A second Hanford worker has been diagnosed with chronic beryllium disease, according to a new group formed to raise awareness of the illness among site employees.

Another eight workers have shown a sensitivity to beryllium, said electrician Craig E. Hall, the first Hanford worker known to be diagnosed with the chronic health condition.

He's a member of the Beryllium Awareness Group, employees who are working to inform Hanford workers of the hazards of beryllium so they can make an informed decision on the need for beryllium medical screening.

Hall and other group members fear there are more undiagnosed cases of chronic beryllium disease or beryllium sensitivity than detected so far among Hanford workers. Recent studies have shown even slight exposures to the exotic metal may cause the illness in sensitive individuals.

Studies done of 700 former workers who volunteered for testing have shown at least 5 percent with signs of beryllium exposure. Normally, the odds are 1 in 100 that someone working in beryllium-laden areas will show signs of the disease.

At Hanford, beryllium was used from 1952 to 1987, most often in a material developed to close the ends of uranium fuel rods. Workers could have been exposed in as many as 43 buildings, with some 300 Area locations posing the most risk.

Breathing beryllium dust or particles can cause workers' immune systems to become sensitive - allergic, in a sense - to beryllium in their bodies. Not all workers exposed to the metal show the sensitization. For those who do, chronic beryllium disease might develop in as little as a month or as long as 15 years.

It's a chronic and often disabling disease marked by scarring of the lungs. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, coughing, tiredness, weight loss and excessive phlegm.

The illness can be fatal if not treated. But if it is caught early, steroids and other therapies can be used to improve breathing and slow its progression.

That's why the Hanford employee group is pushing for more workers to consider being tested.

The group has asked that a new, simpler questionnaire be developed. It's hoping that by allowing workers to just check off locations where they worked, for instance, they may find the new questionnaire easier to fill out than the existing form, which has open-ended questions.

The committee also wants to make sure workers don't fear repercussions if they ask for testing.

In response, members said, Keith Klein, manager of Department of Energy Richland Operations Office, and Dick French, manager of the DOE Office of River Protection, issued a joint statement.

"Each employee has the right to raise concerns about work-related safety issues, including concerns related to his or her health, without fear of retaliation or reprisal,"it said.

Workers who don't want their supervisors to know of their concern may contact the Hanford Environmental Health Foundation directly for help. HEHF has not released the names of those who have the disease or show sensitization.

A health care professional at HEHF will discuss with workers the pros and cons of being tested. If blood tests show a sensitivity to beryllium, the individual may not be allowed to work in areas where he or she could come into contact with more particles of the metal. The employee also would be entered into a medical monitoring program.

Members of the employee group believe the benefits of being checked outweigh any drawbacks.

"I'd like to see anyone of any exposure tested,"Hall said.

Those wanting more information on beryllium and its health effects have several options. Monthly meetings to exchange information, including among workers and officials, are open to the public and are held at 1 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month at the HAMMER in conference Room 31. The Hanford Beryllium Awareness Group can be contacted by calling Hall at 373-6161, Terry Cherney at 376-6005 or Deborah Reed at 376-0981.

Former Hanford workers interested in screening programs also may call 800-866-9663 or 800-419-9691 for former production workers.