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Page last reviewed: 11/16/2006
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Beryllium

Beryllium, atomic number 4, is a brittle, steel-gray metal found as a component of coal, oil, certain rock minerals, volcanic dust, and soil. Elemental beryllium is the second lightest of all metals and is used in a wide variety of applications. In its elemental form beryllium exhibits the unique properties of being light weight and extremely stiff, giving the metal several applications in the aerospace, nuclear, and manufacturing industries. In addition, beryllium is amazingly versatile as a metal alloy where it is used in dental appliances, golf clubs, non-sparking tools, wheel chairs, and electronic devices.

Exposures to beryllium are addressed in specific standards for general industry.

Standards

This section highlights OSHA standards, Federal Registers (rules, proposed rules, and notices), the Unified Agenda (a list of actions being taken with regard to OSHA standards), and other federal standards related to beryllium.

Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

OSHA

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Federal Registers

  • Occupational Exposure to Beryllium; Request for Information. Notice 67:70707-70712, (2002, November 26). OSHA requests information and comment on issues related to occupational exposure to beryllium, including current employee exposures to beryllium; the relationship between exposure to beryllium and the development of adverse health effects; exposure assessment and monitoring methods; exposure control methods; employee training; medical surveillance for adverse health effects related to beryllium exposure; and other pertinent subjects. The information received in response to this document will assist the Agency in determining an appropriate course of action regarding occupational beryllium exposure.

  • Search all available Federal Registers.

Unified Agenda

Other Federal

Note: These are not OSHA regulations. However, they do provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker protection.

Department of Energy (DOE)

  • 10 CFR Part 850 Part II [342 KB PDF, 8 pages]. Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program; Final Rule Amendments. (2006, February 9).

  • 10 CFR Part 850 [400 KB PDF, 62 pages]. Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program; Final Rule. (1999, December 8).

Other Resources

  • Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program. US Department of Energy (DOE), (1999, December 8). Provides links to DOE policies, guidance, training regarding beryllium and a search feature of DOE resources through the responses to inquiries link.

Hazard Recognition

About 1-15% of all people occupationally-exposed to beryllium in air become sensitive to beryllium and may develop chronic beryllium disease (CBD), an irreversible and sometimes fatal scarring of the lungs [More...]. Occupational exposure most often occurs in mining, extraction, and in the processing of alloy metals containing beryllium. The adverse health effects of beryllium exposure are caused by the body's immune system reacting with the metal, resulting in an allergic-type response. The following references aid in recognizing hazards and health effects associated with beryllium.

  • Public Health Statement for Beryllium. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), (2002, September). Provides exposure risks, exposure limits, and health effects of exposure to beryllium.
    • ToxFAQs - Beryllium. (2002, September). Answers the most frequently asked health questions about beryllium.

  • Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program. US Department of Energy (DOE), (1999, December 8). Provides links to DOE policies, guidance, and training regarding beryllium.

  • Preventing Adverse Health Effects from Exposure to Beryllium on the Job. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin (HIB), (1999, September 2). Alerts employees working with beryllium about the hazards associated with their work. OSHA has recent information suggesting that the current permissible exposure limit (PEL) for beryllium in the workplace may not be adequate to prevent the occurrence of chronic beryllium disease (CBD) among exposed workers.

  • Beryllium Associated Workers - Other. Fermilab Environmental Safety and Health (ES&H). References Fermilab's ES&H manual and links to other beryllium related information.

  • Beryllium. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Workplace Safety and Health Topic. Provides links to sources of information on a variety of topics relating to beryllium.
    • NIOSH Criteria Document for Beryllium. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (1977, August 19). Testimony to the US Department of Labor (DOL) on the effects of occupational exposure to beryllium and results of studies conducted by NIOSH.

Health Effects

Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD)

  • Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) occurs when people inhale beryllium dust or fume and can take anywhere from a few months to 30 years to develop. CBD is caused by an immune system reaction to beryllium metal, with symptoms such as persistent coughing, difficulty breathing upon physical exertion, fatigue, chest and joint pain, weight loss, and fevers.

  • Middleton, D.C. "Chronic beryllium disease: uncommon disease, less common diagnosis." Environmental Health Perspectives 106.12(1998). Discusses methods to diagnose chronic beryllium disease (CBD).

  • Newman, L.S., et al. "The natural history of beryllium sensitization and chronic beryllium disease." Environmental Health Perspectives 104.S-5(1996). Reviews what was known about the natural history of clinical chronic beryllium disease (CBD) in the era that preceded the use of immunologic markers, review data from recent studies of patients with beryllium sensitization and early disease, and summarize the methodology being used in ongoing longitudinal studies designed to address some of the questions listed above.

Acute Beryllium Disease (ABD)

  • Acute beryllium disease (ABD) rarely occurs in modern industry due to improved industrial protective measures designed to reduce exposure levels. ABD is caused by breathing in relatively high concentrations of beryllium in dust and metal fumes (>100 µg/m3). High level exposures may lead to death or respiratory illness similar to pneumonia or bronchitis. Symptoms associated with ABD include difficulty breathing, cough, and chest pain. These symptoms occur much more rapidly than those associated with chronic beryllium disease (CBD).

  • Lang, L. "Beryllium: A Chronic Problem [6 MB PDF, 6 pages]." Environmental Health Perspectives 102.6-7(1994). Reviews the causes of acute beryllium disease (ABD).

Lung Cancer

  • Beryllium and beryllium compounds are known to be human carcinogens according to the most recent Report on Carcinogens (RoC). US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Public Health Services, National Toxicology Program (NTP). Provides a table of contents with links to sections of the report.

Exposure Evaluation

Air, wipe, and bulk sampling techniques are used to measure occupational exposures to beryllium. The following references provide exposure limits and analytical methods used to evaluate beryllium hazards in the workplace.

  • Beryllium & beryllium compounds (as Be). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (NPG), (2011, April). Offers general information including exposure limits, measurement methods, and respirator recommendations.

  • Beryllium compounds (as Be). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH), (1994, May). Contains acute toxicity data, NIOSH recommendations, and references.

OSHA Methods

  • Sampling and Analytical Methods. Provides links to information developed by OSHA including validated methods for use by the Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC) Laboratory. These standard methods have been adopted by many laboratories for the analysis of chemical compounds.

OSHA Chemical Sampling Information

The Chemical Sampling Information file presents, in concise form, data on a large number of chemical substances that may be encountered in industrial hygiene investigations. It is intended as a basic reference for industrial hygienists engaged in OSHA field activity.

NIOSH Methods

  • Beryllium in Air by Field-Portable Fluorometry [98 KB PDF, 6 pages]. Method 7704, (2007, April 6).

  • Beryllium in Surface Wipes by Field-Portable Fluorometry [91 KB PDF, 6 pages]. Method 9110, (2007, April 6).

  • Elements by ICP [123 KB PDF, 8 pages]. Method 7300, (2003, March 15). Describes sampling and measurement procedures for air samples for several metals, including beryllium.

  • Elements by ICP [106 KB PDF, 8 pages]. Method (aqua regia washing) 7301, (2003, March 15). Describes sampling and measurement procedures for air samples for several metals, including beryllium.

  • Elements by ICP [86 KB PDF, 6 pages]. Method (hot block/HCl/HNO3 digestion) 7303, (2003, March 15). Describes sampling and measurement procedures for air samples for several metals, including beryllium.

  • Elements on Wipes [110 KB PDF, 5 pages]. Method 9102, (2003, March 15). Describes sampling and measurement procedures for air samples for several metals, including beryllium.

  • Beryllium and Compounds, as Be [23 KB PDF, 3 pages]. Method 7102, (1994, August 15). Describes sampling and measurement procedures for air samples.

Possible Solutions

Controlling the exposure to beryllium can be done through engineering controls, administrative actions, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Engineering controls include such things as isolating the source and using ventilation systems to control dust. Administrative actions include limiting the worker's exposure time and providing showers. PPE includes wearing the proper respiratory protection and clothing. The following resources contain information to help control beryllium hazards in the workplace.

  • Preventing Adverse Health Effects from Exposure to Beryllium in Dental Laboratories. OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin (HIB), (2002, April 19 - Revised May 2002). Informs employers and employees about the risk of dental laboratory technicians developing chronic beryllium disease (CBD). It also provides information on the ways in which beryllium exposures can be reduced and the type of protective equipment which can be worn to reduce exposure.

  • Beryllium. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), International Chemical Safety Cards. Contains general information on beryllium hazards and exposure prevention.

  • Beryllium at Hanford. Department of Energy Hanford and the Department of Energy (DOE). Provides information for Hanford employees who are concerned about beryllium. The information presented has been provided by site contractors.

  • For additional information on general safety and health concerns, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages on:

Additional Information

Related Safety and Health Topics Pages

Training

  • Communicating Health Risks Working Safely with Beryllium [1 MB PDF, 160 pages]. Department of Energy (DOE), (2002, April). These training materials have been designed for use by any DOE site that conducts training on the health risks of beryllium.

  • Beryllium Research Highlights. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Provides information on completed studies, current research findings, and future activities to the participants in NIOSH beryllium research in newsletter format.

  • Brochures. OSHA. As part of an internal employee outreach program, OSHA developed a series of brochures to help its staff understand the health effects of beryllium and the Agency's internal pilot medical monitoring program.

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