The International Labour Organization defines Control Banding as “a complementary approach to protecting worker health by focusing resources on exposure controls. Since it is not possible to assign a specific Occupational Exposure Limit to every chemical in use, a chemical is assigned to a ‘band’ for control measures, based on its hazard classification according to international criteria, the amount of chemical in use, and its volatility/dustiness.”¹ The banding is then utilized to recommend four possible control strategies.

Below is an example of how control banding might be used with respect to nanomaterials:

Exposure Control

• Establish designated areas for Control Banding
  • Examples: Entire laboratory or manufacturing area, or portion of the larger area, such as a laboratory hood or glove box
• Designated areas are posted with warning signs informing employees that they are entering a nanomaterial work area
• Signs specify administrative controls and personal protective equipment required for entry
• Utilize following table to determine the overall risk level of the activity and the appropriate control strategies

Exposure Duration Key: Short: < 4 hours/day, 2 days/week Medium: 4 to 6 hours/day, 3 to 5 days/week Long: 6 to > 8 hours/day, 3 to 5 days/week

Release Key: Bound: Nanoparticles in Solid Matrix Potential: Nanoparticles in friable or sol gel matrix Free/Unbound: Nanoparticles unbound, not aggregated

Control Band (Risk Level) Key: 1: General ventiliation and personal protective equipment (“PPE”) 2: Engineering controls and/or respirators, additional PPE 3: Containment (e.g., glove box) 4: Seek specialist advice

Please see the following resources for more information about the utilization of control banding with respect to nanomaterials:

• Samuel Y. Paik and David M. Zalk (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) and Paul Swuste (Safety Science Group, Delft University of Technology), “Application of a Pilot Control Banding Tool for Risk Level Assessment and Control of Nanoparticle Exposures,” The Annals of Occupational Hygiene (16 May 2008).
• Agence nationale de sécurité sanitare (France), “Development of a specific Control Banding Tool for Nanomaterials” (December 2010)
• Stoffenmanager 4.0 (Netherlands). The Stoffenmanager is a “tool for prioritizing worker health risks to dangerous substances”; “quantitative inhalation exposure tool”; “REACH Tier one quantitiative inhalation exposure tool.”

1. International Labour Organization, SafeWork