Nanotechnology as we know it today did not exist at the time of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Yet, its provisions to “assure safe and healthful working conditions” apply to nanotechnology workplaces and other workplaces where engineered nanomaterials are produced or used. Engineered nanomaterials are used in a variety of products and applications, including in energy, electronics, transportation, environmental remediation, and medicine. The small size of engineered nanomaterials (at least one dimension smaller than 100 nanometers) gives them unique and useful properties. However, engineered nanomaterials could also pose a health risk to workers who produce or use
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