstream users (applications and product development). As new manufacturing processes and technologies are developed and introduced, novel materials with unknown toxicological properties will require effective risk management approaches. As more of these products enter the market, concern about the health and safety of the workers grows.
1.3 Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems
Control measures for nanoparticles, dusts, and other hazards should be implemented within the context of a comprehensive occupational safety and health management system [ANSI/AIHA 2012]. The critical elements of an effective occupational safety and health management system include management commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and sufficient training for employees, supervisors, and managers (www.osha.gov/Publications/safety-health-management-systems.pdf). In developing measures to control occupational exposure to nanomaterials, it is important to remember that processing and manufacturing involve a wide range of hazards. Conducting a preliminary hazard assessment (PHA) encompasses a qualitative life cycle analysis of an entire operation, appropriate to the stage of development:
- Chemicals/materials being used in the process
- Production methods used during each stage of production
- Process equipment and engineering controls employed
- Worker’s approach to performing job duties
Current Strategies for Engineering Controls in Nanomaterial Production and Downstream Handling Processes
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