Skip to main content
IOSH Magazine: Safety, Health and Wellbeing in the world of work - return to the homepage IOSH Magaazine logo
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit @ioshmagazine on Twitter
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on LinkedIn
Non-verbal communication
How to build trust
March/April 2023 issue

Main navigation

  • Home
    • Browse previous issues
    • Member accolades
    • Member tributes
  • Health
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Accident reduction
      • Behavioural safety
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Sickness absence
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
      • ISO 45003
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Rehabilitation
      • Personal injury
      • Return to work
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Achieving Fellowship
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Professional skills
      • Qualifications
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
      • Future Leaders
  • Jobs
  • Covid-19
  • Knowledge Bank
    • Back to basics
    • Book club
    • Infographics
    • Podcast
    • Reports
    • Webinars
    • Videos
  • Products & Services
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Sickness absence
      • Accident reduction
      • Behavioural safety
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Leadership
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
      • ISO 45003
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Qualifications
      • Professional skills
      • Achieving Fellowship
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
      • Future Leaders
  • Transport and logistics
  • Third sector
  • Retail
  • Mining and quarrying
  • Rail
  • Rehabilitation
    • Personal injury
    • Return to work
  • Utilities
  • Manufacturing and engineering
  • Construction
  • Sector: IOSH Branch
    • Sector: Northern Ireland
    • Sector: Midland
    • Sector: Merseyside
    • Sector: Manchester and North West Districts
    • Sector: Ireland East
    • Sector: Ireland
    • Sector: Edinburgh
    • Sector: Desmond-South Munster
    • Sector: Qatar
    • Sector: Oman
    • Singapore
    • Sector: South Coast
    • Sector: South Wales
    • Sector: Thames Valley
    • Sector: Tyne and Wear
    • Sector: UAE
    • Sector: West of Scotland
    • Sector: Yorkshire
  • Healthcare
  • Sector: Fire
  • Sector: Financial/general services
  • Sector: Energy
  • Education
  • Sector: Communications and media
  • Chemicals
  • Sector: Central government
  • Catering and leisure
  • Agriculture and forestry
  • Sector: Local government
  • Sector: IOSH Group
    • Sector: Financial Services
    • Sector: Sports Grounds and Events
    • Rural industries
    • Sector: railway
    • Public Services
    • Sector: Offshore
    • Sector: Hazardous Industries
    • Sector: Food and Drink
    • Sector: Fire Risk Management
    • Education
    • Construction
    • Sector: Aviation and Aerospace
Quick links:
  • Home
  • Categories
  • IOSH News

How to use nanotechnology safely in construction and demolition

Open-access content Monday 8th January 2018
From the archive:  Just so you know, this article is more than 3 years old.

nanotech

These unlock new and better features to transform the performance of buildings and infrastructure. But, for all their benefits, the very small-scale particles and fibres could also carry risks.

Some long and very thin strands might act like asbestos if they float freely in the environment and are inhaled, for instance. There is limited information or guidance for manufacturers and people working in construction and demolition about where these nanomaterials are used and their risks.

Now a research team at Loughborough University, sponsored by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), has produced guidance based on their investigations into where these materials are used, how widespread this is, potential risks and how workers in construction and demolition might manage these.

The researchers set out to discover what is known about the prevalence of nanomaterials in construction, to test possible risks in the lab and to give guidance for manufacturers of nanomaterials or products containing them and people working in construction or demolition.

Estimates suggest that by 2025 up to half of new building materials might contain nanomaterials. However, what we know about where and how these 'ingredients' are used is incomplete.

Products that contain nanomaterials are rarely precisely labelled and the way health and safety legislation applies in different countries may not require manufacturers or suppliers to provide information to consumers or regulators about the type of nanomaterial or the specific way in which it is used.

The project was led by Professor Alistair Gibb and Dr Wendy Jones, both from Loughborough University. Dr Jones said:

"With this research we aimed to get a clearer picture of the current status of nanomaterials used in the construction industry and to bring this information to relevant audiences in a practical way. We also hoped to debunk some controversy and misunderstanding about nanomaterials and their risks.

"We researched what information is known already and sought to pull together materials that would otherwise be inaccessible. We describe the nanofilms used for some window glass, silica aerogels used in insulation, nanosilicas used in concrete and coatings, which are the most numerous and readily available nanoscale products in construction.

"The team found that nanomaterials are used primarily in surface coatings, concrete, window glass, insulation and steel in different ways and to differing extents. Some nanomaterials, such as certain types of carbon nanotube (CNT), are reported as potentially harmful, but these do not currently seem to be in common usage in the UK.

"In terms of risk, even problematic nanomaterials such as long, straight CNTs will not be hazardous as long as they are embedded in a solid, stable structure. Risk only arises if workers are exposed to certain nanoparticles or nanofibres in the form of dusts or aerosols; this might occur during construction or demolition activities."

Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher, IOSH's Director of Professional Services, said:

"Whilst there's still much more we can learn about nanomaterials, through this research we're pleased to produce practical guidance to help raise much needed awareness for those working in the construction sector in particular, and support them in managing potential risks.

"It's vital that industry works together in sharing information about nanomaterials used in products more effectively. Steps such as this will help increase our knowledge and make a real difference in improving occupational safety and health practice."

For more details about this research, please see our full report and our guidance for practitioners visit www.iosh.co.uk/nanotechnology

You may also be interested in...

 “Concern” over fatal accidents on Ireland’s farms

Friday 5th January 2018
There were 24 work-related fatalities in the country’s agricultural sector in 2017 - accounting for more than half of the overall toll of 47 across all sectors, according to figures released by the country’s Health and Safety Authority (HSA). It was the second year running that the deaths in agriculture had risen, with 21 deaths recorded in 2016 and 18 in 2015.
Open-access content

 Late IOSH Fellow fondly remembered

Thursday 18th January 2018
John Gloss was an active member of the Institute of Municipal Safety Officers (IMSO), one of the organisations which preceded IOSH.He helped to organise its annual conference and events with the Midland branch. He also headed up IMSO’s Welfare Fund.
Open-access content

 Irish employers urged to combat worker ill-treatment

Wednesday 24th January 2018
The Irish Workplace Behaviour Study, published today, reveals that more than two in five people say they have experienced a form of ill-treatment at work, while one in 12 have experienced and/or witnessed physical violence. This is despite most organisations having policies in place to prevent it.
Open-access content

 Silica dust cancer risk tackled by cross-industry commitment

Monday 4th December 2017
After signing a commitment to tackle the cancer risk posed by respirable crystalline silica (RCS), organisations have removed or substituted materials which contain the deadly dust while others have introduced mechanisms to control what workers breathe in.The ‘Tackling respirable crystalline together: a cross-industry commitment’ was joined by organisations from across industry including construction, rail and mineral products, as well as professional bodies, academics and unions.
Open-access content

 Healthy work embedded in new UK Industrial Strategy – IOSH

Tuesday 28th November 2017
The strategy, revealed on Monday 27 November by Business Secretary Greg Clark MP, aims to improve productivity.IOSH has highlighted a number of key areas in the White Paper which tie in with its own work and that of the wider occupational safety and health profession.They include recognising the importance of workers and inclusive workplaces in driving the UK’s future prosperity.
Open-access content

 IOSH joins Vision Zero campaign

Tuesday 20th February 2018
IOSH has signed up to Vision Zero, a proposed strategy to keep all the world’s employees out of harm’s way while at work.The campaign, led by the International Social Security Association (ISSA), is based on the view that all work-related accidents, diseases and harm are preventable.IOSH is a longstanding member of ISSA, with representation on the prevention, education and training sections. It has been central to the development of the Vision Zero global campaign, with particular input to the free-to-access guide for trainers which has been recently launched.
Open-access content

Latest from IOSH News

jfc

 IOSH launches new five-year strategy

Tuesday 21st March 2023
IOSH launches its new five-year strategy this spring. It will build and act on the reshaped purpose and ambition gained during WORK 2022, which ran from 2017 to 2022.
Open-access content
RTSH

 Blueprint: new plans and opportunities

Wednesday 4th January 2023
Virman Man explains how IOSH’s new and enhanced tool, launched at the end of last year, will energise you as you take the next steps in your OSH journey in 2023.
Open-access content
52544989228_1185522469_c.jpg

 Celebration marks new IOSH president

Friday 9th December 2022
The 56th president of IOSH was celebrated last week at an event held at Westminster University in London.
Open-access content
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Health Safety and Wellbeing Advisor 

London (Greater)
Competitive Salary
Reference
5452969

HSE Manger

Washington
£45000 - £50000 per annum
Reference
5452967

SHEQ Systems Advisor

Bexleyheath
£25000 - £45000 per annum
Reference
5452963
See all jobs »

Sign up for regular e-alerts

Receive the latest news and features, free to your inbox

Sign up

Subscribe to IOSH magazine

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
IOSH Covers
​
FOLLOW US
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube
CONTACT US
Contact us
Tel +44 (0)20 7880 6200
​

IOSH

About IOSH
Become a member
IOSH Events
MyIOSH

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to IOSH magazine
Write for IOSH magazine

IOSH Magazine

Health
Safety
Management
Skills
IOSH Jobs

© 2023 IOSH • IOSH is not responsible for the content of external sites

ioshmagazine.com and IOSH Magazine are published by Redactive Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ