NEWSWATCH​

OSHA Proposes Lower PEL ​​for Beryllium​​

In August, OSHA issued a proposed rule that would lower the agency’s permissible exposure limit (PEL) for beryllium in general industry from 2 µg/m3 to 0.2 µg/m3. According to OSHA, the new rule would require employers to measure workers’ exposures to beryllium, limit their access to areas where exposures exceed the PEL, implement controls for reducing exposures, and train workers about beryllium-related hazards. The current PEL of 2 µg/m3 is rooted in a standard established by the Atomic Energy Commission in 1948. OSHA adopted the standard as one of its first PELs when the agency was created in 1971. Beryllium, a naturally occurring element, has applications in many industries, including electronics, aerospace, and metals manufacturing. According to OSHA, the majority of current worker exposures to beryllium occur in operations such as foundry and smelting operations, machining, beryllium oxide ceramics and composites manufacturing and dental lab work. An OSHA fact sheet (PDF) states that the proposed rule would not cover some workers exposed to trace amounts of beryllium in raw materials, including those employed at coal-burning power plants and aluminum production facilities, and those performing abrasive blasting work with coal slag in the construction and shipyards industries. The agency will seek comment during the rulemaking process on whether these workers should also be covered by the final rule. Exposure to beryllium mist, dust, and fumes can cause chronic beryllium disease (CBD), which scars lung tissue and impairs the lungs’ ability to get oxygen to the bloodstream. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies beryllium as carcinogenic to humans.

The current PEL of 2 µg/m3 is rooted in a standard established by the Atomic Energy Commission in 1948. OSHA adopted the standard as one of its first PELs in 1971.​