3.5.6 Safety Documents

Before beginning any work involving beryllium, the work shall be authorized by an IWS. An activity's IWS shall be revised and reapproved if changes in operations increase the level of hazard or introduce new hazards.

In addition to an IWS, a safety plan is required for all beryllium operations that have the potential for producing airborne beryllium. A safety plan that is consistent with Document 2.2 shall provide specific controls to keep airborne beryllium at levels less than the AL and as low as practicable. A Hazard Assessment and Control (HAC) form is used to document the use of respirators and other PPE in accordance with the requirements of Document 11.1. A HAC form is used for work when a safety plan is not required.

3.5.7 Beryllium Work Areas and Regulated Beryllium Work Areas

A beryllium work area is any defined area (e.g., shop, laboratory, or other facility) that is subject to 10 CFR 850, i.e., that does not fall under the laboratory-use exemption (see Section 1.0), and where beryllium (other than beryllium articles) is handled, used, or worked. (Beryllium articles are those items meeting the OSHA definition of an article and whose surface contamination level is determined to be less than 0.2 µg Be/100 cm2.) Measured or potential airborne exposures are to be less than the AL of 0.2 µg Be/m3 as an 8-hour, time-weighted average. A beryllium work area may be either temporary or permanent, depending on the nature of the specific work. A beryllium work area shall be posted with the sign shown in Figure 1 in Section 3.5.8.

A regulated beryllium work area is any area (e.g., shop, laboratory, or other facility, including outdoor locations) that is subject to 10 CFR 850, i.e., that does not fall under the laboratory-use exemption, and where beryllium is handled, used, or worked and measured airborne exposures equal or exceed the AL. A regulated beryllium work area may be either temporary or permanent, depending on the nature of the specific task or effectiveness of controls. Significant requirements of a regulated beryllium work area are:

* A manner of demarcation from the rest of the workplace that adequately alerts workers to the boundaries. (See Figure 2 in Section 3.5.8.)

* Access that is limited to authorized persons.

* A log of all entrants that shows each entrant's name, employee number, date, time in, time out, and work activity.

* Dedicated change rooms for workers to change into and store personal clothing and clean protective clothing and equipment.

* Dedicated showers and handwashing areas. (Workers are required to shower at the end of the shift.)

Additional requirements for regulated areas are specified by 10 CFR 850 and are addressed in the following sections of this document:

* Section 3.2, "Exposure Reduction and Minimization Program."

* Section 3.5.5, "Exposure Monitoring."

* Section 3.5.8, "Labeling and Posting."