Citation

Munir AB, Mohd Yasin SH. Pol. Pract. Health Saf. 2008; 6(1): 97-113.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (Great Britain))

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Nanotechnology is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the world. It is estimated that, by 2015, the industry will employ 2 million workers worldwide. At present, an increasing number of workers are potentially being exposed to nanomaterials in research laboratories, start-up companies and production facilities, and wherever nanomaterials are processed, used, disposed off or recycled. Many researchers and students are also being exposed to nanomaterials in academic laboratories.

While recognising the potential benefits that nanotechnology has to offer, the challenge is to determine whether engineered nanostructured materials and devices present new occupational safety and health risks and, if they do, to proactively minimise them. The bigger challenge is to assess whether existing occupational safety and health rules and regulations will be able to address the potential risks of nanotechnology.