RISKS OF BERYLLIUM DISEASE-RELATED TO WORK PROCESSES AT A METAL, ALLOY, AND OXIDE PRODUCTION PLANT

Objectives-To describe relative hazards in sectors of the beryllium in dustry, risk factors of beryllium disease and sensitisation related to work process were sought in a beryllium manufacturing plant producing pure metal, oxide, alloys, and ceramics. Methods-AU 646 active employ ees were interviewed; beryllium sensitisation was ascertained with the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation blood test on 627 employees; clini cal evaluation and bronchoscopy were offered to people with abnormal t est results; and industrial hygiene measurements related to work proce sses taken in 1984-93 were reviewed. Results-59 employees (9.4%) had a bnormal blood tests, 47 of whom underwent bronchoscopy. 24 new cases o f beryllium disease were identified, resulting in a beryllium disease prevalence of 4.6%, including five known cases (29/632). Employees who had worked in ceramics had the highest prevalence of beryllium diseas e (9.0%). Employees in the pebble plant (producing beryllium metal) wh o had been employed after 1983 also had increased risk, with a prevale nce of beryllium disease of 6.4%, compared with 1.3% of other workers hired in the same period, and a prevalence of abnormal blood tests of 19.2%. Logistic regression modelling confirmed these two risk factors for beryllium disease related to work processes and the dependence on time of the risk at the pebble plant. The pebble plant was not associa ted with the highest gravimetric industrial hygiene measurements avail able since 1984. Conclusion-Further characterisation of exposures in b eryllium metal production may be important to understanding how beryll ium exposures confer high contemporary risk of beryllium disease.