Nanotechnology – new risk factor in the world of work

Abstract

Nanotechnology appears in many areas of applied sciences and technics. There are many applications of nanotechnology in health system, pharmaceutical industry, electrical engineering, transportation by air, space travel, beauty industry, catering. It is present in industry and everyday life as well, thus it is an important risk factor of the so called non-contagious diseases in the public health sector – even beyond the working environment. Science people have already started the debate about the pollution and unforeseen health problems related to nanomaterials. Researchers have concentrated on the risks on health of easily respirable micro particles, not to mention those „nano-robots” designed to function in our body. The diseases caused by the nanomaterials in the respiratory and skin systems, the nervous system, the digestive organs, the endocrine system may produce unforeseen, unknown symptoms – as opposite to macro materials – they penetrate and harm healthy cells through the cell walls. Thus the incubation period of work-related diseases is significantly changed as well. The risk is increased by the fact that these materials are not handled separate, in closed systems. By penetrating the vaste, the soil, the water resources they will have not only have harmful health effects on the working people, but impair the health of the whole population, causing significant public health and economical damages. These factors increase the responsibility of occupational health and safety specialists in the given area as well. The risk assessment has to cover the risk factors due to the working environment, the working activity and the individual particularities and their management. The successful risk management needs a change of attitude both in the world of work and in society (the media emphasize only the potential advantages not the health risks and so a false image is produced for the everyday people) and in legislation, as the nano story is about a very slow and weak regulation mechanism, as Nigel Cameron states in the above-mentioned book.