SafetyIssues Personal and Public Safety News Articles: Science/Tech Senator presses NRC on issues at Calif nuke plant ================================================================================ Courtesy of LakeWyliePilot on 05/16/12 09:34:00 Courtesy of LakeWyliePilot - The chair of the U.S. Senate's environment committee pressed federal regulators Tuesday to disclose details about the design of the troubled steam generators at the San Onofre nuclear power plant, where a probe into tube damage has kept the reactors sidelined for months. Pentagon restricts F-22 jet flights over safety issues ================================================================================ Courtesy of GulfTimes on 05/16/12 09:30:00 Courtesy of GulfTimes - US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has ordered the Air Force to restrict flights of its most advanced fighter jet, the F-22, after some pilots complained of dizzy spells and blackouts, officials said. Why is safety a divisive issue for Nuclear Regulatory Commission? ================================================================================ Courtesy of LATImes on 04/28/12 09:40:00 Courtesy of LATimes -Safety issues are at the heart of the unfolding fiasco at Southern California Edison's San Onofre nuclear plant, which is in Issa's district. San Onofre was completely shut down starting in February, after engineers discovered unexpectedly extensive ... Palisades nuclear power plant downgraded by Feds over safety issues ================================================================================ Courtesy of WSBT-TV on 02/16/12 05:36:00 Courtesy of WSBT-TV - COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has downgraded the Palisades nuclear power plant in southwestern Michigan after an investigation of two incidents last year that raised safety concerns. The NRC notified the plant Tuesday of its decision. Safety issues raised at San Onofre ================================================================================ Courtesy of Examiner on 02/07/12 10:35:00 The earthquake and nuclear disaster in Japan last March raised concerns regarding a similar event occurring at the San Onofre nuclear reactor, located 60 miles south of Los Angeles. Subsequently, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission conducted a thorough inspection of the plant. Their findings: the San Onofre facility is at “extremely low risk of a meltdown in an earthquake.” However, safety fears resurfaced on February 3 when San Onofre officials confirmed that sensors showed a tiny amount of radioactive gas may have leaked out of a building next to reactor 2 before it was shut down on January 31. According to plant officials, the leak poses no public safety hazard. US approves first nuclear plant in decades ================================================================================ Courtesy of AFP on 02/09/12 08:33:00 WASHINGTON — The US approved its first new nuclear power reactors in decades on Thursday, despite objections from the country's top regulator that safety issues raised by last year's Fukushima meltdown were not fully addressed. Commissioners of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted 4-1 to approve the construction of two 1,100 megawatt Westinghouse-Toshiba AP1000 at power generator Southern Co.'s existing nuclear facility in Vogtle, Georgia. Government Policy Resources for Science and Technology Topics: A Case Study ================================================================================ Courtesy of ISTL.org on 12/20/11 04:30:00 Research librarians should be literate in locating government resources at both federal and state levels. Although assistance with policy research may not be as frequently requested as other subjects, librarians need to be knowledgeable in this subject area. Policy resources produced by federal and state legislative and executive agencies can be challenging to locate and interpret. This article examines congressional and other governmental sources of policy information using an environmental catastrophe, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Coal Ash Spill in Kingston, Tennessee, as a case study to illustrate an approach to researching environmental policy information. Information on the Coal Ash Spill is an example of a request that might be received at any research assistance desk employing a cadre of librarians with specialization in various disciplines, including science and technology. Understanding Energy: What Women Need to Know About Nuclear Safety ================================================================================ Courtesy of WIPP on 12/14/11 06:58:00 Join the E3 program for a special webinar walking through the basics of a nuclear power plant and touching on safety measures provided for the public. The webinar will also focus on increasing awareness among women about nuclear issues. iPhone up in Smoke on Plane, Australian Air Safety Bureau Investigating ================================================================================ Courtesy of Foxnews on 11/28/11 11:40:00 Australia's aviation safety watchdog said Tuesday it was investigating after an Apple iPhone apparently began glowing red and emitting smoke on a passenger plane last week. The device partly melted and had to be doused by a flight attendant with a fire extinguisher, the Herald Sun reported. Fukushima-type disaster inevitable in U.S.? ================================================================================ Courtesy of CBSNews on 07/19/11 11:15:00 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was to meet Tuesday to discuss sweeping new safety recommendations, after having just finished inspecting all 104 U.S. nuclear plants in the wake of Japan's Fukushima disaster. On "The Early Show," CBS News Chief Investigative Correspondent Armen Keteyian spotlighted one of those facilities' post-Fukushima inspection reports. Watts Bar, in Spring City, Tenn., is the last nuclear plant to be licensed in the U.S., and a textbook study of the pros and cons of nuclear power. It provides electricity to some 9 million people in seven states, yet is dogged with a long history of safety issues and whistle-blower lawsuits -- including six by a 71-year-old great-grandmother named Ann Harris. If you walk through the front door of Harris's house in rural Tennessee, you'll meet one of the most unlikely and feared advocates of nuclear safety. Perry Nuclear Plant facing possible safety violations ================================================================================ Courtesy of TheNewsHerald on 07/08/11 11:01:00 The investigation into an April incident at Perry Nuclear Power Plant in North Perry Village has the plant facing a possible safety violation. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokeswoman Viktoria Mitlyng said preliminary findings indicate numerous missteps were taken on April 21 when workers removed a neuron monitor from a reactor. According to Mitlyng, workers attempted to remove the monitor, which was highly radioactive after being in the reactor for 10 months, using steps designed for a nonradioactive monitor. Additionally, workers used a cable that was 9 feet too long and installed backward, causing it to break while in the reactor, creating further potential for exposure to radioactivity. US Nuclear Safety in Spotlight After Japanese Crisis ================================================================================ Courtesy of VOANews on 06/17/11 05:32:00 U.S. nuclear officials say exhaustive reviews of safety standards and procedures have been conducted at American reactors since the Japanese nuclear crisis stemming from a March earthquake and tsunami. That's what leaders of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission sought to reassure wary lawmakers Thursday at a senate hearing. One hundred and four nuclear power reactors currently operate in the United States, providing roughly 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. It has been more than three decades since the United States suffered a major nuclear scare - the 1979 partial core meltdown at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, which resulted in no deaths or injuries. ... A New Era of Self-Control ================================================================================ Courtesy of WallStreetJournal on 05/22/11 09:58:00 How can still-untested technology, dubbed the Next Generation Air Transportation system, guarantee such huge gains? The primary reason is that the FAA seeks nothing less than to turn the traditional relationship between pilots and controllers on its head. Human interactions—with all of their vulnerability and flexibility—would be replaced by the unfailing predictability of computer-controlled digital communications. In the early years of aviation, bonfires helped pilots identify landing strips at night or in mountainous terrain. As planes became faster and more sophisticated, complex navigation aids and instrument landing systems became common. Throughout the decades, however, controllers on the ground always served as the ultimate safety net. Nuclear Radiation–Is it a More Serious Threat to Our Survival Than We Think? ================================================================================ Courtesy of Destiny Survival on 05/10/11 08:47:00 How serious is the threat from nuclear radiation? Are low levels of radiation as harmless as we’re told they are? Or are bursts of radiation the real danger? The subject of nuclear radiation needs more attention and clarification because we’re not getting the truth. Radiation at very low levels from Japan’s damaged nuclear reactors has been reported in milk in Washington and California. What about the impact on vegetables and fruit coming from California? It has also been reported in rain water in places like Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Radiation readings from Japan have been noticed in Europe as well. US nuclear units monitor rising Mississippi River ================================================================================ Courtesy of Reuters on 05/09/11 05:00:00 Nuclear power-plant operators are monitoring forecasts for the rising waters of the Mississippi River and preparing to shut plants later in the month if flooding threatens access to sites or operation of plant safety systems, a regulator said on Friday. High water is not expected to disrupt operations at nuclear plants located along rivers in the Midwest, but Entergy Corp (ETR.N: Quote) officials are preparing for high water at three reactor sites along the Mississippi River from near Vicksburg, Mississippi, to New Orleans, a company spokesman said. Entergy's 1,268-megawatt Grand Gulf nuclear station in Claiborne County, Mississippi, may be the most vulnerable, officials said, based on government forecasts for the river to reach a high of 57.5 feet (17.5 meters) on May 20, some 14 feet above flood stage. TVA’s Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in Athens, Alabama Cited For Safety Issues ================================================================================ Courtesy of News.Gather on 05/09/11 02:27:00 The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in Athens, Alabama as been issued what is called a 'red finding'. With all the problems in Japan at the nuclear power plant, many people are concerned about the nuclear power plants here in the United States. Now the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued this finding, what does it mean? Five ways to protect your Wi-Fi network from hackers ================================================================================ Courtesy of Appolicious on 04/26/11 06:26:00 Courtesy of Appolicious - Consider the story of one Buffalo, New York man a cautionary tale. The man’s house was raided by agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency last week, which later turned out to be a mistake. The reason? Department of Homeland Security agents traced a distributor of child pornography back to the man’s home Wi-Fi router. The trouble was, the man wasn’t the one distributing the illicit and illegal material -- authorities say it was his neighbor, who was connecting to his Wi-Fi network. The agents didn’t have the wrong house, but it took them a week to determine that they had the wrong suspect. How close is your home to a nuclear power plant? ================================================================================ Courtesy of CNNMoney on 03/31/11 01:57:00 If a crisis at a nuclear reactor happened in the U.S., could you be living in a danger zone? In a 10-mile radius, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the air could be unsafe to breathe in the event of a major catastrophe. In 50 miles, food and water supplies may be unsafe. Gmail Motion and Safety Precautions ================================================================================ Courtesy of Gmail on 03/31/11 04:41:00 Using Gmail Motion is not only safe but also healthy and fun. As with any physical activity, certain precautions are recommended. First, make sure to clear the area around you. Second, try to take short breaks every 30-40 minutes, just as you would if you were typing. And finally, take time to stretch after each session to give the muscles you'll be using some relief. Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors ================================================================================ Courtesy of World Nuclear Association on 03/17/11 12:19:00 In relation to nuclear power, Safety is closely linked with Security, and in the nuclear field also with Safeguards. Some distinctions: Safety focuses on unintended conditions or events leading to radiological releases from authorised activities. It relates mainly to intrinsic problems or hazards. Security focuses on the intentional misuse of nuclear or other radioactive materials by non-state elements to cause harm. It relates mainly to external threats to materials or facilities. Emergency! Pathogen New to Science Found in Roundup Ready GM Crops? ================================================================================ Courtesy of ISIS on 03/07/11 06:24:00 USDA senior scientist sends “emergency” warning to US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on a new plant pathogen in Roundup Ready GM soybean and corn that may be responsible for high rates of infertility and spontaneous abortions in livestock. Credit Cards At Risk from High-Tech Pickpockets? ================================================================================ Courtesy of CBS on 12/03/10 06:23:00 (CBS) It's supposed to make paying for things faster and easier - just wave your credit or debit card over a scanner and you've paid. But now some worry that radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is also making it easier for crooks to rip you off. Security expert Walt Augustinowicz took a stroll along Beale Street in Memphis where, as witnessed by CBS Affiliate WREG, he was able to swipe the credit card information from passers-by. Geo-Tagging: The Dangers Of Posting Pictures Online ================================================================================ Courtesy of CBS on 11/09/10 07:06:00 NEW YORK (CBS 2) – Uploaded Images To Social Networks Could Make You Vulnerable. Posting photos on social networking sites, like Facebook and MySpace, is a quick and easy way to show friends and family what you’ve been up to. Those innocent snapshots, though, could be revealing a lot more about your life than you think, potentially putting your home and family at risk, reports CBS 2′s Chris Wragge. The first day of school, a big birthday, or a romantic stroll in the park are all memories you want to preserve and share with friends and family, but Internet experts warn there may be a hidden danger contained in some of the photos you’re putting online – a geo-tag. 10 commandments of Facebook ================================================================================ Courtesy of YahooNews on 11/09/10 04:15:00 Wonder how much of personal information is fine on Facebook? Well, an expert tells you the dos and don'ts of being a part of the social networking giant. Dave Whitelegg said that although Facebook is a fun way to keep in touch with friends and family, it can also be dangerous. "Posting certain photos or information on the site puts you at risk of being fired, a victim of crime, or even worse. There are computer programmes called 'data mining' that sweep Facebook to collect dates of birth, phone numbers, addresses etc. That's gold dust to criminals," the Sun quoted Whitelegg, an IT security expert, as saying. Doubts Raised On Mobile Phone Safety ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 09/21/10 03:50:00 Scientists have found that radio signals from cell phones can activate cell division — a key to the development of tumors — at very low power. The chemical trigger for cell division, extracellular signal-regulated kinases or ERK1/2, was produced by cells as early as five minutes after exposure to the radio signals. Tasers Are Lethal: Amnesty International ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 12/19/08 01:45:00 Taser stun guns are not the non-lethal weapons they are often portrayed to be by the manufacturer, says a report by the international human rights group, Amnesty International. Limit for Liquids on Planes to Be Raised ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 10/29/08 09:55:00 Passengers on airline flights may be allowed to carry larger bottles (greater than 3 ounces) of liquids on board sometime in 2009, according to the Transportation Security Authority (TSA). How Safe Is Nanosilver? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 07/05/08 02:09:00 Silver nanoparticles are now the most commonly used nanomaterial in consumer products, according to an inventory listing compiled by the U.S. Woodrow Wilson Center’s Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Over 600 products proudly announce their use of nanomaterials, believing it is a marketing advantage. Safety Tips when Taking MRI Exams ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 07/15/07 01:40:00 The new, more powerful 3T MRI systems can produce images of better resolution in less time. This should help your doctor diagnose diseases more accurately. But the safety issues associated with the old 1.5T system may double in gravity with the more powerful 3T MRI. Medical Industry Moves to Tighten MRI Safety Rules ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 07/14/07 12:35:00 MRI is a safe imaging technique proven to be much less hazardous than ionizing radiation (X-ray) methods. Yet there has been talk that some insurance companies plan to limit their reimbursements only to MRI examinations performed by accredited MRI providers. NASA Safety Again at Issue ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 08/16/07 05:00:00 The foam debris problem continues to hound the space shuttle fleet. Four years and $235 million later, it appears the problem has not been solved. GPS Gains Bigger Role in Fighting Crime ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 05/12/08 05:30:00 Law enforcement authorities are giving an expanded role for electronic surveillance technology in crime fighting. After its initial use to track sex offenders, electronic monitoring systems are now monitoring criminals released on probation, perpetrators of violence against women, and other high-risk individuals. Its supporters say the technology can save lives. Its detractors warn that the sense of protection is illusory but the assault on civil liberties is very real. How Safe Is Frequent Exposure To CT Scans? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 11/30/07 01:25:00 A study published today, Nov. 29, in the New England Journal of Medicine says that the American population may be getting too much exposure to radiation from CT (computed tomography) scans, and this could lead to cancer. LASIK: Blurred Outlook? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 04/24/08 03:40:00 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has convened its advisory board on ophthalmic devices and scheduled a hearing to review the popular surgical procedure for improving one’s eyesight, known as LASIK (for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis). Is That Cosmetic Doctor For Real? ================================================================================ Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 02/29/08 04:00:00 Every year, Americans shell out over $11 billion for various cosmetic procedures such as collagen injections and Botox treatments. Increasingly, these procedures are being performed outside of traditional medical facilities and doctor’s offices. Instead, people are getting them done in salons and spas — and treatment parties.