Nanotechnology—the manipulation of matter on a near-atomic scale to produce new materials and devices—has the ability to transform many industries, from medicine to manufacturing, and the products they produce. By 2020, the National Science Foundation estimates, nanotechnology will have a $3 trillion impact on the global economy and employ 6 million workers in the manufacture of nanomaterial-based products, of which 2 million may be manufactured in the United States [NSF 2011]. Nanomaterials may present new challenges to understanding, predicting, and managing potential health risks to workers.\udMany knowledge gaps still remain on how to work safely with all of these materials. Through strategic planning, research, partnering with stakeholders, and making information widely available, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is working to continue to provide national and world leadership in providing solutions that will prevent work-related illness and injury.
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