10.57647/j.ijnd.2026.1701.08

Development of a Health Risk Management Framework in Workplaces Handling Nanomaterials Using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods

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  • Seyed Husein Naziri1,
  • Mostafa Pouyakian1,
  • Sedigheh Sadegh Hassani2,
  • Pegah Safdari3,
  • Somayeh Farhang Dehghan*4,
  1. School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  2. R & D manager of Sanat Afarin Mahan co., Tehran, Iran
  3. School of Public Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
  4. Environmental and Occupational Hazards Control Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Development of a health risk management framework in workplaces handling nanomaterials using multi-criteria decision-making methods

Received: 2024-10-19

Revised: 2024-08-20

Accepted: 2025-09-03

Published in Issue 2026-01-02

Published Online: 2025-09-20

Copyright (c) -1 Seyed Husein Naziri, Mostafa Pouyakian, Sedigheh Sadegh Hassani, Pegah Safdari, Somayeh Farhang Dehghan (Author)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Naziri, S. H., Pouyakian, M., Sadegh Hassani, S., Safdari, P., & Farhang Dehghan, S. (2026). Development of a Health Risk Management Framework in Workplaces Handling Nanomaterials Using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods. International Journal of Nano Dimension, 17(1 (January 2026). https://doi.org/10.57647/j.ijnd.2026.1701.08
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Abstract

This study developed a comprehensive framework for assessing and managing health risks of manufactured nanomaterials (MNM) in workplaces. The approach combined control banding with multi-criteria decision-making, informed by expert input and a literature review on MNM hazards. A three-layered risk assessment was applied: hazard banding using the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for five toxic endpoints, exposure banding based on MNM physical state, manufacturing processes, and working conditions (yielding four bands), and integration via control banding to classify risk into five levels. These layers complement each other to enhance accuracy. Control measures were identified and evaluated using a General Technique for Evaluating Control Measures (GTECM), scoring effectiveness, cost, and feasibility, with acceptable inter-rater reliability. The framework was implemented as an online tool to support practical application in Iranian nanotechnology workplaces. Field testing in selected facilities demonstrated its usability and consistency. By systematically integrating hazard, exposure, and control data, the framework supports informed decision-making for occupational health and safety managers. It aims to strengthen risk management practices and promote safer handling of MNMs, contributing to improved workplace health in Iran’s growing nanotechnology sector.

Keywords

  • Health risk,
  • Multi-criteria decision making,
  • Nanomaterials,
  • Occupational exposure,
  • Risk management
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Supplementary Information

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