Chronic beryllium disease is an incurable, sometimes fatal respiratory illness caused by exposure to beryllium, a lightweight metal used historically in the production of warhead parts at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant in Oak Ridge.

"This may be small space, but it's a mighty space to workers in Oak Ridge," said Leah Dever, the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge manager.

The new lab will be used to analyze blood samples to determine if a worker's body has become "sensitized" to beryllium. That's the first stage in development of beryllium disease.

Based on tests conducted since 1992, 114 past or present workers at Y-12 were found to be sensitized to beryllium.

There have been 44 documented cases of chronic beryllium disease among workers at the warhead production facility. Those workers or their survivors are eligible for a special compensation program passed by Congress that provides up to $150,000 and medical benefits.

The new test lab will receive blood samples from Y-12 and workers at more than a dozen other DOE facilities around the United States.

Dr. Donna Cragle, epidemiology chief at the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education., said the Oak Ridge facilities are capable of processing more than 3,000 cases per year.

That still doesn't meet the demand, Cragle said, noting that all workers exposed to beryllium should be retested every few years - even if they tested negative in the past and even if they haven't been exposed to beryllium since their last test. It can take years for the body to respond to the beryllium exposures, she said.