Beryllium Workers Surveillance Program - Update W. G. Tankersley, D. Cragle, S. Wells Oak Ridge...
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Transcript of Beryllium Workers Surveillance Program - Update W. G. Tankersley, D. Cragle, S. Wells Oak Ridge...
Beryllium Workers Surveillance Program - Update
W. G. Tankersley, D. Cragle, S. Wells
Oak Ridge Associated Universities,
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Presented at
American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition
New Orleans, LA
June 6, 2001
Acknowledgements
• ORAU staff – Oak Ridge, TN and Arvada,
Colorado
• DOE overseers
• DOE contractors staff
• Participants
Contacts
• Donna Cragle – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/576-2866
• Bill Tankersley – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/576-3141
• Duane Hilmas – Arvada, CO – 303/423-9585
• Bill Stange – Arvada, CO – 303/423/9585
• Elizabeth White – Washington, DC – 301/903-7582
• Paul Wambach – Washington, DC – 301/903-7373
Beryllium Use
• Major
– Electrical
– Electronics
– Aerospace
– Nuclear
• Other
– Recreational equipment
– High performance mechanical parts
Beryllium Hazards
• Acute
– Dermatitis
– Dermal granulomas
– Bronchitis
– Pneumonitis
• Chronic
– Chronic beryllium disease
Chronic Beryllium Disease
• Slow onset
• Effects respiratory system chiefly – May effect
other organs such as liver and spleen
• Formation of granulomas or microgranulomas
• Progressive – can be extremely debilitative
• May be associated with cancer
History of Project
• First cases at Rocky Flats – ~1985
• Y-12 Beryllium Workers Study
– Research Phase – Targeted hands on workers
– Surveillance Phase – included others wanting to be
tested
• Active workers
• Retired workers
• Expansion to other sites – sensitized persons always
discovered
Exposure Assessment
• General air sampling
• Personal sampling
• Length of employment
• Department
• Job title
• Particle size
• BeLPT may be used
Description of Clinics
• Dissemination of information
• Collection of participant data
– Work history
– General health history
– Demographic information
– Respiratory symptoms
• Chest radiograph if indicated
• Collection of blood for LPT
Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test
• Previously designated lymphocyte
transformation test
• Basis – measure enhanced lymphocyte
cell division in presence of antigen (Be)
via radionuclide incorporation
• Methodology
• Interpretation
BeLPT Methodology
• Lymphocytes separated via density gradient
centrifugation
• Cultured in three concentrations BeSO4, two
different periods (with non-stimulated controls)
• Pulsed with tritiated thymidine last 24 hours
• Increased proliferation measured by radioactivity
uptake
BeLPT Interpretation
• Normal – no increased proliferation
• Borderline – abnormal proliferation in single test
or not at established significant level
• Abnormal – statistically increased proliferative
response in two sequential tests
Results
Participation Sensitized CBD
Y-12 2,885 68 36
ORNL 260 5 0
RFETS 8,395 183 118
KCP 1,099/83 16 n/a
IAAP 298 6 n/a
Pantex 581 11 n/a
LLNL 500 11 n/a
Expanded Surveillance Program
• Y-12 and Rocky Flats (3 year repeat test phase)
• Other sites in initial (first round) testing
– ORNL – Oak Ridge, TN
– IAAP – Burlington, IA
– Kansas City Plant – Kansas, KS
– Pantex – Amarillo, TX
– LLNL, CA
Contacts
• Donna Cragle – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/576-2866
• Bill Tankersley – Oak Ridge, TN – 865/576-3141
• Duane Hilmas – Arvada, CO – 303/423-9585
• Bill Stange – Arvada, CO – 303/423/9585
• Elizabeth White – Washington, DC – 301/903-7582
• Paul Wambach – Washington, DC – 301/903-7373