Nanotechnology and Occupational Health: Uncertainties in Science and Policy

This presentation was delivered at the University of Minnesota on December 14, 2009 by Professor Gurumurthy Ramachandran, PhD, CIH, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota

View the Nanotechnology and Occupational Health Presentation

The emergence of nanotechnology—the ability to fabricate and manipulate matter at the molecular scale, taking advantages of unique properties that emerge at the nanoscale—is sorely testing the ability of U.S. federal authorities including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide oversight in occupational settings. Significant uncertainties about the relevant exposures and their health consequences are preventing a proper assessment of risks. This presentation will explore these scientific uncertainties, the prohibitive costs of toxicity assessments, as well as fundamental institutional barriers that prevent OSHA from taking a more proactive role in standards setting.