Various nanomaterials, primarily silver, silica, nano-carbon, nano-titanium, and nano-clay, are utilized in the textile industry to impart functional properties such as antimicrobial, antistatic, UV-protective, electrically conductive, water-repellent, wrinkle-resistant, self-cleaning, and flame-retardant characteristics to textiles. Nanomaterials possess unique dimensions, shapes, surface areas, and physicochemical properties, with an external size of 100 nanometers (nm) or smaller. Owing to these distinctive attributes, their adoption in the textile sector is progressively increasing. Conversely, these inherent properties may induce toxic effects in workers, thereby posing severe occupational health and safety (OHS) risks. Measuring and managing these specific hazards necessitates a framework that extends beyond conventional risk assessment approaches and incorporates the monitoring of parameters such as nanoparticle-specific characteristics, environmental conditions, and operational parameters. This study presents a comprehensive framework, based on existing literature, aimed at identifying and managing the operational conditions and associated OHS risks of nanomaterials widely used in the textile sector. It is anticipated that the insights provided herein will mitigate the risks arising from nanomaterial utilization in functional textile manufacturing while concurrently enhancing awareness among industry stakeholders and employees.

Keywords

Textile industry, Functional textiles, Nanomaterials, Nanoparticle exposure, Occupational health and safety risks.