While there are several potential e

While there are several potential exposure sources for each manufacturing process, packaging, transfer, and cleaning operations may provide the greatest potential for airborne levels of nanomaterials and resultant occupational exposures. “The risk of particle release during production seems to be low, because most production processes take place in closed systems with appropriate filtering systems. Contamination and exposure to workers is more likely to happen during handling and bagging of the material and also during cleaning operations.” (Luther, 2004).
During the formulation of the nanomaterials into products (e.g., coatings and composite materials), workplace releases and exposures may be most likely to occur during the transfer/unloading of nanoscale material from shipping containers and during cleaning of process equipment and vessels. During the use of some of these products in workplace settings, releases of and exposures to nanoscale material are highly dependent upon the application. For example, workers who manually apply spray coatings often have higher levels of occupational exposure. Alternately, components of composites are usually bound in the composite matrix, and workers handling the composites would generally have lower levels of occupational exposure. Exposure could also occur during product machining (e.g., cutting, drilling and grinding), repair, destruction and recycling [National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH), 2005a]. NIOSH (2004, 2005b) has issued additional documents on nanotechnology and workplace safety and associated research needs.