Beryllium
Go to OSHA’s web site at https://www.osha.gov/berylliumrule/index.html to learn about the final rule in place to protect workers from Beryllium exposure. The new rule represents an example of how NIOSH research on beryllium has had a real impact in the workplace to reduce exposures and disease. The findings of NIOSH research contributed to a rule that will lower exposures and reduce disease related to beryllium in workplace across the country.
Beryllium is a lightweight metal with unique mechanical and thermal properties that make it ideal for use in many applications and industries including defense, aerospace, telecommunications, automotive electronics, and medical specialties.
Beryllium is a naturally occurring metal found in several minerals. It is most commonly extracted from beryl and bertrandite ores. Beryllium and beryllium-containing alloys and compounds have been produced commercially in the US since the 1940s. Production of beryllium oxide began in the late 1950s.
Four NIOSH Divisions have beryllium-related projects:
| NIOSH Division | Activity |
|---|---|
| Respiratory Health Division (RHD) | Occupational respiratory disease (sensitization and CBD research efforts) |
| The Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD) | Molecular epidemiology and genetics |
| The Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies (DSHEFS) | Lung cancer and other health effects |
| The Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART) | Sampling and Analytical Methods |