Improved U.S. aviation safety record undercuts push for further protections. In all, 140 airline passengers have been killed since 2002, and the last U.S. accident involving a large jetliner was in November 2001. The Federal Aviation Administration is going ahead with new rules to combat pilot fatigue but, based on the projected costs of the changes versus what officials perceive as the limited reduction in risks, the agency exempted air freight carriers. Unions representing air freight pilots have sought to overturn the exemption, and bills to do the same thing have been introduced in the House and Senate. In its cost-benefit calculations, the FAA places a $6.2 million value on a human life. Bloomberg
Research shows possible tie between BPA and brain tumors. The study by Chinese researchers is the first to suggest a link between the chemical, which is widely used in plastics and other consumer products, and meningiomas, brain tumors that in about 10 percent of cases are malignant. The researchers tracked two groups of patients, 247 with a diagnosis of meningioma and 258 with no such history, who were getting medical exams at Union Hospital in Wuhan, China. The study found that patients with the highest urine BPA levels were about 1.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with meningioma than those with lower concentrations. In the U.S., six in 100,000 people are estimated to have meningiomas. Environmental Health News
Widely used drugs to combat severe heartburn linked to health problems. As many as four in 10 Americans have symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and many depend on medicines such as Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium to reduce stomach acid. These are the nation’s third highest-selling class of drugs, after antipsychotics and statins. But in recent years federal authorities have issued warnings about the drugs, saying long-term use and high doses have been associated with bone fractures and Clostridium difficile infections that can be especially dangerous to elderly patients. Studies have shown long-term use also may reduce the absorption of important nutrients, vitamins and minerals. The New York Times
Regulators to scrutinize safety of metal-on-metal hip implants. The Food and Drug Administration will begin a two-day meeting Wednesday to scrutinize the safety of the implants, following years of patient reports of pain and swelling that sometimes require removal of the devices. For decades nearly all orthopedic implants were made from plastic or ceramic. But in the last 10 years some surgeons began to favor implants made with metal stems and sockets. Laboratory tests suggested the devices would be more resistant to wear and reduce the chances of dislocation. But recent data appear to show the opposite. Metal hip replacements in a half-million Americans may be failing earlier than expected. The Associated Press
Workplace safety regulators seeking $463,350 in fines against four New Jersey contractors. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration accused the construction contractors of exposing workers to fall hazards and other violations on a 20-story building project in Jersey City, N.J. OSHA said sides and edges were left open, endangering workers, on the 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th and 13th floors. Three of the contractors — Altura Concrete Inc., Nathil Corp. and White Diamonds Properties — were charged with willful violations, OSHA’s most serious offense. Also accused of fall hazard violations was the fourth firm, masonry contractor Blade Contracting. OSHA
New Jersey bill to bar fracking wastes from entering the state sent to the governor. The state Senate voted 30-5 to approve the measure, a week after it passed in the Assembly. It’s not clear if Gov. Chris Christie will sign it. New Jersey lacks the large pockets of natural gas found in Pennsylvania and states farther west, but the state currently has no rules about accepting byproducts. Supporters of the bill fear waste from large-scale fracking operations could end up in New Jersey, worsening environmental problems in a state that already has thousands of polluted sites. Christie vetoed a ban on fracking itself last year, instead calling for a one-year moratorium, which legislators ultimately accepted. The Star-Ledger, The Associated Press
Plastics, vinyl and chemical industries are lobbying to block new federal standards for green construction. Twenty trade groups representing the industries say the standards being considered by the General Services Administration could eliminate hundreds of their products in construction projects. The new standards — developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, which sets the rating system for green construction known as LEED — include a “chemical avoidance” provision of particular concern to the industry groups. The GSA and other government agencies have adopted LEED guidelines as the required building standard for new construction. The Washington Post
Compiled by Stuart Silverstein
