OSHA to Begin Enforcing Beryllium Rule

Jon Schorsch spent more than a decade as a sergeant with the Port of Seattle Police Department before retiring and going on to earn his JD at the Seattle University School of Law. In his professional life, Jon Schorsch drew upon extensive experience with employment laws and regulations related to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Formed by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA functions as a division of the Department of Labor and is led by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. The primary purpose of OSHA is to create and enforce standards and regulations related to workplace safety in the United States.

In March of 2018, OSHA announced that it would begin enforcing a rule related to workplace exposure to beryllium. The law sets an eight-hour limit for beryllium exposure, with a shorter limit for those working in the construction and shipyard industries. Beryllium is a metal commonly used in the aerospace, medical, and electronics industries. When processed, beryllium dust can be inhaled by workers and cause a variety of illnesses.

OSHA initially announced the rule in January of 2017. The agency stated the delay in enforcement was to allow time for the industry to fully understand the new regulations.

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