Wilmington Company Exposed Workers To Toxic Beryllium: OSHA

WILMINGTON, MA — A Wilmington company failed to adequately protect its employees against exposure to the toxic substance beryllium adequately, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

IBC Engineered Materials, Inc., a fabricator of advanced alloys based in Franklin, IN, was fined $69,000.

OSHA inspectors found the company, doing business as IBC Advanced Alloys Inc., overexposed employees to airborne concentrations of beryllium as they performed handheld grinding and parts fabrication operations on beryllium aerospace components in the plant’s foundry and grinding room, according to a statement.

OSHA determined the Massachusetts company failed on a variety of safety precautions required for working with beryllium. This included conducting follow-ups for beryllium exposure monitoring in a timely manner, implementing a proper exposure control plan, maintaining adequate engineering controls to reduce and minimize employees’ exposures to beryllium, and posting adequate signage.

OSHA has cited IBC for 11 serious violations and one other-than-serious violation for these hazardous conditions and proposed $69,251 in proposed penalties.

OSHA Area Director Sarah Carle in Andover said in a statement: “Beryllium is an important material needed in aerospace, defense and other industries, but is a highly toxic metal. Workers who inhale beryllium are at an increased risk of developing serious adverse health effects including chronic beryllium disease and lung cancer. OSHA’s inspection found IBC Advanced Alloys Inc. failed to provide adequate and effective safeguards required to protect employees against this harmful hazard.”

IBC Advanced Alloys is a leading advanced alloys company serving the defense, aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, and precision manufacturing industries, among others.