A strategy for assessing workplace exposures to nanomaterials

Gurumurthy Ramachandran, Michele Ostraat, Douglas E. Evans, Mark M. Methner, Patrick O’Shaughnessy, James D’Arcy, Charles L. Geraci, Edward Stevenson, Andrew Maynard, Keith Rickabaugh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

76 Scopus citations

Abstract

This article describes a highly tailorable exposure assessment strategy for nanomaterials that enables effective and efficient exposuremanagement (i.e., a strategy that can identify jobs or tasks that have clearly unacceptable exposures), while simultaneously requiring only a modest level of resources to conduct. The strategy is based on strategy general framework from AIHA ® that is adapted for nanomaterials and seeks to ensure that the risks to workers handling nanomaterials are being managed properly. The strategy relies on a general framework as the basic foundation while building and elaborating on elements essential to an effective and efficient strategy to arrive at decisions based on collecting and interpreting available information. This article provides useful guidance on conducting workplace characterization; understanding exposure potential to nanomaterials; accounting methods for background aerosols; constructing SEGs; and selecting appropriate instrumentation for monitoring, providing appropriate choice of exposure limits, and describing criteria by which exposure management decisions should be made. The article is intended to be a practical guide for industrial hygienists for managing engineered nanomaterial risks in their workplaces.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)673-685
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of occupational and environmental hygiene
Volume8
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Exposure assessment strategy
  • Exposure management
  • Nanomaterials

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A strategy for assessing workplace exposures to nanomaterials'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this