DOE outpaces OSHA in protecting workers from beryllium
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a proposed rule (PDF) that would bring its Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program in line with current evidence on the dangers of beryllium. According to advocacy group Public Citizen, the DOE’s proposal stands in sharp contrast with the actions of OSHA, which has yet to lower its workplace beryllium limit from an outdated level set in 1971, Public Citizen said.
“This is yet another striking example of the regulatory paralysis that has sadly become the norm at OSHA,” said Dr. Sammy Almashat, researcher for Public Citizen’s Health Research Group. “OSHA has fallen far behind when it comes to protecting American workers from the deadly effects of beryllium. OSHA continues to drag its feet on lowering its own permissible exposure limit for beryllium from the decades-old 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air. That’s 40 times higher than the DOE’s new proposed action level.”