Berylliosis
Berylliosis is a chronic lung disease caused by inhaling beryllium-containing dust or fumes. It is not curable and can appear years after exposure. Therefore, when working with beryllium copper: consistently avoid dust and fumes.
What is berylliosis
Berylliosis is a chronic lung disease caused by inhaling beryllium-containing dust or fumes. It is one of the recognized occupational diseases (BK-No. 1110).
How it develops
Not everyone reacts the same: in sensitive people, even a one-time, heavier exposure to beryllium dust can trigger hypersensitivity. The body reacts with chronic inflammation that scars lung tissue.
The catch
The disease can only show up years or decades after exposure. Symptoms like shortness of breath, dry cough, and fatigue are often not immediately linked to the old work material.
What you can do
Never dry-grind or weld beryllium-containing alloys (CuBe, CuCoBe, CuNiBe) without extraction. Anyone who regularly works with beryllium copper should use occupational medical check-ups (ArbMedVV). Specific protection requirements are in the Hazardous Substances Ordinance (GefStoffV) and TRGS 900.