Hazard substitution

[3] Some chemicals, such as nanomaterials, often cannot be eliminated or substituted with conventional materials because their unique properties are necessary to the desired product or process.

The framework maintained health-related metrics used by previous frameworks, including carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, acute and chronic toxicity, dermal and eye irritation, and dermal and respiratory sensitization, and ecotoxicity.

[12] Hazards to workers can be reduced by limiting or replacing procedures that may aerosolize toxic materials contained in the item.

Examples include limiting agitation procedures such as sonication, or by using a lower-temperature process in chemical reactors to minimize release of materials in exhaust.

[14] Equipment can also be substituted, for example using a self-retracting lifeline instead of a fixed rope for fall protection,[15] or packaging materials in smaller containers to prevent lifting injuries.

One well-known example occurred when dichloromethane was phased out as a brake cleaner due to its environmental effects, but its replacement n-hexane was subsequently found to be neurotoxic.

One example is that the potent neurotoxin acrylamide can be replaced with the safer N-vinyl formamide, but the synthesis of the latter requires use of the highly toxic hydrogen cyanide, increasing the hazards to workers in the manufacturing firm.