The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #74054

Lewis D. Pepper, MD, MPH, Department of Environmental Health/ School of Public Health, Boston University, 715 Albany Street, Talbot 2E, Boston, MA 02118, 617-638-4623, lpepper@bu.edu

Beryllium exposure at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) occurred throughout the nuclear weapons testing era. While beryllium was never manufactured at NTS, it was used in a variety of applications with exposure occurring in a number of settings. Beryllium was ground, machined, modified, cut, lathed, heated, combusted in fuel, dispersed underground during nuclear blasts, and dispersed with explosives above ground.

Information about beryllium exposure was provided to the NTS Former Worker Surveillance program in 1998 by a worker participant. Beryllium screening, as part of the overall surveillance program, started in 2000. Workers are selected for screening based on their response to a series of work task and job location questions. To date approximately 1000 workers have been screened. Industrial hygiene data, sensitivity rates, and analysis of screening results will be presented. The predictive accuracy of screening questions will be discussed. In addition, two recently diagnosed cases of chronic beryllium disease with apparent low level exposures will be considered in light of potential implications for clean-up work in historic beryllium facilities.

Learning Objectives:

• Learning Objectives:
• 1. Become familiar with beryllium exposures at the Nevada Test Site.
• 2. Assess work tasks and job location risk factors for beryllium disease at the NTS.
• 3. Discuss policy implications of low exposure risk for chronic beryllium disease.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.