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FROM THE DESK OF RANDALL A. KROCKA
SMOHIT Administrator
The term "nanomaterials" may conjure up visions of sci-fi movies and superhero comics. But these particles are very much real and in use in the construction industry today. They may also present health and safety hazards that we're just beginning to understand. Please read the article below from our friends at CPWR, who are testing and measuring nanoparticle exposures during a variety of construction tasks:
Nanomaterials and construction
Manufactured nanoparticles, smaller than the width of a human hair, are being added to a growing number of construction products to give them strength, durability or other properties. Little is known about the possible health effects on workers who use these materials.
That's why CPWR is measuring engineered nanoparticle exposures during different construction tasks, with and without engineering controls. In a recent test, a CPWR team used a power sander on a sheet of plywood treated with a wood sealant containing zinc oxide nanoparticles. They found that a vacuum dust collection system (i.e. Local Exhaust Ventilation, or LEV) captured more than 90 percent of the nanoparticles, despite their small size. CPWR has prepared a one-page summary of the article Inhalation Exposure during Spray Application and Subsequent Sanding of a Wood Sealant Containing Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles, published in April's Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.
To learn about how this technology is transforming the construction industry, and to see if products you use contain nanomaterials, visit eLCOSH NANO. In addition, visit the CPWR website for a Hazard Alert on the topic, plus toolbox talks on nanoparticles in wood stains and cement.
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