With this website, HSE wants to raise awareness for this new technology and its risks in the production process. The website provides information on this technology, risk management, news and links to related content. Nanotechnology involves the creation and/or manipulation of materials at the nanometre (nm) scale. One nanometre is 10-9 m or one millionth of a millimetre. By comparison, a human hair is approximately 70,000 nm in diameter, a red blood cell is approximately 5,000 nm wide and simple organic molecules have sizes ranging from 0.5 to 5 nm. Nanoparticles exist in nature, for example, milk contains nanoscale droplets of fat and every cell in your body relies on nanosized protein complexes to function. Nanoparticles are also manufactured or produced as a by-product of many long standing processes, such as fires, diesel engines and high energy manufacturing processing such as welding or grinding. The production / manufacture of engineered nanomaterials is a rapidly developing area, with a wide range of applications in many different industries. For example, a biologist may use a nanomaterial in their work producing life changing medicines, a builder may incorporate a self cleaning window, coated with a nanomaterial, into a new house, or members of the public may use cosmetic products which incorporate nanomaterials. HSE's role is to ensure that people are protected from any risks to their health and/or safety arising out of work activities, and, HSE has responsibility for the occupational/worker protection aspect of manufactured nanomaterials.
Level of Education: Continuing vocational education and training