Simply stated, nanotechnology is a system of innovative methods to control and manipulate matter at near atomic scale to produce new materials, structures, and devices.¹ Manufacturers across the board are embracing the technology, coined nanomanufacturing, and the process is creeping up everywhere. Nanomanufactured materials can today be found in everything from auto bumpers that are 60% lighter and more resistant to scratching than standard bumpers, to sunscreen, where nanoparticles absorb UV light, to nanostructured polymer films used to make vibrant computer, TV, and cell phone displays that consume less power.²

Although nanomanufacturing is resulting in better, state-of-the-art products, it is still filled with a lot of unknowns, especially regarding exposure and worker safety. Environmental groups are raising concerns about potential toxicity since research studies have found that nanoparticles, thousands of times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, could spur peculiar biological reactions when inhaled or absorbed through the skin in high concentrations.³ In addition, nanomaterials also present a safety concern for potential fire and explosion. Studies show that decreasing the particle size of already combustible materials may increase the risk for explosion, and even though the explosion risk appears to plateau on order of 10 microns for many dust particles, some nanomaterials are designed specifically to generate heat through the progression of reactionsat the nanoscale, presenting a fire hazard that is unique to engineered nanomaterials.⁴

Workers maybe exposed to these dangers during many phases of the manufacturing process, including packaging, transfer, and cleaning of the products containing nanoscale materials, thus making safety the utmost importance. Despite these concerns, government standards for the industry do not currently exist, but many organizations, including the National Institute for Occupational Health & Safety, have developed precautionary measures to decreaseor eliminate potential risks, and incorporating vacuums with High EfficiencyParticulateAir (HEPA) filters into maintenance plans is a common theme.

“ The use of good work practices can help to minimize worker exposures to nanomaterials,” states NIOSH’s “Safe Approaches to Nanotechnology” report. “Examples of good practices include; cleaning of work areas using HEPA vacuum pickup and wet wiping methods, preventing the consumption of food or beverages in workplaces where nanomaterials are handled, and providing hand-washing facilities and facilities for showering and changing clothes.”¹

Because nanoparticles follow airstreams, vacuums are an effective and efficient tool for protecting nanomanufacturers. HEPA filters will collect 99.97% of particles down to and including 0.3 microns. A vacuum with graduated filtration adds even greater protection. For peak operating efficiency, a vacuum with a multi-stage or graduated filtration system uses a series of progressively finer filters to trap and retain particles as they move through the vacuum. This multi-stage system protects the HEPA filters from blockage and excessive wear and tear, maintaining peak performance. Optimally, the industrial vacuum should feature a HEPA-filtered exhaust stream to further ensure that any air exhausted out of the vacuum is decontaminated and, therefore, safe to breathe. For ultimate safety, an ULPA filter may want to be considered, as it filters 99.999% of microns, down to and including 0.12 microns. And for workers handling highrisk materials, explosion-proof vacuums (EXP) should be factored into the maintenance plan. These grounded machines are made of non-sparking stainless steel with special motors designed to prevent potential explosions within the vacuum. Because not all vacuums are created equal, it is imperative that electric EXPs are approved by nationally recognized testing agencies and meet the requirements for use in nanomanufacturing environments. Intrinsically-safe pneumatic vacuums also exist, and although there are no testing bodies for airoperated machines, they should also absolutely meet the necessary requirements.