[time-nuts] beryllium oxide
Brooke Clarke
brooke at pacific.net
Fri Jan 16 17:21:38 UTC 2009
Hi Bruce:
Why is beryllium oxide a problem when it's already in a product?
I believe the danger is something similar to asbestos where inhaling large
amounts it is the problem. Shipyard workers applying loose asbestos to pipes
and boilers inhaled the material all during there work day and ended up with
medical problems. I've heard that electronics workers that made products from
beryllium oxide also suffered medical problems. They were breathing a lot of
the dust. Mechanics who grind brake material will have no problem from
asbestos just as motorists since the "fish hooks" are no longer present in the
asbestos dust. I used to have a sheet of asbestos that fit into the oven and
was used to bake bread. It's OK to eat asbestos and probably beryllium oxide.
There's a disused hotel on our main street that's a brick building heated
with a steam boiler with the whole system insulated with asbestos. It's a real
(expensive) problem to remove that asbestos in a way safe for the person doing
it and doing all the needed OSH paperwork. I believe the cost to remove the
asbestos far exceeds the economic value of the building and the land it's
sitting on. In time that will change.
Don't see any problem related to (beryllium oxide) oscillator disposal. Can
you elaborate?
Have Fun,
Brooke Clarke
http://www.prc68.com
Bruce Griffiths wrote:
. . .
>
> However there are a few OCXOs that use beryllium oxide within them,
> these are usually labelled as such and no attempt at reverse engineering
> should be made.
> I have one of these lying around.
> Safe disposal of such devices is also problematic.
>
> Bruce
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