Engineering controls for nanomaterials are hazard-control methods and equipment that isolate workers from exposure. They are physical changes to the workplace and, after systems and facilities are designed, are the most important methods for controlling nanomaterial health and safety risks. The primary hazard is inhalation of aerosols containing nanoparticles. Many engineering controls developed for other industries can be used or adapted to protect workers, including ventilation and filtration using laboratory fixtures such as fume hoods, containment using gloveboxes, and non-ventilation measures such as sticky mats. Research is ongoing to identify which engineering controls are most effective for nanomaterials.

Controlling exposures to occupational hazards is the fundamental way to protect workers. A hierarchy of controls guides implementation of feasible and effective measures: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Methods earlier in the list are generally more effective at reducing hazard-related risk. Process changes and engineering controls are recommended as the primary means to reduce exposures, with personal protective equipment as a last resort. Following this hierarchy promotes inherently safer systems, where the risk of illness or injury is substantially reduced. Engineering controls are physical changes to the workplace that isolate workers from hazards—by enclosing them or by removing contaminated air through ventilation and filtration. Well-designed engineering controls are typically passive, functioning independently of worker interactions, which reduces the potential for behavior to affect exposure levels. They also ideally do not interfere with productivity or ease of processing, because operators may be motivated to circumvent controls that hinder work. Initial costs for engineering controls can be higher than those for administrative controls or personal protective equipment, but long-term operating costs are often lower and can sometimes provide cost savings elsewhere in the process.

Nanomaterials have at least one primary dimension of less than 100 nanometers and often exhibit properties different from those of their bulk components that are technologically useful. Because nanotechnology is recent, the health and safety effects of nanomaterial exposures and acceptable exposure levels are not yet fully understood. Processing and manufacturing of nanomaterials involve a wide range of hazards. The optimal engineering controls for a given situation are influenced by the quantity and dustiness of the material and the duration of the task. Stronger controls are required if dry nanomaterials cannot be substituted with a suspension, or if procedures such as sonication or cutting of a solid matrix containing nanomaterials cannot be eliminated.

As with any new technology, early exposures are likely among researchers in laboratories and pilot plants. Researchers handling engineered nanomaterials should work in ways that protect their safety and health. Control measures for nanoparticles, dust, and other hazards are most effective when implemented as part of a comprehensive occupational safety and health management system. Critical elements include management commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and adequate training for employees, supervisors, and managers. Ventilation systems are classified as local or general. Local exhaust ventilation operates at or near the source of contamination, often in conjunction with an enclosure. In contrast, general exhaust ventilation treats an entire room through a building's HVAC system.

Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) applies an exhaust system at or near the contamination source. If properly designed, LEV is more efficient than dilution ventilation at removing contaminants, requiring lower exhaust volumes, less make-up air, and often lower costs. By capturing contaminants at the source, LEV prevents them from entering the general work environment. Examples include fume hoods, vented balance enclosures, and biosafety cabinets. Exhaust hoods without an enclosure are less preferable, and laminar flow hoods are not recommended because they direct air outward toward the worker.

In a 2006 international survey of nanotechnology firms and research laboratories that manufactured, handled, researched, or used nanomaterials, all participating organizations reported using some type of engineering control. The most common control was the traditional laboratory fume hood, used by two-thirds of the firms.

Fume hoods are recommended to have an average inward face velocity of 80–100 feet per minute (fpm). For higher-toxicity materials, a face velocity of 100–120 fpm is recommended to provide better protection; velocities exceeding 150 fpm are not believed to improve performance and may increase hood leakage. New fume hoods designed for nanotechnology are based on low-turbulence balance enclosures, originally developed for weighing pharmaceutical powders; these enclosures provide adequate containment at lower face velocities (typically 65–85 fpm) and are useful for operations that disturb and aerosolize nanomaterials. Air exiting a fume hood should pass through a HEPA filter and be exhausted outside; used filters should be handled as hazardous waste. Turbulence can cause nanomaterials to exit the front of the hood; avoid this by keeping the sash in the proper position, keeping the interior uncluttered, and avoiding fast movements while working. High face velocities can result in loss of powdered nanomaterials. As of 2012, there was little research on the effectiveness of low-flow fume hoods, but evidence indicated that air curtain hoods effectively contain nanoparticles. Other enclosures: Biosafety cabinets are designed to contain bioaerosols, which are similar in size to engineered nanoparticles, and are therefore believed to be effective for nanoparticles. However, common biosafety cabinets are more prone to turbulence. As with fume hoods, they should be exhausted to the outside of the facility.