NEWS FLASH: OSHA & Surface Preparation Industry Reacts to Beryllium Alert on Coal and Copper Slag Abrasives!

OSHA Probes Beryllium Levels At Coal Slag Abrasive Plants, Responding To Hazcom Concerns

OSHA will direct field offices to investigate whether coal slag abrasive manufacturers are complying with the hazard communication standard, due to concerns relayed to OSHA that beryllium incoal slag products is not being disclosed to end users, an agency official told Inside OSHA Online.

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Disclosures Urged on Abrasive Beryllium

Monday, January 23, 2012

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Federal safety authorities have failed to enforce a law requiring manufacturers of coal-slag abrasive to disclose levels of beryllium in their product, consumer advocate Public Citizen contends.

"Manufacturers of coal-slag abrasive are failing to report their product's beryllium exposure risks," Public Citizen's Justin Feldman wrote in a letter Jan. 19 to Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforcement director Thomas Galassi.

http://www.paintsquare.com/news/?fuseaction=view&id=7028

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EHS Today The magazine  for environment, health and safety leaders

Public Citizen to OSHA: Enforce Labeling Law for Toxic Coal Byproduct

Jan 20, 2012 2:20 PM, By Sandy Smith

According to Public Citizen, workers using coal slag abrasive are exposed to dangerous levels of beryllium, which has been linked to cases of cancer. Coal slag abrasive coal slag abrasive to blast ship hulls, bridges and other metal structures in preparation for painting.

http://ehstoday.com/standards/osha/public-citizen-osha-berryllium-slag-0120/

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Public Citizen calls on OSHA to enforce beryllium law

January 20, 2012

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) should enforce a law requiring manufacturers of coal slag abrasive to disclose that their product contains dangerous levels of beryllium, Public Citizen said in a letter sent yesterday to OSHA enforcement director Thomas Galassi. Workers use coal slag abrasive to blast ship hulls, bridges and other metal structures in preparation for painting.

"Workers have a right to know if they are being exposed to toxic chemicals," said Justin Feldman, worker health and safety advocate with Public Citizen's Congress Watch division. "But coal slag manufacturers are not indicating that their product contains cancer-causing beryllium. Some companies even have the audacity to market their product as non-toxic. OSHA needs to enforce the law and end this practice at once."

http://www.ishn.com/articles/print/92407