EPA Extends Public Comment Period on Cleanup Plan for Maywood Chemical Company Superfund Site

Today's post was shared by US EPA News and comes from yosemite.epa.gov

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has extended the public comment period for its proposed cleanup plan to address contaminated soil at the Maywood Chemical Company Superfund site in Maywood and Rochelle Park, New Jersey.  The Agency is extending the comment period, which was set to end on October 22 to November 21.  Previous industrial activity at the site resulted in contamination of the soil and ground water with volatile organic compounds, radioactive waste and metals.  The EPA proposal calls for a combination of removing and treating contaminated soil.  The EPA held a public meeting on September 9, 2013 to explain the proposed plan. For more information and to view the proposed plan, visit http://epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/maywood.

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Canadian Pipeline Incidents Have Doubled In The Past Decade

Today's post was shared by Huffington Post and comes from www.huffingtonpost.com

Oct 28 (Reuters) - The rate of safety-related incidents on federally regulated pipelines in Canada doubled over the last decade, while the rate of reported spills and leaks was up threefold, according to an investigative report by Canada's national broadcaster. The total number of incidents, which included everything from spills to fires, swelled from 45 in 2000 to 142 in 2011, the CBC reported on Monday, citing data from the National Energy Board (NEB) obtained through access-to-information requests. That translated to a doubling from one incident for every 1,000 km (620 miles) of federally-regulated pipeline in 2000, to two in 2011. The CBC investigation also found that the rate of product reported releases - spills and leaks - rose threefold, from four releases for every 10,000 km in 2000, to 13 in 2011. The NEB regulates all pipelines that cross provincial or international borders, but does not monitor smaller pipelines that are only in a single province. The safety of shipping petroleum products via pipelines has become a hot topic in recent years, with companies like Enbridge Inc and TransCanada Corp developing major new projects to move crude from Canada's oil sands to markets in the United States and Asia. Opponents say a pipeline leak can cause catastrophic environmental damage and often cite a 2010 incident where an Enbridge pipeline carrying crude from Alberta ruptured, spilling huge amounts of oil into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan. But pipeline companies say their...

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SeaWorld Appeal Could Force Taming Of Its Popular Shows

Today's post was shared by Huffington Post and comes from www.huffingtonpost.com

By Carlyn Kolke (Reuters) - A killer whale, the lawyer-son of a Supreme Court justice and the grisly death of wildlife trainer will play roles in a U.S. appeals court case next month that could forever change marine park operator SeaWorld's marquee entertainment. The signature attraction for the company's three U.S. theme parks has been shows featuring the black-and-white killer whales or orcas, including several named Shamu, performing flips and other stunts under the direction of trainers who historically have been in close contact with them. But that changed after the February 2010 death of Dawn Brancheau, a 40-year-old trainer. She drowned after being pulled into a pool by Tilikum, a 12,000-pound bull orca, at SeaWorld's site in Orlando, Florida. In August 2010, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined SeaWorld $75,000 for three safety violations, saying it had exposed its trainers to a hazardous environment and violated a part of the Occupational Safety and Health Act known as the general duty clause. OSHA, a part of the Labor Department, demanded SeaWorld make certain changes, notably, physically separating the killer whale trainers from the orcas during show performances. SeaWorld is appealing the broad application of a federal safety law meant to protect workers in unusual circumstances. The case will come before a three-judge panel of the U.S Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Nov. 12. With animal...

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CDC - Storm/Flood and Hurricane Response - NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic

Today's post was shared by Safe Healthy Workers and comes from www.cdc.gov

hospital worker, firefighter, police officer, hazmat cleanup worker Storm and flood cleanup activities can be hazardous. Workers and volunteers involved with flood cleanup should be aware of the potential dangers involved, and the proper safety precautions. Work-related hazards that could be encountered include: electrical hazards, Carbon Monoxide, musculoskeletal hazards, heat stress, motor vehicles, hazardous materials, fire, confined spaces and falls. Links to information about hazards associated with storm and flood cleanup can be found below. This information is intended to help employers and workers prepare in advance for anticipated response activities, and to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses in the field once rescue, recovery, and clean-up begin. What Services Can CDC/NIOSH Provide to Employers and Employees Involved in Hurricane Recovery? Provides information on work site hazard evaluations available to workers affected by hurricane recovery. Generator Safety Preventing electrocutions associated with portable generators plugged into household circuits Medical Recommendations for Relief Workers and Emergency Responders NIOSH Interim Guidance for Pre-exposure Medical Screening of Workers Deployed for Hurricane Disaster Work This document provides interim guidance on medical screening for workers before beginning disaster response activities. It will be updated or revised as appropriate, as additional information becomes available. These materials were...

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Two Kinds of Hospital Patients: Admitted, and Not

Today's post was shared by The New Old Age and comes from newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com

Judith Stein got a call from her mother recently, reporting that a friend was in the hospital. “Be sure she’s admitted,” Ms. Stein said. As executive director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy, she has gotten all too savvy about this stuff. “Of course she’s admitted,” her mother said. “Didn’t I just tell you she was in the hospital?” But like a sharply growing number of Medicare beneficiaries, her mother’s friend would soon learn that she could spend a day or three in a hospital bed, could be monitored and treated by doctors and nurses — and never be formally admitted to the hospital. She was on observation status and therefore an outpatient. As I wrote last year, the distinction can have serious consequences. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services tried to clarify this confusing situation in the spring with a policy popularly known as the “two-midnight rule.” When a physician expects a patient’s stay to include at least two midnights, that person is an inpatient whose care is covered under Medicare Part A, which pays for hospitals. If it doesn’t last two midnights, Medicare expects the person to be an outpatient, and Part B, which pays for doctors, takes over. It’s rare to have hospital and nursing home administrators, physicians and patient advocates all agreeing about a Medicare policy, but in this case “there’s unanimity of dislike,” said ...

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Prevention For Profit: Questions Raised About Some Health Screenings

Today's post was shared by Kaiser Health News and comes from www.kaiserhealthnews.org

Messiah United Methodist Church in Springfield, Va., is unusually busy for a Thursday morning. It's not a typical time for worship, but parishioner Stacy Riggs and her husband have come for something a little different: a medical screening. "I'm getting ready to turn 50 sooner than I'd like to say, and just thought it was a good time to get an overall screening," said Riggs, of Fairfax, Va. She doesn't have any symptoms, but she stopped by the church, which is offering a day of testing by the company Life Line Screening as a service to parishioners. (Photo by Jenny Gold) Life Line Screening medical assistant Kennea Blake prepares Stacy Riggs for an atrial fibrillation screening at Messiah United Methodist Church in Springfield, Va. For less than $200, Riggs is getting six different screenings for stroke, heart disease and osteoporosis. Life Line says they've checked 8 million Americans this way at churches and community centers, and up to 10 percent of them are found to have some sort of abnormality. But several of the tests performed by Life Line are on a list of procedures for healthy people to avoid. The tests can potentially do more harm than good, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel that recommends evidence-based treatments. Even though the screening tests may be noninvasive, follow-up exams and procedures often are not, and can increase a person's odds of being injured or over treated. One of those tests is the carotid artery...

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Aging Activities: Managing someone else’s money

As America's workforce ages new concerns are emerging for the growing aging population. From time to time we will be focussing on Aging Activities and issues, by providing information and commentary. Today's post is shared from consumerfinance.gov Millions of Americans are managing money or property for a loved one who is unable to pay bills or make financial decisions. This can be very overwhelming. But, it’s also a great opportunity to help someone you care about, and protect them from scams and fraud. We are releasing four easy-to-understand booklets to help financial caregivers. The Managing Someone Else’s Money guides are for agents under powers of attorney, court-appointed guardians, trustees, and government fiduciaries (Social Security representative payees and VA fiduciaries.) The guides help you to be a financial caregiver in three ways: They walk you through your duties. They tell you how to watch out for scams and financial exploitation, and what to do if your loved one is a victim. They tell you where you can go for help. You can also order free print copies (including bulk orders) online soon. We’re working hard to empower older Americans to have a secure financial future. Sometimes family members, caregivers and others in the community must pitch in. We’re here to help you, too. 4 Comments » | Categories: Featured | Fraud | Older Americans | Scams

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