Ohio Citizen Action today released a report showing dental lab employees are working with a deadly metal and likely have little knowledge of its toxicity . The group says that some dental laboratory suppliers are withholding life-saving information from the workers handling beryllium. There should be an immediate ban on all dental alloys containing any level of beryllium. Beryllium exposure can cause beryllium disease and cancer.
Beryllium disease is an incurable, often fatal, lung ailment.
Beryllium is recognized as a cancer causing chemical by the National Toxicology Program, and the World Health Organization s International Agency for Research on Cancer. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires companies to prepare and distribute Material Safety Data Sheets to customers handling their dangerous materials. In addition to first aid and safe handling recommendations, federal law requires companies to warn workers of known health hazards and if the material is recognized as a carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Citizen Action s report reviewed Material Safety Data Sheets from five dental laboratory suppliers and surveyed 51 dental laboratories in the Cleveland area. Of the five Material Safety Data Sheets collected, four failed to mention beryllium disease or accurately warn of the cancer risks.