Occupational Safety

1. Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Program

NIOSH conducts Health Hazard Evaluations (HHEs) to find out whether there are health hazards to employees caused by exposures or conditions in the workplace, including concerns related to nanotechnology. NIOSH responds to requests for evaluations of workplace health hazards from employers, employees and their representatives, and government. agencies. Upon completion of the evaluation, NIOSH issues a report that includes recommendations for addressing identified problems, reducing exposure, and preventing disease. CDC has more information about the HHE program..

For more information about requesting an HHE, contact the NIOSH Toll-Free Information Service: 1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674) or request an HHE online . Solicita una HHE en español.

2. NIOSH Field Research Team for Partnerships in Studying, Assessing Nanotechnology Processes

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has an interdisciplinary field team of NIOSH researchers in the area of nanotechnology. This team partners with employers and others in conducting field studies to observe and assess occupational health and safety practices in facilities where nanotechnology processes and applications are used. The NIOSH Nanotechnology Field Research Team includes interdisciplinary field researchers representing areas such as industrial hygiene, engineering, occupational medicine, and risk assessment.

The function of the field team is to assess and obtain insight on materials, processes, current and potential worker exposures, work practices, control procedures, and medical monitoring in operations where nanomaterials are developed or utilized. The information and insight obtained by the team is used by NIOSH to periodically update Approaches to Safe Nanotechnology, an interim, on-line NIOSH guidance document, and to create a worker exposure database.

Mark Methner, Ph.D., CIH, is Leader of the NIOSH Nanotechnology Field Team. A Field Research Team Progress Report can be found in Appendix B (page 131) of NIOSH Publication No. 2007-123: Progress Toward Safe Nanotechnology in the Workplace (February 2007)

3. Occupational Health Surveillance For Nanotechnology Workers

Every workplace where nanoparticles or engineered nanomaterials are handled should consider the need for an occupational health surveillance program. NIOSH is in the process of formulating guidance relevant to occupational health surveillance for nanotechnology. The intent of the guidance is to provide a framework for utilizing existing medical and hazard surveillance mechanisms to create occupational health surveillance programs for nanotechnology workers. The NIOSH guidance will not be a proscriptive set of recommendations for a specific type of surveillance program, but rather will provide information that can be used to create appropriate occupational health surveillance to fit the needs of workers and organizations involved with nanotechnology. The framework will present information to help initiate occupational health surveillance where none exists. It is likely that continual reassessment of potential hazards and exposures will be required to initiate and maintain an effective surveillance program.

Program Coordinator: Douglas Trout, MD., DSHEFS/NIOSH/CDC