| The MA Beryllium Screening Program conlcuded offering screenings in June 2007. The goal of the screening program was to identify workers who are sensitized to beryllium at risk of chronic beryllium disease-for the purpose of their own personal medical follow-up, and for determination of eligibility for compensation under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program. The specific objective for the program was to provide the initial assessment of beryllium workers who worked at the facilities described below:
MIT and Nuclear Metals
Beginning in 1942, metallurgists at MIT carried out beryllium research for the Manhattan Engineering District (MED). In 1954 research continued under Nuclear Metals and four years later operations moved to a new facility in Concord, MA. MIT processed and conducted early metallurgical testing on uranium metals, beryllium, zirconium and thorium. Some of the most important developments initiated at MIT and NMI included the development of depleted uranium penetrators, beryllium tubing, tubular transition joints that connect otherwise incompatible metals and zirconium clad fuel elements.
Other Beryllium Vendors:
Wyman-Gordon
Norton Abrasives
Wyman-Gordon
Founded in 1883 in Worcester, Wyman-Gordon supplied beryllium materials to the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the DOE during the Cold War. During this time workers from the Worcester, Millbury and Grafton locations produced powder forgings and beryllium blanks for the Rocky Flats plant and beryllium metal and parts to the Y-12 plant.
Norton Abrasives (Saint-Gobain)
From 1943 to 1961, Norton Abrasives was an Atomic Weapons Employer and Beryllium Vendor. Norton manufactured refractory products from boron, beryllium uranium and thorium for the AEC. Work was done both at the Worcester facility and at a facility in Canada. In late 1945, Norton was subcontracted by Brush Beryllium to fuse beryllium oxide. Norton developed methods for shaping beryllium powder into rods and hexagonal rings using molds. It also used the process to produce beryllium oxide-uranium oxide hexagonal rings. By 1949, at least one death from beryllium poisoning had been recorded at Norton.
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