Management of Occupational Risk Prevention of Nanomaterials Manufactured in Construction Sites in the EU.

Mónica López-Alonso,Beatriz Díaz-Soler,María Martínez-Rojas,María Dolores Martínez-Aires,Carlos Fito-López

doi:10.3390/ijerph17249211

Abstract

Currently, nanotechnology plays a key role for technological innovation, including the construction sector. An exponential increase is expected in its application, although this has been hampered by the current degree of uncertainty regarding the potential effects of nanomaterials on both human health and the environment. The accidents, illnesses, and disease related to the use of nanoproducts in the construction sector are difficult to identify. For this purpose, this work analyzes in depth the products included in recognized inventories and the safety data sheets of these construction products. Based on this analysis, a review of the recommendations on the use of manufactured nanomaterials at construction sites is performed. Finally, a protocol is proposed with the aim of it serving as a tool for technicians in decision-making management at construction sites related to the use of manufactured nanomaterials. This proposed protocol should be an adaptive and flexible tool while the manufactured nanomaterials-based work continues to be considered as an “emerging risk,” despite the expectation that the protocol will be useful for the development of new laws and recommendations for occupational risk prevention management.

Highlights

In the last decade, nanotechnology has become one of the research areas with the greatest technological and scientific growth; it is one of the most important technologies in the development of new products
The product range represents the majority of additive products with existing manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs), as shown by the inventories of nanoproducts that collect the different products available in the market [33,57,58]
MNMs have experienced an exponential development that is expected to remain unstoppable in the coming years

Summary

Introduction

Nanotechnology has become one of the research areas with the greatest technological and scientific growth; it is one of the most important technologies in the development of new products. It has been defined as one of the main technologies to address the social challenges within the European Framework Program for Research and Innovation of the EU. Nanomaterials (NMs) that have at least one external dimension in the size range between 1 and 100 nm, can be found naturally in the environment by way of manufacturing, which are commonly called manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) (see Figure 1). Public Health 2020, 17, 9211; doi:10.3390/ijerph17249211 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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