Beryllium

What is Beryllium?

Beryllium is a naturally occurring metal wich is found in beryl and bertrandite rock. It is extremely lightweight and hard, is a good thermal conductor and is non-magnetic. These properties make beryllium suitable for many industries that include:

• Metal Working (copper and aluminum alloys, jet break pads, and aerospace components)

• Ceramics Manufacturing (semi-conductors, ignition modules, crucibles, jet engine blades, rocket covers)

• Electronics (transistors, heat sinks, x-ray windows)

• Atomic Energy Industry (heat shields, nuclear reactors, nuclear weapons)

• Laboratory Work (R&D, metallurgy, chemistry)

• Extraction (ore, scrap metal)

• Dental work (alloys in crowns, bridges, dental plates)

What is Beryllium Disease?

Beryllium disease primarily affects the lungs. The disease occurs when people inhale beryllium dust or fumes. Skin disease with poor wound healing and rash may also occur. A person can develop beryllium disease even after being away from the industry for many years. There are two main forms of beryllium disease.

Acute Beryllium Disease (ABD)- Rarely occurs in modern industry due to improved protective methods. ABD is caused by breathing in relatively high concentrations of beryllium dust or metal fumes. These high levels may lead to death or respiritory illness which is similar to pneumonia or bronchitis. Symptoms include: difficulty breathing, cough, and chest pain.

Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD) - CBD occurs when people inhale beryllium dust or fumes at low concentrations, generally over long periods of time. The affects of this type of exposure can take anywhere from a few months to 30 years to develop and only affects 1-6% of those exposed. However, certain work tasks have been associated with disease rates of over 16%.

Beryllium has also recently been classified as a group one human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Beryllium Disease?

Beryllium disease is often accompanied by several abnormalities. Some symptoms that you may notice include:

• Cough

• Shortness of breath, especially with activity

• Fatigue

• Weight loss and/or loss of appetite

• Fevers

• Night sweats
  

Signs of beryllium disease that your doctor may notice include:

• Abnormal lung sounds heard with a stethoscope

• Many small lung scars seen on a chest x-ray

• Abnormal breathing tests (pulmonary function tests)

• Allergy (sensitization) to beryllium, which is measured in the blood or in lung washings with a test called the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT)

• A particular type of scar called a granuloma, found in lung or skin tissue when biopsied and examined under a microscope.

How is the Disease Diagnosed?

If you have been exposed to beryllium and develop unexplained cough, shortness of breath, fatigue or skin rash, you should inform your doctor of your past beryllium exposure or seek information from a doctor who specializes in occupational lung diseases.

Screening for beryllium disease usually begins with:

• A chest x-ray
• A blood test for beryllium sensitization (BeLPT)

What is the Treatment?

• Treatment is very effective in controlling the disease; however, a complete cure with or without treatment is rare.

• Patients who are sensitized to beryllium, but do not yet have the disease do not need treatment. However, they do need to be checked by a doctor regularly for signs of disease.

• Patients who have early beryllium disease, but do not yet have symptoms, might not require treatment. However, they need to be checked by a doctor regularly.

• Patients with beryllium disease who do have symptoms and abnormal breathing tests are usually treated with prednisone, a type of steroid that fights inflammation. Treatment with this medication usually stabilizes the disease and often improves symptoms.

• Beryllium particles imbedded in the skin often must be removed before skin wounds will heal.

Your Rights

We hope that this brief discussion has given you some insight into some of the complexities involved in beryllium cases. Most importantly, if you believe that you or a loved one has become ill because of beryllium exposure, you need a law firm that is experienced in handling these cases. If our firm is not qualified to handle your particular case we will be happy to use our experience and know-how to help you find a lawyer that can provide you with the legal representation and dedication you deserve. Remember, we never charge you any fees or expenses, unless your case is successful.

Please contact the law offices of d'Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.