A Preventive Program for Decreasing Sensitization in Beryllium Workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cummings, Kristin J. ; Deubner, David C. ; Kreiss, Kathleen ; Schuler, Christine R.
• Description:
  Background: A beryllium ceramics facility used engineering to reduce airborne beryllium levels. Workers hired subsequently were not protected from beryllium sensitization (1998 sensitization prevalence in workers with 2 years or less since hire 11.9% (7/59)). The company initiated a comprehensive exposure reduction program incorporating increased respiratory and dermal exposure prevention and particle migration control. Methods: New employees were administered the blood beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test at hire and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of employment. We considered those with 2 abnormal tests to be sensitized. Results: Between 1/2000 and 8/2004, 99 were hired who worked at least 3 months; we excluded 4 with abnormal tests at hire and 3 without periodic tests. One employee became sensitized, at 24 months (1.1%, 1/92). This is significantly lower than the 11.9% (7/59) prevalence observed previously. Conclusions: This preventive program successfully reduced beryllium sensitization among workers in the first 2 years of employment. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Exposure Hypersensitivity Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory Protective Devices Safety Skin
• Keywords:
  Beryllium Exposure Levels Occupational Exposure Respiratory Protection Sensitization Skin Protection
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  47
• Issue:
  9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055457
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2005 Sep; 47(9):977
• CAS Registry Number:
  Beryllium (CAS RN 7440-41-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2005
• Performing Organization:
  West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, Morgantown, West Virginia
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19970701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  20050630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:cd16993ba7537ea55d383ea65082b168dff8e809d870fcf4a996fae738baa3af665ffccea4a973a357211f4e018005077616fd47e6d4001d2c698be798cfb36d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/213299/cdc_213299_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 98.03 KB ]