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Society For Risk Analysis Annual Meeting 2007
Risk 007: Agents of Analysis
Session Schedule & Abstracts
* Disclaimer: All presentations represent the views of the authors, and not the organizations that support their research. Please apply the standard disclaimer that any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations in abstracts, posters, and presentations at the meeting are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any other organization or agency. Meeting attendees and authors should be aware that this disclaimer is intended to apply to all abstracts contained in this document. Authors who wish to emphasize this disclaimer should do so in their presentation or poster. In an effort to make the abstracts as concise as possible and easy for meeting participants to read, the abstracts have been formatted such that they exclude references to papers, affiliations, and/or funding sources. Authors who wish to provide attendees with this information should do so in their presentation or poster.
Common abbreviations
W3-B |
| Chair(s): Igor Linkov, Richard Canady |
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W3-B.1 14:00 Administering the NanoSAFE Risk Management Program for Nano EHS. Hull M*, Linkov I; Virginia Tech and INtertox Inc. ilinkov@intertox.com Abstract: NanoSAFE has attracted a great deal of interest as an environmental health and safety program that has successfully implemented procedures to comprehensively address nanotechnology environmental health and safety concerns in research and manufacturing facilities where nanomaterials are produced, studied, or otherwise handled. However, scrutiny is increasing about the possible presence of nanomaterials and their associated health risks. Because of their small size, nanomaterials may have unique chemical characteristics and toxicological properties. Misconceptions regarding nanomaterials and risk, and the potential for regulatory actions, could lead to significant difficulties for industry operations. This paper presents NanoSAFE, a management program aimed at minimizing the potential health and safety risks of working with nanoscale materials. NanoSAFE cluster issues associated with nanotechnology into five components: 1. Employee Health Assurance, 2. Workplace Safety Technologies, 3. Toxicological Studies, 4. Environmental Impact Assessment, 5. Management of Facility and Products. Adaptive design of the NanoSAFE program allows focusing limited resources on the most crucial data gaps to support remedial actions as well as help in focusing sampling and material characterization. NanoSAFE was developed and tested in industrial settings with close collaboration with NIOSH. This presentation will discuss NanoSAFE as well as its linkages with risk assessment and decision analysis tools for guiding efficient program implementation. |
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W3-B.2 14:20 Pragmatic legal risk reduction strategies. Monica J*; Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP jmonica@porterwright.com Abstract: Companies operating on the cutting edge of technology are often held to a cutting edge standard of care/investigation when faced with potential liability issues. This presentation examines how nanotechnology companies may best protect themselves against potential liability in the uncertain EHS and regulatory environment presented by nanotechnology. The initial step is to understand the current status of regulatory and self-governance trends, how they intersect, and the pros and cons of each approach. The presentation will first summarize these issues and will then go on to offer six concrete steps to reducing potential legal risks presented by nanotechnology: (1) a review of nano-specific EHS scientific literature and analysis documentation program; (2) substitute use of nanomaterials with positive documented safety records; (3) nanospecific workplace exposure review and industrial hygiene evaluation; (4) premarket lifecycle legal audit for all new nanoproducts; (5) product specific safety testing, and (6) commercial general liability insurance policy coverage evaluation. The presentation will conclude with an opportunity for audience questions concerning practical legal issues raised in the presentation. |
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