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Focus
Top Photo credit: Lee S. Newman
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Toxic Beryllium: New Solutions for a Chronic Problem Scott Fields Abstract
Beryllium manufacturing during World War II and the Cold War that followed it resulted in the exposure of thousands of workers to beryllium dust, resulting in untold numbers of respiratory ailments, cancers, and deaths. Once confined largely to defense applications, beryllium is now used in the manufacture of countless industrial and consumer products, from satellites to toasters. An estimated 30,000 workers in the United States alone come into daily contact with beryllium. Scientists know that the current limits for exposure to beryllium dust leave a significant percentage of workers at risk. But finding a safer limit presents numerous challenges, including the consideration of factors such as dust particle size, particle number, dose, chemical form, and possibly genetic predisposition of workers. Scientists from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Heath are now working with industry representatives and scientific consultants to develop safer exposure guidelines for beryllium.
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