Occupational Health Surveillance for Nanotechnology Workers

Project Information

Principal Investigator	Douglas Trout
Institution
Project URL	View
Relevance to Implications	High
Class of Nanomaterial	Engineered Nanomaterials
Impact Sector	Safety
Broad Research Categories	Safety Risk Assessment Risk Management
NNI identifier

Funding Information

Country	USA
Anticipated Total Funding	n/a
Annual Funding	n/a
Funding Source	NIOSH
Funding Mechanism	Intramural
Funding Sector	Government
Start Year	2005
Anticipated End Year	2007

Abstract/Summary

The unique physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials, the increasing growth of nanotechnology in the workplace, and information suggesting that engineered nanomaterials may pose a safety and health hazard to workers all underscore the need for medical and hazard surveillance for nanotechnology. Every workplace dealing with engineered nanomaterials and nanotechnology should consider an occupational health surveillance program. NTRC has convened a cross-Federal group to develop a document as a framework for using existing medical and hazard surveillance mechanisms to create occupational health surveillance programs for nanotechnology workers. This guidance is not a prescriptive recommendation for a specific type of surveillance program, but rather is provided to present information that can be used to create appropriate occupational health surveillance to fit the needs of workers and organizations involved with nanotechnology. This framework presents information to help initiate occupational health surveillance where none exist. It is likely that as the field of nanotechnology changes over time modifications to any initial surveillance program will need to be considered periodically.