Metody oceny ryzyka zawodowego przy stosowaniu nanomateriałów
Methods of occupational risk assessment related to the use of nanomaterials

Summary/Abstract: The use of nanomaterials in the different areas of the national economy, on one hand, contributes to the manufacture of products that make human life easier and more comfortable, but on the other, if the risk is not properly managed, it can pose a threat to the workers’ health. Therefore, it is necessary to identify, assess and reduce the risk of occupational exposure to these hazardous materials. Presented in the article methods for estimation of the occupational risk are now the sole solution to properly manage the risk posed by engineering nanomaterials (ENMs) and to take appropriate measures to reduce it. Their application will enable Polish employers to comply with the recommendations of Directive 98/24 EC in the area of occupational risk management related to these specific chemical substances. The main means to solving the problem of occupational risk assessment, posed by nanomaterials, are control banding methods (CB methods), that take into account the physicochemical properties and specific impact of nanoparticles on living organisms. These methods are increasingly used in EU countries, in the USA and Canada, and are recommended by the International Labour Organisation, the World Health Organisation and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.

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