Application of three control banding tools to occupational health risk assessment of titanium dioxide manufacturing factory

Objective To explore and validate suitable risk assessment methods for titanium dioxide though applying three risk assessment tools for nanomaterials based on the control banding (CB) approach. Methods A factory manufacturing titanium dioxide in Jinan city, Shandong province, was assessed using a quantitative exposure method and qualitative risk assessment methods in September, 2014. A condensation particle counter equipment was used to monitor the number concentration of particles at packaging workshop and jet milling workshop. We employed three control banding tools, including CB nanotool, Stoffenmanager nano and the Guidance on working safely with nanomaterials and nanoproducts (GWSNN) to evaluate the two workshops, then compared the evaluation results. Results The increases of particle concentrations were generated directly by packaging and jet milling processes, the number concentration from (3.52±1.46) ×104/cm3 to (14.70±8.86) ×104/cm3 at packaging workshop and from (0.97±0.25) ×104/cm3 to (1.26±0.35) ×104/cm3 at milling workshop (both P<0.05) . The number concentrations at packaging workshop were higher than those at jet milling workshop during both manufacturing and break times (both P<0.05) . The results of CB nanotool showed that the risk level of the packaging workshop was classified as high and the risk level of the jet milling workshop was classified asmedium. The results of Stoffenmanager nano showed that the risk level of the packaging workshop was classified as medium and the risk level of the jet milling workshop was classified as low. The results of GWSNN showed that the risk level of packaging workshop was classified as high and the risk level of jet milling workshop was classified as low. Conclusion The results of evaluation based on the three control banding tools are related and aligned with the results of quantitative monitoring, so they are all suitable to perform occupational health risk assessment on industrial scale production of titanium dioxideto some extent. Key words: Control banding; Titanium dioxide; Risk assessment; Occupational health