Chapter 6 - Risk Assessment Using Control Banding

Abstract

Control banding (CB) strategies offer simplified processes for controlling worker exposures in the absence of firm toxicologic and exposure information. The nanotechnology industry, with overwhelming uncertainties of work-related health risks posed by nanomaterials, is an excellent candidate for applying such strategies. Ongoing surveys continue to reflect that a majority of nanomaterial producers are not performing a basic risk assessment of their products in use. The use of CB strategies has become a primary route for the assessment and prioritization of potential health risks resulting from work-related exposures to nanomaterials and as a pragmatic approach to preliminary risk management. There has been an impressive growth of available CB tools developed internationally to address chemical risk assessment requirements; however, this is especially applicable in the nanomaterial industries. Toward this end, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) issued a new technical specification standard on the use of CB for managing inhalation risk from engineered nanomaterials. Included in this ISO standard is the CB Nanotool, the first useable tool developed for assessing and controlling nanomaterial exposure risks, which has now received an independent quantitative validation. Research on CB tools has also continued to expand in the scientific literature, and these updates have been addressed in a number of studies. The continuing expansion of CB tool use for nanomaterials requires ongoing efforts for evaluation, validation, and verification. This process has been especially true for the CB Nanotool and includes topics such as its input factors, structure, weighting of risk factors, effectiveness in practice, and utility for exposure mitigation. The ongoing scientific investigation and research on the CB tools developed for nanomaterials is necessary to ensure that risk assessments reflect appropriate solution outcomes and that these CB strategies remain accessible, affordable, and ultimately effective in protecting workers as the science of nanomaterials continues to grow.