Directive on the work with engineered nano materials : exposure potential and control measures LEX 1.5.5

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1 Directive on the work with engineered nano materials : eposure potential and control measures LEX May 2013 The Direction of the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne hereby adopts the following : Preamble In October 2011, European commission defined "Nanomaterial" : A natural, incidental or manufactured (engineered) material ; Containing particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or as an agglomerate ; And where for 50 % or more of the particles in the number size distribution, one or more eternal dimensions are in the size range 1 nm nm. A material should be considered as falling under this definition where the specific surface area (SSA) by volume of the material is greater than 60 m2/cm3. (However, a material with SSA lower than 60 m2/cm3 should still be considered as nanomaterial if it complies with above number size distribution). By derogation from this definition, fullerenes, graphene flakes and single wall carbon nanotubes with one or more eternal dimensions below 1 nm should be considered as nanomaterials. Present document concerns only engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). The directive is based on the project developed by the Nanosafe team, involving safety and health specialists, occupational hygiene epert, SUVA and SECO representatives and EPFL scientists and nanoparticles users 1. Review of nanotoicology literature indicates that nanoparticles size, shape, oidant generation capacity, surface functionalization and rate of dissolution are critical determinants of bioactivity of ENMs. Eposure standards have not been established for engineered nanoparticles in Switzerland or internationally. Eception are nanoparticles of TiO2 whose indicative eposure limit is set to 0.3 mg/m3 (alveolar fraction) and carbon nanotubes and nanofibers (length more than 5 μm, diameter less than 3 μm, and ratio of the length and diameter more than 3:1), whose limit is set to 0.01 fibre/ml. Until more definite findings are made regarding the potential health risks of handling nanomaterials, it is prudent to implement combination of technical, organisational and personal protective measures to minimize potential eposure to researchers and the others. While the scientific community continues to gather data to assess health and safety risks associated with engineered nanomaterials, this directive may be updated as information becomes available. 1 Ref. Groso A., Petri-Fink A., Magrez A., Riediker M. and Meyer T. 2010, Management of nanomaterials safety in research environment, Particle and Fibre Toicology 7 40 Version 1.0 1/9

2 Article 1 Instructions 1 If you are concerned with ENMs production and/or use, use Decision Tree given in Appendi 1 to determine to what Nano class your laboratory belongs. Decision Tree should be used to analyse each phase of the process that involves ENMs as defined above. As the result of analysis, different phases of the processes will be classified into Nano 1, Nano 2 or Nano 3. Laboratory (physical space) is then classified to the level obtained. 2 If laboratory is classified into Nano 2 or Nano 3, the lab responsible should get in touch with Faculty safety coordinator in order to analyse process more in detail, and consider possibilities to reduce the Nano class or regrouping activities. As the result of this more detailed analysis, definitive Nano class of laboratory is defined. 3 The precautionary technical, organisational and personal protective measures to be taken for each Nano class are specified in the Appendi 2, 3 and 4. Measures related to ENMs consignment, work places cleaning, are given in the Appendi 5. Medical survey procedure is schematically described in the Appendi 6. Waste management and disposal are eplained in the Appendi 7. Article 2 In case of accident 1 Call 115 immediately and try to gather relevant information concerning the product or miture that caused the accident. 2 Fire or eplosion : Nanomaterials are generally not eplosive or flammable in small laboratory quantities unless material is inherently reactive, however some of the synthesis methods may use techniques where fire and eplosion are potential hazards. Article 3 Coming into force The present directive come into force on 13 May On behalf of the EPFL Direction: Patrick Aebischer President Susan Killias General Counsel Version 1.0 2/9

3 Appendi 1 Decision tree for Nano laboratory classification Version 1.0 3/9

4 Appendi 2 Technical protective measures for three Nano laboratory classes Laboratory Measures Comments Nano 1 Nano 2 Nano 3 Chemistry lab type (renewal without recycling 5-10 X/h) Ventilation With at least sealed F14 filter (maintenance!) for eiting air Low pressure in the room < 20 Pa Capture at source (1) Floor Flooring Tiling or linoleum Resin Manipulation Optional (*) under fume hood Compulsory (1) Restricted (magnetic card access control system) Access restriction Regular lab access control (laboratory key) Evidence about eposed people + board to record presence SAS entrance and SAS (if > 100 g ultrafine particles) (2) eit Safety shower Use of vacuum Asbestos type (3) cleaners Housekeeping type Forbidden Technical (*) Reinforced Nano 1: Nano 1 plus obligatory manipulation under fume hood. Comments : (1) Depending of the type of the process/activity, capture at source or manipulation under fume hood will be adopted. (2) SAS will be an area that is physically separated from the lab where city clothes can be changed into laboratory clothes, preventing contamination of the former. (3) In case of spill of powder, do not use regular vacuum cleaner. Contact DSPS for dedicated, approved HEPA vacuum whose filtration effectiveness has been verified. Wet clean subsequently (wet wipe using damp cloths with soaps, or commercially available wet or electrostatic microfiber cleaning cloths). For liquid spills: apply absorbent material appropriate for the solvent in dispersion. For regular cleaning do wet cleaning only. Version 1.0 4/9

5 Appendi 3 Organisational protective measures, reception and shipping for three Nano laboratory classes Organisationnel Réception & Livraison Accès restreint Formation Séparation des vêtements ville/ laboratoire Conditionnement des matériau contaminés par nano Elimination des substances et produits nano Evacuation de déchets et PPE Transport des "nano-objets" Organisation Procédure Stockage Laboratoire Mesures Commentair es Nano 1 Nano 2 Nano 3 Uniquement personnes autorisées Uniquement des activités nano dans le laboratoire Procédures de travail écrites Formation de base (4) Formation continue Standard (poubelle et sac domestiques) Toique (oubelle pour les déchets toiques) Doubles sacs déchets toiques (100 µm d épaisseur) Entreposage des sacs dans un conteneur scellé Déchets liquides Déchets solides (5) Interdit Double emballage Filière domestique Interdit Filière toique (remettant déchets spéciau) Emballage simple Interdit Emballage double (6) Point de réception unique par bâtiment ou Magasin de produits chimiques Procédure de commande Adresse de livraison Procédure de réception Local standard Interdit Armoire ventilée Comments : (4) Basic training consists of the introduction to notions of nanomaterials potential hazards/precautions. Continuous training should address lab specific training relevant to the nanomaterials and associated hazardous chemicals used in the process/eperiment. The last can include review of MSDSs if available and working procedures as well as present directive. The laboratories' responsible persons or safety coordinators can dispense both trainings. (5) See Appendi 7 for details on waste management. (6) Use sealed container with secondary containment (closed bo or sealed bag) when transporting nanomaterials between laboratories or buildings. Version 1.0 5/9

6 Appendi 4 Personal protective measures for three Nano laboratory classes Personal Eyes protection Respiratory organs protection Body protection Hands protection Laboratory Measures Comments Nano 1 Nano 2 Nano 3 Safety glasses Laboratory mask or close fitting safety goggles Mask with assisted ventilation if > 2h FFP3 mask if < 2 h Overall with hood - Tyvek style Non-woven lab coat Simple lab coat Overshoes 2 pairs of adapted gloves (7) 1 pair of adapted gloves Comments : (7) Select gloves based on compatibility with materials and solvents to be used. Furthermore, according to permeability studies for some categories of ENM, recommendations are: Nitrile over Late for CNTs; Late, Nitrile and Neoprene for TiO2 and Pt; Late, Nitrile, Neoprene and Vinyl for Graphite. Version 1.0 6/9

7 Appendi 5 Other controls for the different Nano laboratory classes Cleaning Audit & followup Who? How? Protective equipment Supervision Audit Medical survey Laboratory Measures Comments Nano 1 Nano 2 Nano 3 Eternal personnel Trained eternal personnel (8) Only laboratory personnel Wet cleaning only Broom Forbidden Housekeeping type vacuum cleaner Forbidden Regular The same as for laboratory personnel Laboratory responsible Without supervision Only by safety specialits (MSST) "Safety officer" not MSST Not necessary Only regular lab personal (9) All eposed persons Pregnant woman Work authorization Only by occupational physician (MT) Obligatory workplace audit by MT Comments : (8) Eternal personnel are regular cleaning staff at the EPFL. Trained eternal personnel are regular cleaning staff to whom laboratory specific instructions/eplanations are given. (9) The medical survey is mandatory preventive eamination (with 2 years interval) for all persons working with nanoparticles. However, two eclusive eligibility criteria are given by our insurance SUVA : Work in areas classified Nano 2 and 3 ; Annual duration of eposure > 30 days or 200 hours. The occupational physician and his team will carry out medical survey at EPFL Point Health. It will include: a targeted history, physical eamination, laboratory testing (hematology, renal and hepatic parameters, and urinary status), spirometry and electrocardiogram. A chest X-ray will also be performed at the Lausanne-Flon PMU clinic. Version 1.0 7/9

8 Appendi 6 Schematic representation of medical survey s procedure Version 1.0 8/9

9 Appendi 7 Waste management of ENMs For waste labelling, refer to the tree for management of chemical wastes, to be found at the web site : Regarding waste disposal, follow the following : Contaminated material: dispose in the plastic bags for toics inside metallic bins for toics (Image 1) ; Solid waste: Dispose in adequate containers, one family of solids per recipient. Mark names of the substances or mitures ; Liquid waste: Dispose in plastic containers, one type of solvent per recipient. Mark name of the substance or the miture. Regarding waste conditioning for transport to the chemical shop, use double packaging that can be secondary container with anti-shock or plastic bag to be sealed (Image 2) or attached. Image 1 Image 2 Version 1.0 9/9