Common Name: BERYLLIUM HYDROXIDE CAS Number: 13327-32-7 RTK Substance number: 3083 DOT Number: UN 1566 Date: August 2002 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- HAZARD SUMMARY WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMITS * Beryllium Hydroxide can affect you when breathed in. The following exposure limits are for Beryllium compounds * Beryllium Hydroxide is a CARCINOGEN--HANDLE (measured as Beryllium): WITH EXTREME CAUTION. * Contact can irritate and burn the skin and eyes. High OSHA: The legal airborne permissible exposure limit 3 exposure may cause skin ulcers to develop. (PEL) is 0.002 mg/m averaged over an 8-hour 3 * Breathing Beryllium Hydroxide can irritate the nose, workshift, 0.005 mg/m as a ceiling limit, and 3 throat and lungs. 0.025 mg/m as a 30 minute maximum peak. * High or repeated exposure may cause bronchitis or pneumonia with fever, cough and shortness of breath. NIOSH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is 3 0.0005 mg/m , which should not be exceeded at IDENTIFICATION any time. Beryllium Hydroxide is a white powder or crystalline (sand- ACGIH: The recommended airborne exposure limit is like solid). It is used in the production of Beryllium. 0.0002 mg/m3 averaged over an 8-hour workshift. REASON FOR CITATION * Beryllium Hydroxide is on the Hazardous Substance List * Beryllium Hydroxide is a PROBABLE CARCINOGEN because it is regulated by OSHA and cited by ACGIH, in humans. There may be no safe level of exposure to a DOT, NIOSH, NTP, DEP, IARC and EPA. carcinogen, so all contact should be reduced to the lowest * This chemical is on the Special Health Hazard Substance possible level. List because it is a CARCINOGEN. * Definitions are provided on page 5. WAYS OF REDUCING EXPOSURE * Enclose operations and use local exhaust ventilation at the HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE BEING site of chemical release. If local exhaust ventilation or EXPOSED enclosure is not used, respirators should be worn. The New Jersey Right to Know Act requires most employers * A regulated, marked area should be established where to label chemicals in the workplace and requires public Beryllium Hydroxide is handled, used, or stored. employers to provide their employees with information and * Wear protective work clothing. training concerning chemical hazards and controls. The * Wash thoroughly immediately after exposure to Beryllium federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 1910.1200, Hydroxide and at the end of the workshift. requires private employers to provide similar training and * Post hazard and warning information in the work area. In information to their employees. addition, as part of an ongoing education and training effort, communicate all information on the health and * Exposure to hazardous substances should be routinely safety hazards of Beryllium Hydroxide to potentially evaluated. This may include collecting personal and area exposed workers. air samples. You can obtain copies of sampling results from your employer. You have a legal right to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. * If you think you are experiencing any work-related health problems, see a doctor trained to recognize occupational diseases. Take this Fact Sheet with you. BERYLLIUM HYDROXIDE page 2 of 6 This Fact Sheet is a summary source of information of all Mixed Exposures potential and most severe health hazards that may result from * Because smoking can cause heart disease, as well as lung exposure. Duration of exposure, concentration of the substance cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory problems, it may and other factors will affect your susceptibility to any of the worsen respiratory conditions caused by chemical exposure. potential effects described below. Even if you have smoked for a long time, stopping now will --------------------------------------------------------------------------- reduce your risk of developing health problems. HEALTH HAZARD INFORMATION WORKPLACE CONTROLS AND PRACTICES Acute Health Effects Unless a less toxic chemical can be substituted for a hazardous The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur substance, ENGINEERING CONTROLS are the most immediately or shortly after exposure to Beryllium effective way of reducing exposure. The best protection is to Hydroxide: enclose operations and/or provide local exhaust ventilation at the site of chemical release. Isolating operations can also * Contact can irritate and burn the skin and eyes. reduce exposure. Using respirators or protective equipment is * Breathing Beryllium Hydroxide can irritate the nose, less effective than the controls mentioned above, but is throat and lungs. sometimes necessary. Chronic Health Effects In evaluating the controls present in your workplace, consider: The following chronic (long-term) health effects can occur at (1) how hazardous the substance is, (2) how much of the some time after exposure to Beryllium Hydroxide and can last substance is released into the workplace and (3) whether for months or years: harmful skin or eye contact could occur. Special controls should be in place for highly toxic chemicals or when Cancer Hazard significant skin, eye, or breathing exposures are possible. * Beryllium Hydroxide is a PROBABLE CARCINOGEN in humans. There is some evidence that it causes lung cancer In addition, the following control is recommended: in animals. * Many scientists believe there is no safe level of exposure to * Where possible, automatically transfer Beryllium a carcinogen. Hydroxide from drums or other storage containers to process containers. Reproductive Hazard * There is no evidence that Beryllium Hydroxide affects Good WORK PRACTICES can help to reduce hazardous reproduction. This is based on test results presently exposures. The following work practices are recommended: available to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services from published studies. * Workers whose clothing has been contaminated by Beryllium Hydroxide should change into clean clothing Other Long-Term Effects promptly. * High exposure may cause skin ulcers to develop. * Do not take contaminated work clothes home. Family * High or repeated exposure may cause bronchitis or members could be exposed. pneumonia with fever, cough and shortness of breath. * Contaminated work clothes should be laundered by individuals who have been informed of the hazards of MEDICAL exposure to Beryllium Hydroxide. * Eye wash fountains should be provided in the immediate work area for emergency use. Medical Testing * If there is the possibility of skin exposure, emergency Before beginning employment and at regular times after that, shower facilities should be provided. the following are recommended: * On skin contact with Beryllium Hydroxide, immediately wash or shower to remove the chemical. At the end of the * Chest x-ray and lung function tests. workshift, wash any areas of the body that may have contacted Beryllium Hydroxide, whether or not known Any evaluation should include a careful history of past and skin contact has occurred. present symptoms with an exam. Medical tests that look for * Do not eat, smoke, or drink where Beryllium Hydroxide is damage already done are not a substitute for controlling handled, processed, or stored, since the chemical can be exposure. swallowed. Wash hands carefully before eating, drinking, smoking, or using the toilet. Request copies of your medical testing. You have a legal right * Use a vacuum or a wet method to reduce dust during clean- to this information under OSHA 1910.1020. up. DO NOT DRY SWEEP. * When vacuuming, a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter should be used, not a standard shop vacuum. BERYLLIUM HYDROXIDE page 3 of 6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WORKPLACE CONTROLS ARE BETTER THAN Q: If I have acute health effects, will I later get chronic PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. However, for health effects? some jobs (such as outside work, confined space entry, jobs A: Not always. Most chronic (long-term) effects result from done only once in a while, or jobs done while workplace repeated exposures to a chemical. controls are being installed), personal protective equipment may be appropriate. Q: Can I get long-term effects without ever having short- term effects? OSHA 1910.132 requires employers to determine the A: Yes, because long-term effects can occur from repeated appropriate personal protective equipment for each hazard and exposures to a chemical at levels not high enough to make to train employees on how and when to use protective equipment. you immediately sick. The following recommendations are only guidelines and may Q: What are my chances of getting sick when I have been not apply to every situation. exposed to chemicals? A: The likelihood of becoming sick from chemicals is Clothing increased as the amount of exposure increases. This is * Avoid skin contact with Beryllium Hydroxide. Wear determined by the length of time and the amount of protective gloves and clothing. Safety equipment material to which someone is exposed. suppliers/manufacturers can provide recommendations on the most protective glove/clothing material for your Q: When are higher exposures more likely? operation. A: Conditions which increase risk of exposure include dust * All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) releasing operations (grinding, mixing, blasting, dumping, should be clean, available each day, and put on before etc.), other physical and mechanical processes (heating, work. pouring, spraying,