Thomas - What is "Be Bronze"?

 

I tried looking it up online, but found nothing.

Beryllium Bronze, Be is the element designation. Never used to worry about it until I found out that a local business, which was notoriously lax about safety, would refuse an entire train car load of scrap if *1* sample showed Be and then they would do a full clean up of their scrap receiving area down to formal washing out of the bins with a chemical solution that they would then pay to be treated.

If that company was that scared I was petrified! The dust and fumes of Be can cause an incurable lung disease.

As many of my processes involving grinding or polishing I chose to avoid it's use. From the OSHA website:
"Workplaces need to identify sources of beryllium. In addition to the health hazards described above, beryllium is also a flammable solid and a dust explosion hazard.

Very stringent measures are required to prevent possible exposure to beryllium. They are:
Elimination or substitution...."

Wow - thanks. 

 

I wonder if bronze plumbing fittings have Beryllium in them?  I need to do some research since I've considered using bronze plumbing pipe fittings in the past.  Wouldn't think they would, but can't be too safe.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium_copper