Development of a health risk-based surface contamination cleanup standard for occupational exposure to beryllium

Abstract

A health risk-based surface contamination cleanup standard (SCS) for beryllium (BE) was developed to facilitate the safe transfer of property (equipment and buildings) previously used in BE-related processes. Previous SCSs for BE were primarily based on Department of Energy (DOE) housekeeping criteria rather than health risks. Quantitative health risk assessment methods were used to develop an occupational SCS that explicitly considers the relevant exposure pathways and toxicity endpoints, including both cancer and non-cancer endpoints. For the cancer endpoint at the 1E-06 risk level, the analysis resulted in an SCS of 17 µg/100 cm2 based on resuspension of settled dust and subsequent inhalation exposure only (BE is regulated as a carcinogen by the inhalation route only). For the non-cancer endpoint, the analysis resulted in an SCS of 0.07 µg/100 cm2 based on dermal absorption, incidental ingestion following dermal contact, and inhalation. The non-cancer SCS was determined virtually entirely by the dermal absorption exposure pathway, with negligible contributions from the incidental ingestion and inhalation pathways. This analysis shows that application of the non-cancer SCS in BE monitoring and control programs will adequately protect workers from both the cancer and non-cancer health effects of BE when surface contamination is the primary source of BE exposure.