A review of the potential occupational health and safety implications of nanotechnology for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Final Report

This final report, prepared by Flinders Consulting Party Limited for the Australian Safety and Compensation Council, is a literature review of the human exposure factors and toxicology of nanoparticles engineered either for commercial or research use. The report found that while the occupational health and safety effects of engineered nanoscale particles are still mostly unknown, some animal and in vitro tests have shown that negative concequences are possible from nanoparticle use and exposure. The report considers that the greatest gaps in the current knowledge of nanoparticle safety are; 1) the development of cost-effective and robust ambient air monitoring systems for nanotubes, 2) the setting of priorities to acquire the necessary information for the determination of meaningful workplace exposure standards and adequate worker protection, and 3) the need for chronic exposure studies to be done in appropriate in vivo test systems to generate information on the long-term health affects of nanoparticles.