Overview - ISO/TR 12885:2018 (Nanotechnologies - Health and safety practices in occupational settings)
ISO/TR 12885:2018 provides guidance on health and safety practices for the occupational manufacture and use of manufactured nano-objects and their aggregates and agglomerates greater than 100 nm (NOAAs). The technical report consolidates current knowledge on characterization, exposure, hazard and risk assessment, and control measures relevant to workplace environments where nanomaterials are produced, handled, or disposed of. It does not cover NOAAs generated unintentionally by natural processes or routine hot processes, nor primary consumer exposures.
Key topics and technical coverage
- Scope, terms and definitions - consistent language for nanoscale materials and NOAAs to support clear communication across organizations.
- Nanomaterials and manufacturing processes - overview of common production routes (aerosols, vapor deposition, colloidal methods, electrospinning, attrition) relevant to occupational exposure potential.
- Hazard characterization - health effects, physical hazards (fire/exothermic events), relationships between toxicity and particle properties (surface area, chemistry, number) and epidemiological observations.
- Exposure assessment - routes of exposure, metrics for airborne nanomaterials, sampling strategies, dustiness and dermal assessment, internal dose considerations, and instrument/monitoring characteristics.
- Risk assessment - qualitative and quantitative approaches tailored to NOAAs, including hazard identification, exposure–response and risk characterization in workplace contexts.
- Risk mitigation and controls - hierarchy of controls: exposure prevention, engineering controls, administrative measures, PPE selection (including respirator assigned protection factors), design and substitution strategies, evaluation of work environments, and health surveillance.
- Useful annexes - primary chemical composition, nanomaterial-specific toxicity studies, instrument/monitoring characteristics, biosafety cabinet guidance, respirator APFs and pros/cons of particulate respirators.
Practical applications - who uses this standard
- Occupational hygienists and EHS professionals implementing workplace nanomaterial safety programs
- Manufacturers and process engineers designing controls to reduce exposure and dustiness
- Laboratory managers and researchers developing safe handling procedures and monitoring plans
- Regulators and policy makers aligning guidance with national occupational safety rules
- Supplier/product stewardship teams preparing safety data and worker training
ISO/TR 12885:2018 supports practical actions such as selecting monitoring instruments, choosing appropriate engineering controls and PPE, designing substitution or containment strategies, and establishing health surveillance policies.
Related standards and guidance
- Prepared by ISO/TC 229 (Nanotechnologies) and intended to complement national occupational health regulations and other ISO guidance relevant to workplace safety and materials characterization.