DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

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• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• BERYLLIUM DISEASE EXPERIENCE

Navy Occupational Health and Preventive Medicine
Conference Hampton, VA
March 19, 2008
David J Weitzman Industrial Hygienist Department
of Energy Office of Health and Safety, HS-10
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Earliest Concern

• 1947 Community Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD)
  Around Beryllium Production
• 1949 AEC Establishes 2 µ/m3 Limit

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Declared Victory?

• 1940s-1980s Assumed CBD Eliminated
• 1990s-New Blood Screening Available
• Peripheral Blood Beryllium Lymphocyte
  Proliferation Test (BeLPT)
• New Cases-Odds Ration of 14.3 for Be Machinists

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DOE Rule

• Immediate Action Was Necessary
• Recognized Knowledge Gaps
• Implementation Will Give Experience
• 1999 10 CFR 850 Chronic Beryllium Disease
  Prevention Program
• Anticipate Amendments by 2010
• Summary of Rule Today if Time Allows

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Health Screening

• Current Workers by DOE
• Former Workers by DOE Grantees
• Current and Former by DOL
• Energy Employees Occupational Illness
  Compensation Program Act-2000

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DOE Current Workers-May 2006

• 13,252 employees have been screened for CBD
• 111 (0.8) are sensitized
• 50 (0.4) individuals are diagnosed with CBD
• Total sensitized and CBD 161 (1.2)

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Former Workers by DOE Grantees-Dec 2003

• 41,163 Employees Have Been Screened For CBD
• 922 (2.2) are Sensitized
• 225 (0.5) Individuals are Diagnosed With CBD
• Total Sensitized and CBD 1147 (2.8)

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Former Workers by DOL

• Employees Screened
• Not Provided Hence no Rates
• 1283 are Sensitized
• 711 Individuals are Diagnosed With CBD
• 1132 Individuals are Diagnosed With CBD and/or
  BeS and/or Cancer

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DOE/DoD Beryllium Coordinating Committee (BCC)

• DOE/DoD Beryllium Coordinating Committee (BCC)
• Future Supply for Defense
• 1990 Beryllium Monitoring Subcommittee to BCC
• Exposure Monitoring-US and UK

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BCC Disbanded

• 1992 DoD Funding Cut
• 1994 DoD Withdrew

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Beryllium Health and Safety Committee (BHSC)

• BCC Monitoring Subcommittee Continued
• 1995 Renamed BHSC
• Is Ad Hoc
• Diverse Membership
• Very Active But
• DOES NOT ADVISE FEDERAL AGENCIES

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US-UK Joint Working Group (JOWOG)

• Long Standing Cooperation on Defense
• One Working Group on Health and Safety
• Continues in Parallel with BHSC

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10 CFR 850 Final Rule Highlights

• Performance Based
• Approach - What Could Reasonably Be Achieved
  Under State Of The Art Knowledge and Best
  Practices

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Final Rule Highlights

• Baseline Beryllium Inventory
• Hazard Assessment
• Action Level Approach, PEL Not Changed, More
  Research Needed

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Final Rule Highlights

• Exposure Monitoring
• Exposure Reduction and Minimization
• Regulated Areas
• Hygiene Facilities and Practices
• Respiratory Protection

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Final Rule Highlights

• Protective Clothing and Equipment
• Housekeeping
• Release Criteria
• Waste Disposal
• Beryllium Emergencies

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Final Rule Highlights

• Medical Surveillance
• Medical Removal Protection
• Medical Consent
• Training and Counseling
• Warning Signs and Labels

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Final Rule Highlights

• Recordkeeping and Use Of Information
• Performance Feedback
• Approved Implementation Plans (CBDPPs) Are
  Required
• Civil and Contract Penalties are Possible for
  Non-compliance

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Cost Considerations

• 31.5 Million Per Year For Ten Years Starting
  2002
• May Have Underestimated
• Organizations Had Ample Lead Time For Budgeting
  Into Sites Operating Contracts

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Beryllium Information

• DOE Web Site
• http//www.hss.energy.gov/HealthSafety/WSHP/BE/
• Contact
• david.weitzman_at_hq.doe.gov
• 301 903-5401