(274f) The NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Program: Meeting the Challenge for a Safer Workplace

This presentation will summarize key research being conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the area of nanomaterials. NIOSH is the Federal agency in the U.S. responsible for conducting research and making recommendations to prevent work-related injury, illness, and death. Occupational safety and health issues of nanomaterials are complex. The types of nanomaterials and the opportunities for workplace exposure to them continue to grow rapidly. The challenge is to effectively address the safety and health issues of nanotechnology while helping society realize nanotechnology's far-reaching potential benefits. NIOSH has collaborated with stakeholders at home and abroad to fill knowledge gaps related to nanotechnology, to identify and characterize hazards associated with nanomaterials, and to develop guidance for workers exposed to nanomaterials. Protecting the health of workers involved with nanotechnology is a global issue that requires international cooperation, commitment, and collaboration.