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Beryllium
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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:
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.
To fill out a confidential form, CLICK HERE.
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