OSHA releases new guidance, resources on beryllium

Washington — OSHA has published new guidance and resources intended to help employers and workers navigate the agency’s beryllium standards.

One guidance document addresses interim enforcement. In July, OSHA issued a final rule that revised the beryllium standard for general industry (1910.1024). A month later, the agency published another final rule that revised the beryllium standards for construction (1926.1124) and shipyards (1915.1024).

Additionally, the agency published a small entity compliance guide for beryllium in general industry, as well as guidance on medical surveillance for workers exposed to the strong, lightweight metal that is used in many industries, including electronics and the defense industry.

The new resources include QuickCards on medical surveillance and the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test, or BeLPT, which helps determine if the immune system reacts to beryllium as a foreign substance.

OSHA previously published a series of answers to frequently asked questions about beryllium and associated standards. Overexposure to beryllium can cause serious health risks, including incurable chronic beryllium disease and lung cancer.