OSHA has issued a final rule that updates regulation established 40 years ago to prevent chronic beryllium disease and lung cancer in American workers by limiting their exposure to beryllium and beryllium compounds. The new rule will reduce the permissible exposure limit and establish a new short-term exposure limit. It will also require employers to use engineering and work practice controls to limit exposure.
The new rule, which currently has an effective date of May 20, 2017, contains standards for general industry, construction and shipyards. This article focuses on the standard for general industry and highlights the most important aspects of the new standard; means of exposure and hazardous health effects; how to determine risk; and the use of high efficiency dust, fume and mist collection as a recognized engineering control to achieve compliance and keep workers safe.