ASTM E2996-20

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Designation: E2996 − 15 E2996 − 20
Standard Guide for
Workforce Education in Nanotechnology Health and Safety
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2996; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This guide provides guidelines a framework for basic workforce education in health and safety topics related to
nanotechnology, to be taught at an undergraduate college level. This education should be broad to prepare an individual to work
safely within one of the many areas in nanotechnology research, development, or manufacturing. The individual so educated may
be involved in material handling, manufacture, distribution, storage, use, or disposal of nanoscale materials.
1.2 This guide may be used to develop or evaluate an education program for health and safety issues in the nanotechnology field.
This guide provides listings of key topics that should be covered in a nanotechnology education program on this subject, but it does
not provide specific course material to be used in such a program. This approach is taken in order to allow workforce education
entities to ensure their programs cover the required material while also enabling these institutions to tailor their programs to meet
the needs of their local employers.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.4 The immediate and long term hazards, if any, of many nanomaterials are unknown. This guide does not address concerns with
consumer usage and eventual disposal of products that contain nanomaterials.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the techniques, materials, and concepts associated with health and safety
topics related to nanotechnology. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to utilize other knowledge and skill objectives
as applicable to local conditions or required by local regulations.
1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety safety, health, and healthenvironmental practices and determine the
applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. The immediate and long term hazards, if any, of many nanomaterials are
unknown. This guide does not address concerns with consumer usage and eventual disposal of products that contain
nanomaterials.
1.5 This guide may not cover knowledge and skill objectives applicable to local conditions or required by local regulations.
1.7 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E56 on Nanotechnology and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E56.07 on Education and Workforce
Development.
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2015Sept. 1, 2020. Published March 2015October 2020. Originally approved in 2015. Last previous edition approved in 2015 as E2996
– 15. DOI: 10.1520/E2996-15.10.1520/E2996-20.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E2996 − 20
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
E2456 Terminology Relating to Nanotechnology
E3089 Guide for Nanotechnology Workforce Education in Material Properties and Effects of Size
2.2 ISO Standards:
ISO/TS 2768780004-1 Nanotechnologies—Terminology and Definitions for Nano-Objects—Nanoparticle, Nanofibre, and
NanoplateNanotechnologies – Vocabulary – Part 1: Core terms
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions:
3.1.1 For definitions of terms related to nanotechnology in general, refer to Terminology E2456 and ISO/TS 27687.80004-1.
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.2.1 nanomaterial, n—material with any external dimension in the nanoscale or having internal structure or surface structure in
the nanoscale. ISO/TS 80004-1
3.2.2 nanomanufacturing, n—intentional synthesis, generation or control of nanomaterials, or fabrication steps in the nanoscale,
for commercial purposes. ISO/TS 80004-1
3.2.3 nanoscale, adj—having one or more dimensions from approximately 1 to 100 nanometres (nm). E2456
3.2.3 nanomanufacturing, n—fabrication of nanomaterial or the incorporation of nanomaterials into other products.
4. Summary of Guide
4.1 This guide designates a list of health and safety subject areas that are relevant to nanotechnology workforce education.
Selection of the areas is based on inputs from industry, nanotechnology educators, and subject matter experts.
4.2 Within each subject area, important topics recommended to be covered are listed specifically.
4.3 This approach provides both a broad education as well as in-depth emphasis for key subjects within the time constraints of
an instructional course or program.
5. Significance and Use
5.1 The purpose of this This guide is to provide provide, at the undergraduate college level, a basic educational structure in the
health and safety aspects of nanotechnology to organizations developing or carrying out education programs for the
nanotechnology workforce. This guide helps to describe the minimum knowledge base for anyone involved in nanomanfactur-
ingnanomanufacturing or nanomaterials research.
5.2 The basic education should prepare an individual for varied roles in the nanotechnology workplace. The material in this guide
may require a post-secondary two-year science or technology background to be understood sufficiently. Depth on the topics should
be sufficient to transfer between various applications of nanotechnology such as nanomaterial fabrication, nanomaterial
characterization, nanolithography, and patterning.
5.3 Nanoscale materials might present unique health and environmental hazards due to their unique properties. The hazards, if any,
presented by nanomaterials can be very different from those presented by bulk/macroscopic materials.
5.4 Because nanotechnology is a rapidly developing field, the individual educated in nanotechnology needs to be cognizant of
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
Available from International Organization for Standardization (ISO), 1, ch. de la Voie-Creuse, CP 56, CH-1211 Geneva 20,ISO Central Secretariat, BIBC II, Chemin de
Blandonnet 8, CP 401, 1214 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland, http://www.iso.org.
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changing and evolving safety procedures and practices. Individuals should be aware of how to keep current on the technology, and
have a base education that enables synthesis of emerging safety procedures and practices.
5.5 Workers may transition in their roles in the workplace. Participants in such education will have a broad understanding of the
health and safety aspects associated with working in a manufacturing or research setting, thus increasing their marketability for
jobs within as well as beyond the nanotechnology field.
5.6 This guide is intended to be one in a series of standards developed for workforce education in various aspects of
nanotechnology. It will assist in providing an organization a basic structure for developing a program applicable to many areas in
nanotechnology, thus providing dynamic and evolving workforce education.
6. General Background Knowledge and Skills
6.1 Introductory algebra, chemistry, physics, and statistics at the college level.
6.2 Students should also have a basic knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of nanoscale materials.
NOTE 1—See Guide E3089 for details.
7. Course ContentConcepts and Skills to be Covered
7.1 The minimum recommended course content for workforce education in nanotechnology health and safety should include
education on is listed below. Subject areas include known and potential health risks, safe work practice in the nanotech
...