February 2, 2012 at 08:20 PM
Unions and public health activists are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen worker protection provisions in a recently proposed rule governing nanomaterials, arguing that protections fall short of best practices. The effort comes as OSHA and NIOSH continue to study potential emerging workplace safety issues presented by nanotechnology. In particular the groups argue, in comments on proposed significant new use rules (SNURs) for a series of carbon nanotubes, that the agency's singular reliance on respirators to protect workers is problematic and not in line with occupati