Safety, Health & Environment
At NanoCentral we recognise that there are still significant uncertainties regarding the risks that nano-particulates may pose to the health of those working with them, the customers for these products and to the general environment.
To create a coherent and accurate view of the risks involved, these uncertainties must be addressed in an integrated way across the whole of industry and academia. This will involve looking at potential toxicological effects as well as routes and levels of exposure. The SAFEnano initiative at the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) is able to generate the information necessary to maintain public and industry confidence in nano-products and processes, thereby helping to deliver the full economic potential.
IOM, with its excellent in-house facilities and links into the other regulatory bodies can provide at launch the following services to industry:
- Point of contact (help line) and information services for the dissemination of information and advice (e.g. web site www.snirc.org)
- Training in risk/hazard assessment awareness
- Occupational hygiene assessment services and advice
- Hazard and Risk Assessments for new products and processes
- Surveillance programmes to track staff health, occupational exposure and the effect of exposure
The IOM will collaborate with the Network in a series of programmes including:
- Development of methods to assess exposure with existing instruments
- Determination and categorisation of the range of nanomaterials to which people are likely to be substantially exposed or which have the potential to be released into the environment
- Identification of relevant model nanomaterial systems which could be used as mono-disperse aerosols to investigate human exposure.
To check out the IOM website click here.
The work of the Network’s users and providers presents a unique opportunity to focus health and safety resources rapidly across a wide range of nanomaterial products and develop a credible response to questions and issues associated with their production and use.
We are currently promoting NanoMaterials 2010, where there will be a workshop on NanoMaterials SHE, to find out more information & to book tickets for this event visit:
For a brief introduction to the workshop including speakers biographies click here.