Workplace safety authorities investigate two suspected heat-related deaths in California’s Central Valley. The more recent case occurred Friday, involving a 66-year-old farm worker who collapsed while pruning fruit trees in hot weather. The previous victim was an 18-year-old masonry worker who in May fell unconscious as his crew was cleaning up. The worker died the next day. California’s heat illness prevention standard was strengthened in 2010 to include special rules for agriculture, construction and three other industries triggered when temperatures reach 95 degrees. “We are deeply concerned that some employers are still not providing the basic protections,” a state official said. Central Valley Business Times, Cal/OSHA
Exxon Valdez stirs new controversy. The ship, now called the Oriental Nicety, is floating off India in legal limbo as a court decides whether the vessel that dumped 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska’s unspoiled Prince William Sound in 1989 can be hacked apart. Environmentalists have petitioned the high court in the western state of Gujarat to block its entry pending an inspection for such toxic chemicals as mercury, arsenic and asbestos. Activists acknowledge it’s probably no more toxic than other vessels recycled at Alang, an Indian city lined with about 175 ship-breaking yards. But they say the standoff focuses attention on India’s lax environmental and safety standards for the industry. Los Angeles Times
Federal judge revives efforts to curtail the use of antibiotics in animal feed. The judge ruled that the Food and Drug Administration must reconsider previously denied petitions to restrict the agricultural use of certain medically important antibiotics. It is the second recent court setback for the FDA over concerns that overuse of the drugs in animal feed is endangering human health by fostering antibiotic-resistant “superbugs.” In its defense, the FDA has pointed to its new voluntary guidance promoting the judicious use of antibiotics in food animal production. But the judge ruled that this approach does not excuse the agency from its duty to review drug safety and to consider the merits of the petitions. Food Safety News, Reuters
Study faults federal regulators for failing to issue alerts about drug recalls. The study found that, over an eight-year span, the Food and Drug Administration failed to send notifications for one in five of the most serious recalls through its two electronic systems used to alert doctors and the public. The so-called Class I recalls, according to the FDA, are issued for drugs that, if taken, have the potential to cause “serious adverse health consequences or death.” According to the researchers, “health care providers may be inadequately informed about clinically important recalls that threaten patient safety.” In all, there were 91 Class I recalls from 2004 through 2011, but alerts were issued for only 55 of the incidents. Reuters
Energy industry disputes government estimates on greenhouse gas emissions from fracking. A pair of influential industry groups released a study finding that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s estimates of methane emissions from the controversial drilling technique were twice as high as their own. Concerns over methane, the primary component in natural gas, have risen as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, becomes more common. If concerns about methane leaks grow, it could have big consequences for the natural-gas industry. The environmental group Sierra Club already is trying to block gas exports because it says they would encourage more production and lead to greater emissions. The Wall Street Journal
New Jersey contractor faces up to $108,240 in safety penalties. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration accused Clifton, N.J.-based DD Stucco and Renovation LLC of six safety offenses, including two willful violations, the agency’s most serious charges. The case follows an inspection at a Mountain Lakes, N.J. job site last November that found workers climbing on scaffolding that was not secured to a building or on a firm foundation. “This company is risking worker injury and possible death by failing to provide proper fall protection,” an OSHA official said. The business’ owner said he would contest the penalties. He said he struggles for work and relied on two temporary workers for the Mountain Lakes job. The Record, OSHA
Recalls: 2006-08 Kia Rio sedans, Evenflo convertible high chairs sold at Toys R Us and Walmart
Compiled by Stuart Silverstein
