[CPEO-MEF] BERYLLIUM: Public Citizen call for exposure limit

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

PUBLIC CITIZEN: OSHA MUST TAKE SWIFT ACTION ON BERYLLIUM EXPOSURE LIMIT

By Laura Walter
EHS Today
July 27, 2011

The nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen regards  
OSHAs slow progress on addressing occupational exposure to beryllium  
as unacceptable and calls for swifter action to protect workers from  
this health hazard.

Beryllium is a rare earth metal used in metalwork, electronics  
manufacturing and the nuclear energy sector. When inhaled, it is  
known to cause cancer or other diseases, including berylliosis, an  
incurable and possibly fatal lung disease.

The permissible exposure limit (PEL) for beryllium has not been  
updated since it was first adopted decades ago. Ten years have passed  
since Public Citizen first petitioned OSHA to reduce the PEL of  
beryllium from its current level of 2 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/ 
m3) to 0.2 ug/m3 to better protect workers.

...

For the entire article, see
http://ehstoday.com/industrial_hygiene/news/osha-swift-action- 
beryllium-exposure-limit-0727/

--

Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

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