BULLETIN #505-TD-1

GUIDE FOR SHARPENING BERYLLIUM COPPER TOOLS
AS SUGGESTED BY OSHA STANDARDS

Everyday handling and normal use of Berylco Tools presents no known health hazard to the user. However, tools which may need sharpening from time to time – axes, chisels, scrapers, and others – carry a precautionary label reminding the user to read this bulletin before doing any grinding:

WARNING: Do not grind this tool without first reading Bulletin #505-TD-l, available upon request. This tool contains beryllium which, if inhaled as airborne dust, can cause serious lung disorders. A Regrinding Service is available if required.

Uncontrolled grinding may create a beryllium health hazard if dust particles of the tool material are released into the air and inhaled. The alloy from which Berylco Tools are made contains about two percent beryllium, a metal regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA has established limits upon the airborne concentration of beryllium in dust or fume. Since these limits are subject to change, we refer the Berylco Tool user to the current OSHA standard for specific information, 29CFR1910.1000 and 29CFR 1910.1024.

The current limit, shown as an eight-hour time-weighted average, is 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air, with a short-term exposure limit of 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter.

Free sharpening service
As tool sharpening has the potential to release airborne particulate, NGK recommends customers use our free sharpening service. For more information call 1-800-523-8268 or (423) 337-5500.

Please address questions to:

NGK Metals Corporation
917 Highway 11 South
Sweetwater, TN 37874

Berylco non-sparking tools are the standard in the industry, used by most spark-sensitive industrial and government locations because of their superior toughness and durability.