RR1195: Exposure to Metal Powders in Additive Manufacturing
There is established evidence from various manufacturing industries that occupational exposure to metals can cause skin and lung diseases. Additive manufacturing (AM) is the general term for a range of techniques used to precisely construct three-dimensional objects layer by layer. Some AM techniques create 3D objects from metal powders. As a relatively recent technology in 2015, there was little published evidence about whether AM workers were at risk of exposure to metals.
Three AM sites were visited in 2015 by HSE scientists. Two of which were examples of early commercial operations and one was a research centre. The various exposure controls in place were noted and a range of techniques were used to examine the potential for metal powder exposure throughout the AM production life cycle. Individual reports summarising the findings were presented to each site for them to learn about the stages of the AM lifecycles where their potential risk for exposure was greatest.
The research suggested that average concentrations of airborne inhalable particles were low but spikes in emissions were measured during some activities e.g. manual cleaning, powder testing and transferring the powder. The highest surface concentrations of metals occurred in areas where powder transfer tasks were carried out. Workers had low levels of metals in their urine at concentrations consistent with levels found in the general population.
This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive. Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.
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