Researchers to Study Beryllium Exposure Among Former Nuclear Metals Plant Workers

BOSTON, MA — March 3, 2006 — Boston University researchers will conduct a study of the health of former workers at a West Concord facility that processed beryllium for use in nuclear weapons (Concord Journal, February 23, 2006). Nuclear Metals, Inc, owned the plant from 1958 through 1986, when it contracted with the Department of Energy and the Atomic Energy Commission. The work may have been an outgrowth of the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb.

Some workers who breathe in beryllium dust develop chronic beryllium disease or berylliosis, an incurable illness that damages the lungs. The time between the first exposure to beryllium and the onset of chronic beryllium disease ranges from several months to 40 years. Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, fevers, skin rash, and night sweats. In the later stages of the disease, lung tissue becomes scarred. Although there is no cure for chronic beryllium disease, the condition can be treated with steroids and mechanical ventilation of the lungs (see Beryllium Treatment).

Study participants will be screened for “beryllium sensitization,” an allergic response to beryllium that is often a precursor to chronic beryllium disease. They will also be given chest x–rays, physical examinations and lung function tests.

A blood test known as the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test or BeLPT measures beryllium sensitization. The BeLPT examines how disease–fighting cells involved in immune responses, called lymphocytes, react to beryllium. If the lymphocytes react strongly to beryllium, then the BeLPT is called abnormal and indicates beryllium sensitization. Lew Parker, the lead investigator and a professor of environmental health, expects that about four to nine percent of the workers tested will be positive for beryllium sensitization and that among this group, about 50% or more will develop chronic beryllium disease (Metro West Daily News, February 22, 2006).

So far, 15 former workers have agreed to take part in the study. Researchers hope to enroll 300 participants by the end of the year. They have had difficulty in locating former workers, however. Applied Technology Management, the current owner of the West Concord facility, has been hesitant to provide the names of the former employees who may have been exposed to beryllium, according to Mr. Parker.

Your Beryllium Case

A federal program provides a $150,000 lump sum payment to nuclear workers who developed chronic beryllium disease as a result of their employment. The program applies to individuals who worked for the Department of Energy (DOE), for its contractors and subcontractors, for companies that provided beryllium to the DOE, or for atomic weapons employers. If workers take the lump sum, they may not pursue a court case against beryllium product manufacturers.

Study participants with chronic beryllium disease would most likely qualify for the government program. However, jury verdicts or settlements in chronic beryllium disease cases can greatly exceed the $150,000 offered under the program. This lump sum amount may not be adequate compensation for medical expenses, pain, and suffering, and for ensuring a decent quality of life.

Brayton Purcell has successfully handled cases involving beryllium and other toxic substances for over 20 years, and has earned an excellent national reputation in this legal field. If you have been exposed to beryllium and developed chronic beryllium disease, please feel free to contact us. We will evaluate your potential case free of charge and advise you about your legal choices.