Manufactured nano-objects: an occupational survey in five industries

Manufactured Nano-Objects (MNO) are becoming widespread and, especially given their specific properties, it has become necessary to assess the risks linked to their production and use in industrial settings. We describe a survey conducted in five industries in France, to assess the occupationally exposed population relating to the use and/or production of MNO. The results reveal that MNO are generally produced by a small number of establishments in large quantities but are used in smaller quantities by a greater number of establishments. The population of workers exposed to MNO was estimated to about 3000 for user establishments by extrapolating from survey responses. The protective measures implemented in establishments producing or using MNO differ depending on the scale of production and/or use, and are sometimes inadequate given the nature of the potential risks. It is necessary to inform users of their presence in raw materials (through labelling and MSDS), and to make recommendations as to the collective protective measures that should be implemented.