Presentation 5: Steps to prevent worker exposure to nanomaterials in the workplace

Introduction Employers are responsible for the protection of workers’ health and safety, working with worker representatives in engaging employees Worker representatives and union representatives have a role in enforcing EU occupational health and safety legislation, including that related to chemicals in the workplace – but do not have responsibility for this, and are not meant to lead these processes Despite the existence of European and national occupational safety and health legislation, practice in the workplace does not always respect these legal requirements Various tools exist to ensure worker health and safety protection, some of which have been adapted for nanomaterials Image: transportation/ehs/workers-compensation.asp transportation/ehs/workers-compensation.asp Date, location

1. The worker safety representative European legislation on occupational health and safety requires that workers or their representatives be involved in company activities relating to worker health and safety Worker health and safety is a national responsibility so each country has their own way of organising and naming “worker safety representatives” (“safety reps”) Safety reps are usually identified (by employers, by employees, by trade unions) as the employee representative in charge of workplace health and safety and working conditions – they are the 1 st person to talk to about nano in the workplace Challenge: more than 99% of companies in Europe are SMEs and therefore do not likely have a worker health and safety representative Reference: ETUC Health, Safety and Risk Prevention ( files/ces-brochure_safety_reps-uk.pdf) files/ces-brochure_safety_reps-uk.pdf Image: Date, location

2a. Risk assessment – limits relating to nanomaterials … information is not easily or always available “When undertaking a nanomaterial risk assessment in their workplace, employers may therefore encounter difficulties related to: 1. insufficient information on the hazardous properties of nanomaterials; 2. no standardised methods and devices to measure exposure levels and to identify nanomaterials and emission sources; 3. limited information on effectiveness of risk reduction measures (filters, gloves, etc.); and 4. lack of information on presence of nanomaterials, in mixtures or articles (products) and down the user chain, when nanomaterials, or products containing nanomaterials, are used or processed.” Reference: EU OSHA E-facts 72: Tools for the management of nanomaterials in the workplace and prevention measures ( fact-72-tools-for-the-management-of-nanomaterials- in-the-workplace-and-prevention-measures) fact-72-tools-for-the-management-of-nanomaterials- in-the-workplace-and-prevention-measures Image: strengths-part-3-missing-puzzle-piece/ strengths-part-3-missing-puzzle-piece/ When in doubt, use the highest level of precaution to prevent exposure Date, location

2b. Risk assessment nonetheless – a 3-tiered approach Despite existing information gaps relating to nanomaterials, it is very important that employers undertake a risk assessment of nanomaterials as part of their potential introduction into the workplace When measuring nanomaterials (type, concentration levels) for risk assessments, employers need to address not only engineered nanomaterials (process- generated as well as fractions of nanomaterials in conventional products) An upcoming OECD report suggests a 3-tiered approach to measuring and assessing potential exposure to airborne nanomaterials Risk assessment requires identifying the hazard of a substance (tier 1 – gather information) Reference and image: OECD Harmonised Tiered Approach to Measure and Assess the Potential Exposure to Airborne Emissions of Engineered Nano- Objects and their Agglomerates and Aggregates at Workplaces /jm/mono%282015%2919&doclanguage=en /jm/mono%282015%2919&doclanguage=en Date, location

2b. Risk assessment nonetheless – a 3-tiered approach Tier 1 information should provide details on the workplace, on the nanomaterial Reference and images: andling%20nanomats&products.pdf Date, location

2b. Risk assessment nonetheless – a 3-tiered approach (cont/d) Second tier is to conduct a basic exposure or release assessment - determine whether exposure to nanomaterials can occur (using portable nanomaterial characterisation instruments and existing knowledge on the nanomaterial/s) Testing of background nanomaterial levels before performing task using nanomaterials, and testing during nanomaterial use If no important increase in nanomaterial levels when using nanomaterials, then go to documentation and archiving step If there is an increase and the source of the increase is known, go to additional risk management measures step If there is an increase and the source is not known, go to next step Date, location Reference and image: OECD Harmonised Tiered Approach to Measure and Assess the Potential Exposure to Airborne Emissions of Engineered Nano- Objects and their Agglomerates and Aggregates at Workplaces /jm/mono%282015%2919&doclanguage=en /jm/mono%282015%2919&doclanguage=en

2b. Risk assessment nonetheless – a 3-tiered approach (cont/d) Third tier is to conduct a basic exposure or release assessment - determine whether exposure to nanomaterials can occur (using portable nanomaterial characterisation instruments and existing knowledge on the nanomaterial/s) Testing of background nanomaterial levels before performing task using nanomaterials, and testing during nanomaterial use If no important increase in nanomaterial levels when using nanomaterials, then go to documentation and archiving step If there is an increase and the source of the increase is known, go to additional risk management measures step If there is an increase and the source is not known, go to next step Date, location Reference and image: OECD Harmonised Tiered Approach to Measure and Assess the Potential Exposure to Airborne Emissions of Engineered Nano- Objects and their Agglomerates and Aggregates at Workplaces /jm/mono%282015%2919&doclanguage=en /jm/mono%282015%2919&doclanguage=en

Another example of nanomaterial risk assessment procedure Announcement 527 sets out different steps to take when assessing the risks associated with any nanomaterial Key aspects for assessing nanomaterial: Workers in laboratory conditions? Nanomaterial in liquid or solid matrix? Soluble nanomaterial? Nanoscale form detailed in SDS and no World Health Organisation fibre Is the specific toxicity known? Is it a GBP nanomaterial? Reference and image: to-Z/Hazardous-Substances/TRGS/pdf/Announcement- 527.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3http:// to-Z/Hazardous-Substances/TRGS/pdf/Announcement- 527.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3 WHO fibre: umber:1 umber:1 Date, location

3. Safety data sheets Potential sources of information: labels (pictograms), SDSs, European Commission recommendations, occupational exposure limit values, and other sources such as scientific literature, public databases, etc. If the employer does not know that nano is present in the workplace, or has not (yet) done a risk assessment for the nanomaterial(s) used, the safety data sheet (SDS) is the best starting point for information SDSs may contain important worker health and safety information : Hazards identification Composition / information on ingredients (including safety information on surface chemistry” to be indicated if the substance or mixture has certain dimensions in the nano range) Handling and storage Exposure controls and personal protection Basic physical and chemical properties (certain “appearance” properties need to be described for nanomaterials – size, size distribution, shape, surface area (m 2 /mass), surface charge and crystalline phase). It can be indicated here if the substance is supplied as nanomaterial, e.g. physical state: solid (nanomaterial). Toxicological information Disposal information Transport information Other information (for nanomaterials, this involves safety information on redox potential, radical formation potential and photocatalytic properties) Reference: ECHA guidance on compilation of safety data sheets ( /13643/sds_en.pdf) /13643/sds_en.pdf Image: stewardship_eco/ stewardship_eco/ Date, location

4. Risk management measures After the elements of the risk assessment have been taken (hazard and exposure assessment), next comes risk management EU legislation provides general principles for preventing risks associated with hazardous chemicals* When nanomaterials cannot be eliminated from the workplace or substituted with less hazardous chemicals or ones that are not dangerous, some risk prevention and protection measures need to be assessed and put in place Reference and image: OECD Harmonised Tiered Approach to Measure and Assess the Potential Exposure to Airborne Emissions of Engineered Nano- Objects and their Agglomerates and Aggregates at Workplaces /mono%282015%2919&doclanguage=en /mono%282015%2919&doclanguage=en * Directive 89/391/EEC and Directive 98/24/EC Date, location

4. Risk management measures … in brief detail Hierarchy of risk management measures: from elimination (of a hazardous substance) to its substitution to personal protective equipment (last) Due to continuing data gaps, hazard classifications of all nanomaterials are not available – the risk assessment should provide a classification for the nanomaterial/s used in the workplace according to the nanomaterial itself, transferring knowledge about similar substances and characteristics (e.g. dustiness), and worker exposure assessment References: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Training Workers on Risks of Nanotechnology Image: Date, location

4. Some examples of risk management measures The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration funded work on a series of presentations on nanomaterials in the workplace Here are a number of images they include in the presentation on Controlling Exposures to Nanomaterials (most of which laboratory-based) Reference: Date, location

Carbon nanotubes are produced in these enclosed furnaces Date, location Reference: Module 4: Controlling Exposure to Nanomaterials

Broader view of manufacturing containment 4-15 Date, location Reference: Module 4: Controlling Exposure to Nanomaterials

Research containment Date, location Reference: Module 4: Controlling Exposure to Nanomaterials

Use of gloveboxes for containment Air sample 4-17 Date, location Reference: Module 4: Controlling Exposure to Nanomaterials

Gloveboxes inside a “Nanoparticle Containment Room” 4-18 Date, location Reference: Module 4: Controlling Exposure to Nanomaterials

Work practices and PPE still needed when enclosures are opened Harvesting SWCNTs from a Carbon Arc Reactor 4-19 Date, location Reference: Module 4: Controlling Exposure to Nanomaterials

Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) controls more hazardous exposures 20 Date, location Reference: Module 4: Controlling Exposure to Nanomaterials

Personal Protective Equipment Overview Body Hand Eye Foot Respiratory Level ALevel BLevel CLevel D Date, location Reference: Module 4: Controlling Exposure to Nanomaterials

Tyvec is the most widely used body covering for nano operations Date, location Reference: Module 4: Controlling Exposure to Nanomaterials

Hand protection when working with nanoparticles Gloves should be worn when handling nanomaterials (dry or wet) Glove material thickness is a major determinant of the protection provided Need also to consider what other substances (e.g. solvents) may be present within the workplace environment Two layers of gloves is recommended when handling high concern nanomaterials Date, location References: NIOSH Nanomaterial Production and Downstream Handling Processes EU DG Employment Guidance on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the potential risks related to nanomaterials at work - Guidance for employers and health and safety practitioners uments=yes uments=yes

Eye protection is also recommended Date, location Use of eye protection is recommended As a minimum, close fitting safety glasses should be used for all nanomaterials References: EU DG Employment Guidance on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the potential risks related to nanomaterials at work - Guidance for employers and health and safety practitioners uments=yes uments=yes

Use of respirators Respiratory protective equipment should only be used when all other reasonably practicable (collective) measures have been taken but have not achieved an adequate level of control If used with other measures (as a secondary precaution), disposable and half-masks should have an appropriate assigned protection factor (APF) For tasks requiring masks to be worn a longer time, use of powered air flow designs should be considered All workers required to wear respiratory protective equipment should undergo face- piece fit testing and training to ensure correct fitting and proper use Date, location References: EU DG Employment Guidance on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the potential risks related to nanomaterials at work - Guidance for employers and health and safety practitioners uments=yes uments=yes

Other key elements This checklist was written for workplace activities with carcinogenic substances, which are applicable to nanomaterials Was a substitution test carried out? Is the result described in the risk assessment documentation? Has the use of a closed system been tested? Is the result described in the risk assessment documentation? Is the selection of technical protection measures in the risk assessment documentation? What was the level of exposure determined? With what result? Are ventilation system use requirements described in the risk assessment documentation? Has an action plan been drawn up to reduce stress? Is the plan implemented? Is there a list of potentially exposed workers? Are intensity, duration and frequency of stress documented? Is the long-term retention of the directory ensured? Are employees trained regularly with the operating instructions? Will they be informed of the extent of the cancer risk? Will they be informed of their right to information on occupational health checks? Is employee occupational health screening offered? Reference: 3/2013_krebserkrankungen.pdf 3/2013_krebserkrankungen.pdf Date, location

Key points to retain Employers are responsible for the protection of worker health and safety Workers are legally entitled to be informed of an involved in company decision-making that relates to worker health and safety There are a number of elements relating to risk management (risk assessment steps, risk management steps, and risk communication with workers) Measurements of chemicals in the workplace are legally required to be taken, and it is possible to measure nanomaterial concentrations in the air So… Have these been respected in your company? Ensure that nanomaterials are included in your company’s risk assessment activities If no nanomaterial risk assessment has been done, then contact the labour inspectorate Reference: 3/2013_krebserkrankungen.pdf 3/2013_krebserkrankungen.pdf Image: free-vector/todo-list-vector http:// free-vector/todo-list-vector Date, location