Industrial Hygiene
Engineered nanomaterial can be said to be unique class of materials that are on the forefront of research and development. Nanomaterial are composed from nanoscale particles which are very tiny structures that vary from 1 -100nm. This nanoscale particles that form nanoscale materials could either be natural or manmade (Fadeel, Pietroiusti & Shvedova, 2012). When coming up with the nanomaterial, it is important to note that the nanoparticles could have serious health hazards as well as other chronic effects. As such, it is very crucial that the nanoparticles are handled with proper care and aligned with the right procedures. When producing nanomaterials, it is very important for the organizations to ensure that they protect their workers from exposure of the engineered nanomaterial.
In Order to protect the nanomaterial workforce from the occupational exposure, a precautionary risk should be undertaken and observed to the letter. The company managers need to be on the forefront and take full responsibilities for providing a safe and healthy work place. To do this, all risks associated with the engineered nanomaterial should be identified and properly managed. This includes recognizing the potential hazards, assessing the duration of exposer, understanding the actual potential risks and implementing to the letter all the measures necessary to control the identified risks (Fadeel, Pietroiusti & Shvedova, 2012). Today, the increase in demand of nanomaterial in the recent past means that there is a high need of providing precautionary measures against exposures to the nanoparticles. Using of traditional risk management models is so far outdated and not recommended at all. This is so as there are more uncertainties about the nature of hazards presented as well as numerous issues in exposure assessments and the possible side effects that traditional risk management cannot simply handle. As such, the most recommended approach is the use of precautionary approach which entails minimizing in as much as possible exposures by using engineering controls technique as well as through personal protective gadgets.
The organization should ensure that all processes and operations which end up releasing nanomaterial into the environment are performed in well-contained facilities where the employees are isolated from the processes or at the same have protective gears at all times all activities that could result in dust formation and emissions while producing the nanomaterial should be performed with extra ventilation. All procedural controls should also be in line with the set engineered controls standards so as to prevent unforeseen exposure potentials (Maynard, 2005).
The use of nanomaterial in any organizations always possess the questions; “what is safe” and “what are the risks”. As such, using the precautionary risk approach ensures that the entire workforce is protected from the unknown and their safety guaranteed, amidst the uncertainty of the potential health risks. It is very important that when dealing with nanomaterials, all individuals should always assume that nanomaterials could cause great harm and should always be cautious of being exposed to them.
Evaluating exposures
The issue of evaluating exposures to the engineered nanomaterial has posed a great challenge for a long period of time now. But what is dully known is that the allowable exposure standards to the materials are generally based on the mass of the material concentration. The higher the mass that one get in contact with, the greater the risk of a negative health outcome. But individuals need not to worry so much, as so far there are no reports that have been made so far on ill effects on people although the chronic effects normally take many years to be seen.
The wastes that come from nanomaterial should be adequately eliminated. This is so as many nanoparticles are not biodegradable while at the same time if the nanomaterial finds their way into the environment, then there is a high risk that could probably end up accumulating in the food chain. Clearly this is unacceptable. Until that time, that we will be in a position to have more information on the toxicity of nanomaterials, we should continue to minimize waste generation in as much as possible.
Health Hazards associated with exposure of the nanomaterial
Inhaled nanoparticles could end up accumulating in all regions of the respiratory system causing respiratory related diseases (Maynard, 2005). Other particles could easily also end up causing inflammation of the various respiratory organs as well as granulomas. Granulomas could lead to reduced lung function over the years as well as damaging many tissues in the respiratory systems.
Cleary, as seen from the discussions above, all workers from top to bottom should understand that is required of them and do their duties fully. With proper procedures and the precautionary risks approach being in place, all workers can be sure they are protected from any unforeseen danger. I shall also recommend that the organization’s management to also ensure that they conduct toxicity studies using conditions that are proven to be relevant to the exposure of the engineered nanomaterial for their workforce so as to be in a good position to obtain dose-response information that is ideally very useful in handling the risks associated with the engineered nanomaterials.
References
Fadeel, B., Pietroiusti, A., & Shvedova, A. (2012). Adverse effects of engineered nanomaterials. London: Academic Press.
Maynard, A. (2005). ADDRESSING THE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN HEALTH IMPACT OF ENGINEERED NANOMATERIALS. Epidemiology, 16(5), S154. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00001648-200509000-00394
