What Is Beryllium?
ATSDR describes beryllium as a lightweight metal found naturally in rocks, coal, soil and volcanic dust, with many uses in the electronics, aerospace and defense industries as well as in energy applications and the medical and dental fields.
ATSDR says breathing in beryllium can lead to lung disease and lung cancer, and that exposure can also cause beryllium sensitization, an immune response that can lead to more serious health problems if exposure continues. It says workers exposed to beryllium are at risk for acute beryllium disease and sensitized people are at risk for chronic beryllium disease, and that people with chronic beryllium disease develop lesions in the lungs that can lead to scarring, with chest pain, cough or shortness of breath. On cancer, it says HHS considers beryllium a known human carcinogen, the EPA classifies inhaled beryllium as a probable human carcinogen, and IARC classifies beryllium as carcinogenic to humans.
OSHA sets workplace limits. Its beryllium standard requires employers to ensure no employee is exposed above 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour time-weighted average, or above 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter over a 15-minute sampling period. The standard became effective March 10, 2017, with obligations including those exposure limits due by March 12, 2018.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceATSDR describes beryllium as a lightweight metal found naturally in rocks, coal, soil and volcanic dust, with uses in electronics, aerospace, defense, energy and the medical and dental fields. ATSDR, CDC ↗
- Government sourceATSDR says breathing in beryllium can lead to lung disease and lung cancer, and that exposure can cause beryllium sensitization, an immune response that can lead to more serious problems with continued exposure. ATSDR, CDC ↗
- Government sourceATSDR says people with chronic beryllium disease develop lesions in the lungs that can lead to scarring, and may experience chest pain, cough or shortness of breath. ATSDR, CDC ↗
- Government sourceATSDR says HHS considers beryllium a known human carcinogen, the EPA classifies inhaled beryllium as a probable human carcinogen, and IARC classifies beryllium as carcinogenic to humans. ATSDR, CDC ↗
- Regulatory filingOSHA's beryllium standard requires that no employee be exposed above 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour time-weighted average, or above 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter over 15 minutes. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1024 (eCFR) ↗
- Regulatory filingOSHA's beryllium standard became effective March 10, 2017, with the obligations that include its exposure limits due by March 12, 2018. OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1024 (eCFR) ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.