Control Banding

Control Banding
The International Labour Organization defines Control Banding as "a complementary approach to protecting worker health by focusing resources on exposure controls. Since it is not possible to assign a specific Occupational Exposure Limit to every chemical in use, a chemical is assigned to a 'band' for control measures, based on its hazard classification according to international criteria, the amount of chemical in use, and its volatility/dustiness."¹ The banding is then utilized to recommend four possible control strategies.  

Below is an example of how control banding might be used with respect to nanomaterials:

Exposure Control

• Establish designated areas for Control Banding

• Designated areas are posted with warning signs informing employees that they are entering a nanomaterial work area.
• Signs specify administrative controls and personal protective equipment (PPE) required for entry.
• Utilize following table to determine the overal risk level of the activity and the appropriate control strategies

Exposure Duration	Bound Materials	Potential Release	Free / Unbound
Hazard Group A (Known to be inert)
Short	1	1	2
Medium	1	1	2
Long	1	2	2
Hazard Group B (Understand reactivity/function)
Short	1	2	2
Medium	1	2	3
Long	1	3	3
Hazard Group C (Unknown Properties)
Short	2	2	3
Medium	2	3	4
Long	2	4	4

Exposure Duration Key:
Short: < 4 hours/day, 2 days/week
Medium: 4 to 6 hours/day, 3 to 5 days/week
Long: 6 to >8 hours/day, 3 to 5 days/week

Release Key
Bound: Nanoparticles in Solid Matrix
Potential: Nanoparticles in friable or sol gel matrix
Free/Unbound: Nanoparticles unbound, not aggregated

Control Band (Risk Level) Key
1: General ventiliation and personal protective equipment ("PPE")
2: Engineering controls and/or respirators, additional PPE
3: Containment (e.g., glove box)
4: Seek specialist advice

Please see the following resources for more information about the utilization of control banding with respect to nanomaterials:

• Samuel Y. Paik and David M. Zalk (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) and Paul Swuste (Safety Science Group, Delft University of Technology), "Application of a Pilot Control Banding Tool for Risk Level Assessment and Control of Nanoparticle Exposures," The Annals of Occupational Hygiene (16 May 2008).
• Agence nationale de sécurité sanitare (France), "Development of a specific Control Banding Tool for Nanomaterials" (December 2010)
• Stoffenmanager 4.0 (Netherlands).  The Stoffenmanager is a "tool for prioritizing worker health risks to dangerous substances"; "quantitative inhalation exposure tool"; "REACH Tier one quantitiative inhalation exposure tool."
• Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, Australia,"Nanomaterial Control Banding Tool Worksheet. 

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