Beryllium Standard Update

Abstract

The updated Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) beryllium standard for general industry, construction, and shipyards reduced exposure limits for this known human carcinogen and became effective in 2018. Occupational and environmental health nurses need to monitor updates recently proposed for general industry to clarify implementation of the standard.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated its beryllium standards for general industry, construction, and shipyards in 2017, which reduced the beryllium permissible exposure limit (PEL) for this known human carcinogen to 0.2 μg/m³ of air averaged over 8 hours, and set a new short-term exposure limit (STEL) of 2.0 μg/m³ of air over a 15-minute sampling period (Occupational Exposure to Beryllium, 2017). Further provisions include written exposure control plans, engineering and work practice controls to limit exposures, respirator use when other controls are insufficient, personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE) to prevent skin exposure, worker training, and medical surveillance. The 2017 standards became enforceable during 2018. However, after many questions about rule interpretation, in late 2018 OSHA proposed new rules to clarify provisions of the general industry standard and opened a new public comment period. The 2017 PEL and STEL are still enforceable, but OSHA is updating information about the proposed revisions and rule interpretation on the Beryllium Rulemaking page (OSHA, n.d.-c).

Beryllium, a naturally occurring hard, stiff metal that is stronger than steel but lighter than aluminum, has a high melting point and strong electrical and thermal conductivity. Classified as a critical and strategic material for national defense, it is widely used in aerospace, telecommunications, information technology, defense, automotive electronics, and medical and nuclear industries (OSHA, n.d.-a). International beryllium use is increasing with strong global market growth projections (MilTech, 2018). Beryllium can be used in three forms: as a metal, as an oxide, and as an alloy with copper, aluminum, magnesium, or nickel.

Although estimates vary, beryllium is used by 62,000 workers at about 7,300 U.S. worksites (OSHA, n.d.-a). Workers are most at risk during primary beryllium extraction and when processing beryllium metal, alloys, and composites. Others at risk of beryllium exposure include foundry workers, furnace tenders, machinists, metal fabricators, welders, and dental technicians; workers in secondary smelting and metal recycling, especially electronic and computer parts; and abrasive blasters exposed to coal and copper slag. Workers are mainly exposed via inhalation and skin contact with beryllium dust, fumes, or mists (OSHA, n.d.-a). Aircraft engines, satellites, space telescopes, anti-lock vehicle braking systems, nuclear weapons, dental crowns, electro-medical devices, nuclear reactors, golf clubs, bicycles, and telecommunication optical systems are some products using beryllium (OSHA, n.d.-a).

Workers overexposed to beryllium may experience beryllium sensitization, chronic beryllium disease (CBD), and lung cancer (OSHA, n.d.-b). Beryllium sensitization is asymptomatic, yet it may be a precursor to CBD after inhalation exposure even at levels below the current OSHA PEL of 0.2 μg/m³ (OSHA, n.d.-b). Workers with CBD, a chronic granulomatous lung disease, have shortness of breath, unexplained coughing, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. Symptoms may worsen quickly, even after exposure stops, and progress to a chronic obstructive lung disorder with poor quality of life and life expectancy. Acute beryllium disease (ABD) is a chemical pneumonitis that develops rapidly after inhaling high levels of beryllium; ABD is rare in the United States but is fatal in about 10% of cases (OSHA, n.d.-b).

Occupational and environmental health nurses (OHNs) can protect worker health by understanding the OSHA standard and implementing the beryllium medical surveillance program. Depending on licensing credentials, nurses may complete or request medical examinations, conduct pulmonary function tests, and assess beryllium sensitization with the beryllium proliferation test (OSHA, n.d.-b). OHNs should teach workers about beryllium exposure pathways, including dust transfer on clothing, prevention strategies, health hazards, and chronic effects from exposures. Routine assessment of smoking, tobacco use, occupational and environmental hazard exposures, and correct use of PPE, including respirators, is important to protect workers from harmful health effects.