NRC Includes Nanomaterials in Guidelines for Working with Hazardous Chemicals

On March 25, 2011, the National Research Council (NRC) announced the availability of a report entitled Prudent Practices in the Laboratory, which updates NRC’s guidelines on the safe use of hazardous chemicals. NRC last updated the guidelines in 1995, and the new edition includes new topics, including the handling of nanomaterials. The update sets out general guidelines for the management of nanomaterials. NRC developed the guidelines “from accepted chemical hygiene protocols for handling compounds of unknown toxicity.” The guidelines cover topics such as planning and assessing the hazards of nanomaterial work, information on grading the risk of working with different types of nanomaterial, and suggestions on ways to make sure the working environment is designed to protect laboratory personnel from exposure to nanoparticles.