Safe Work Australia’sNanotechnology Work Health & Safety

Program

New Reports

Howard MorrisNanotechnology Work Health & Safety Program

Manager

March 2013

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

Safe Work Australia’s Nanotechnology Work Health & Safety Program

• Safe Work Australia - Australian Government agency

• Australian government funding under National Enabling Technologies Strategy

• Focus areas

– Nanotechnologies & work health and safety regulatory framework

– Understanding hazardous properties of engineered nanomaterials

– Evaluating effectiveness of workplace controls

– Emissions and exposure measurement capability

– Information & guidance for nanotechnology organisations

– Participating in international initiatives & ensuring consistency with international approaches

Published Research Reports www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

Plus• Durability of carbon nanotubes and their potential to cause inflammation• Nanoparticles from printer emissions in workplace environments• Health effects of laser printer emissions measured as particles• Human health hazard assessment and classification of carbon nanotubes

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

Measurements of particle emissions from nanotechnology processesQueensland University of Technology/Workplace Health & Safety Queensland

• 6 processes examined, different engineered nanomaterials• Measurement approaches & equipment examined

• OECD WPMN Emission Assessment guidance/NEAT

• Use of particle control values considered• Workplace exposure standards & limits

• Other reference values

• Use of excursion guidance criteria• 8hr & 15 minutes TWA, peak emissions

Report building on this research provided to OECD WPMN SG8 – currently under review

Approach for Workplace Measurement

Recommends 3-tiered assessment approach

• Tier 1 - occupational hygiene survey of process area & measurements to identify likely points of particle emission

• Tier 2 - measuring particle number and mass concentration to evaluate emission sources & workers’ breathing zone exposures

– Comparison with background levels

– Use of CPC, OPC & photometer

• Tier 3 - repeat Tier 2 measurements & simultaneous collection of particles for off-line analysis

In practice, all 3 Tiers may not be needed

(P.McGarry et al, QUT/WHSQ, 2012)

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

6

Effectiveness of LEV confirmed

• Advice on LEV use provided

Process 2 - C

0.00E+00

1.00E+04

2.00E+04

3.00E+04

4.00E+04

5.00E+04

6.00E+04

7.00E+0411

:02

11:1

6

11:3

1

11:4

5

12:0

0

12:1

4

12:2

8

12:4

3

12:5

7

13:1

2

Time

Par

ticl

e N

um

ber

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

p c

m-3

)

CPC3781 background CPC3781 at source

release artificial smoke

extrusion machine started - polyurethane additive only clay

added to hopper

opened extruder plate

local extractionventilationturned on

extraction turned off

extraction turned back on

extrusion stopped

(P.McGarry et al, QUT/WHSQ, 2012)

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

Health hazard assessment and classification of carbon nanotubes (NICNAS)

• Classification criteria used• 3rd Revised Edition of the GHS• Australian Approved Criteria

– being replaced by the GHS criteria but may still be used during the regulatory transition period

• Classification for each health endpoint• Not classified as hazardous - data acceptable for regulatory

decision making available and do not meet criteria for classification

• Cannot be classified – No guideline studies or other suitable scientific data acceptable for regulatory decision making, or available data not sufficient to make classification decision.

• Classified as hazardous – At least one guideline toxicity study or other suitable data available where outcomes meet the criteria for classification

Recommended classification of carbon nanotubes

• Summary of NICNAS’ recommended GHS classifications

Classification recommended

Health Hazard Endpoint

Classified as hazardous

Carcinogenicity: Category 2Specific target organ toxicity - repeated exposure: Category 2

Not classified as hazardous

Acute toxicity: Oral, DermalSerious eye irritationSkin irritationSkin sensitisationSpecific target organ toxicity - single exposure

Cannot be classified

Acute toxicity: InhalationRespiratory sensitisation Germ cell mutagenicity Reproductive toxicity

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

Evaluation of potential safety (physicochemical) hazards associated with the use of engineered nanomaterials (Draft Report, Toxikos)

Review of published data

• Accidental explosions involving metal nanopowders have resulted in deaths of workers

– during production of aluminium nanopowder by mechanical attrition milling

– in premix plant of a slurry explosive factory when loading a batch mixer with very fine aluminium flake

• Dust clouds of a number of types of engineered nanomaterials can result in very strong explosions if

– concentrations of engineered nanomaterials in air are sufficiently high, and

– dusts can be ignited

• Severity of explosion for engineered nanomaterials no higher than for micron-sized counterparts

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

Evaluation of potential safety hazards

• Minimum explosive concentration (MEC) is significantly higher (30-70g/m3) than found in a well-managed workplace as a result of fugitive emissions from nanotechnology processes

• In some situations where production is not designed and/or controlled effectively, air concentrations in localised areas may be sufficiently high to result in explosions

• Minimum ignition energy (MIE) varies with material type

– Nanoscale metal powders are easily ignited (low MIE, <10mJ)

– Carbon nanomaterials are not easily ignited (high MIE, >1000mJ)

Evaluation of potential safety (physicochemical) hazards associated with the use of engineered nanomaterials (Draft Report, Toxikos 2013)

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

Investigating the emissions of nanomaterials from composites and other solid articles during machining processes (Draft Report, CSIRO)

Review of published data

• Examines:– how particle release was measured– workplace controls– levels of releases– types of particles emitted– potential risk to workers’ health.

• Machining processes examined:– wet and dry cutting, drilling, grinding, sanding, abrasion

• Informed contribution to NanoRelease

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

Emissions from solid articles during machining • Quantity of emissions not significantly different from

machining of composites without nano-objects• High energy machining processes

– emit significantly higher numbers of particles – produce higher airborne mass concentrations

• Lower emissions can be achieved using wet machining in place of dry machining

• Mixture of particles is released from composites– Most particles emitted come from the matrix or are particles of

matrix with nano-objects embedded – Some free engineered nano-objects are released

• 2 studies reported emission of free carbon nanotubes & nanofibres, a number of other machining studies did not detect the emission of free carbon nanotubes

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

(Draft Report, CSIRO 2013)

Emissions from solid articles during machining

Potential risk to workers’ health:• Unless reinforcing particles are of high toxicity,

similar health risk from machining of composites with/without reinforcing nano-objects

• Potential health risk from high energy machining processes

• Levels of emissions from low energy process should not present a significant health risk, unless emitted particles have high toxicity

Engineering controls can significantly reduce worker exposure

– if designed appropriately and maintained adequately

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

(Draft Report, CSIRO 2013)

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

Current Projects

Training course on nanotechnology work health and safety (RMIT University)

Development of methodology for high throughput nanotoxicity studies (University of South Australia)

Update to review of toxicology & health hazards of nanomaterials (ToxConsult)

ISO TC229 Working Group 3, March 2013

Further Information

• My contact details

Phone: +61 2 6121 9127

Email: howard.morris@swa.gov.au

• Website: www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au