Safety

By Jayson Dupre Though cosmetic laser procedures are widely practiced in today's medical spas, there are significant safety concerns that require more attention and oversight of these techniques at the regulatory level. With the exception of minimal training offered by laser manufacturers, the laser industry generally operates without government regulation or oversight. As a result, incorrect use of cosmetic lasers has resulted in patient injury, including severe scarring and burning - and has demonstrated the need for standardized, industry-wide regulations to address patient safety concerns, increase consumer confidence, and facilitate the continued growth of the $8 billion medical-aesthetics industry.

Earl Wolff already has mastered one aspect of winning the approval of Eagles fans. The safety cited the franchise's icon at that position as his inspiration. "Before I even started playing safety, I watched Brian Dawkins," said Wolff, the Eagles' fifth-round pick out of North Carolina State. "Once I made that move to safety, that's when I fell in love with him. Honestly, my first couple of years, that's what I watched before the games. I'd put on a Brian Dawkins highlight film, and now I'm here.

THE BEST Aaron Wiliams, Texas Size: 6-0, 204. 40-time: 4.55 Projected round: 1-2 Mayock: "He can play corner, but ultimately, I think his best position is going to be inside. In today's NFL of multiple-receiver sets and pass-first offenses, I think you're going to see more and more free safeties who look like corners. Williams reminds me a little bit of the kid out of Ohio State that the Saints drafted a couple of years ago, Malcolm Jenkins. He was kind of a borderline first-round corner, but when they kicked the kid inside, he had a heckuva year last year.

WHY DO the Roosevelt Boulevard pedestrians jaywalk and cross against the red light? Not everybody speeds and weaves in and out on the Boulevard. I've had to slam on the brakes many times while going the posted limit, with a green light. Some pedestrians believe they don't have to obey traffic signals, but the laws for drivers and pedestrians should be equally enforced. Howard Kieffer, Philadelphia

PGW spokesman Doug Oliver's attempt to minimize public concerns about the proposed Port Richmond LNG terminal, saying, "the knee-jerk reaction is to focus on safety, or terrorism, on the worst-case scenario" is at best a poor choice of words and at worst an indication that PGW is putting dollars before safety. Everyone's focus, especially PGW's, should be on safety, terrorism and the worst-case scenario, and doing so should not be demeaned as "knee-jerk. " Christine Knapp, Eastern Pennsylvania Outreach Coordinator Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future Philadelphia

The Eagles claimed safety Brett Johnson off waivers from the Buffalo Bills on Monday. The 6-foot-1, 194-pounder was signed as a rookie free agent from California by the Bills following the 2010 draft but was released on June 25. A two-year starter at free safety, the 23-year-old Johnson finished his collegiate career with 107 tackles and three interceptions. In 2009, Johnson recorded a career-high 52 tackles to lead all Bears defensive backs. The Henderson, Nev., native was a college teammate of Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson at Cal.

Fire Commissioner Harold Hairston points out potential fire hazards to Deborah Womack in the cellar of Womack's home in West Philadelphia. Hairston's visity was part of yesterday's kickoff of the city's residential safety program, in which firefighters will visit every home in the city, distributing literature and offering fire inspections. The firefighters will announce their arrival by sounding the sirens on their vehicles. They will be in uniform and will show identification on request, according to the city.

RE WARREN M. Hern's op-ed ("Am I a partial-birth abortion outlaw?" Oct. 28): Not only am I taken aback by the graphic description and matter-of-fact way he describes this procedure, but also by the complete lack of concern for his own safety. I have to admit that my very first thought after reading this article was that someone is going to kill this man. As a Roman Catholic, I most certainly do not agree with Dr. Hern's practices, but I also do not believe that two wrongs make a right.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says fighting is part of hockey and believes some people have been "running off a little too fast on this topic. " "My view on fighting hasn't changed," Bettman told the Canadian Press yesterday. "We've never taken active steps or considered eliminating fighting from the game. "I've always taken the view that it's a part of the game and it rises and lowers based on what the game dictates. " While Bettman seemed OK with the game's current stand on fighting, he's concerned about the larger safety issues.

THE PERCEPTION that we will be safer from terrorists under Bush than Kerry is preposterous. We already have the world's most powerful military, yet it did not prevent the 9/11 attacks. As John Kerry said, "Help is on the way. " But I hope that enough people will accept that help. Mortgaging away the future of our children, failing to protect the environment, reducing the number of emergency workers, off-shoring jobs and reducing funding for successful education programs is a poor demonstration of family values.

After a rural Kentucky family suffered an unspeakable gun tragedy late last month, that sad story, unfortunately, became new fuel for the scorching debate over gun control. When 5-year-old Kristian Sparks shot his 2-year-old sister with a rifle he had been given as a gift, opposing factions either defended rural America's gun culture or denounced it. Having grown up in the Deep South's gun culture, I feel nothing but sympathy for the Sparks family. One child is dead; another will be scarred for life.

NEW YORK - Some of the world's largest retailers have agreed to a first-of-its-kind pact to improve safety at some of Bangladesh's garment factories. The move comes nearly three weeks after a building collapse in the country killed more than 1,100 workers. H&M, a trendy Swedish chain that's the largest clothing buyer in Bangladesh, on Monday said it would sign a five-year, legally binding contract that calls for retailers to take on a greater role in ensuring the garment factories in Bangladesh are safe.

With the U.S. Open coming to the Merion Golf Club in less than five weeks, public safety officials are more worried about road congestion and lost drivers than crime or terrorism. "Our biggest concern is traffic," said Haverford Township Deputy Police Chief John Viola. "If we have traffic issues, it ties everything up and then it becomes a security issue on top of that. " The township, home to the club hosting the tournament June 10-16, has published road closures and detours, and held town hall meetings to answer residents' questions.

Earl Wolff already has mastered one aspect of winning the approval of Eagles fans. The safety cited the franchise's icon at that position as his inspiration. "Before I even started playing safety, I watched Brian Dawkins," said Wolff, the Eagles' fifth-round pick out of North Carolina State. "Once I made that move to safety, that's when I fell in love with him. Honestly, my first couple of years, that's what I watched before the games. I'd put on a Brian Dawkins highlight film, and now I'm here.

About 300 taxi drivers shouted their discontent Friday afternoon as they rallied on Market Street in protest of the slaying and robbery of a cabdriver this week in West Philadelphia. Shouting "driver power, driver power," the cabbies called for increased safety measures after the shooting death Wednesday of Hafiz Sarfaraz, 33, a driver for All City Taxi Co. A long queue of taxis, many from All City Taxi, lined the north side of Market from 30th to 32d Streets. "What happened to Hafiz really shocked a lot of drivers," said Ronald Blount, president of the Taxi Workers Alliance, an umbrella group for cabbies.

Penn State picked up its eighth verbal commitment to the freshman Class of 2014 on Friday when Marcus Allen, a safety from Wise High School in Upper Marlboro, Md., accepted the Nittany Lions' scholarship offer, several recruiting websites reported. With Allen's commitment, the Nittany Lions are now more than halfway to their 2014 scholarship limit of 15 as mandated by last July's NCAA sanctions. The 6-foot-2, 188-pound Allen, who is ranked four stars by Scout and 247 Sports and three stars by Rivals, is the first safety to accept an offer for next year from coach Bill O'Brien.

Philadelphia and Delaware County detectives, joined by at least one FBI computer specialist, raided Colwyn Borough Hall on Thursday in an investigation of a city officer who was hired to run the tiny borough's police department while still on active duty in Philadelphia. Colwyn Mayor Daniel Rutland said the three law enforcement agencies were involved in the search of the borough hall, the police department, and the office of Rochelle Bilal, the borough's new part-time director of public safety.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel demanded more information Wednesday after the Air Force removed 17 launch officers from duty at a nuclear missile base in North Dakota over what a commander called "rot" in the force. The Air Force struggled to explain, acknowledging concern about an "attitude problem" but telling Congress the weapons were secure. Hagel reacted strongly after the Associated Press reported the unprecedented sidelining of the officers at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., where one of their commanders complained of "such rot" that even the willful violation of safety rules - including a possible compromise of launch codes - was tolerated.

By Jayson Dupre Though cosmetic laser procedures are widely practiced in today's medical spas, there are significant safety concerns that require more attention and oversight of these techniques at the regulatory level. With the exception of minimal training offered by laser manufacturers, the laser industry generally operates without government regulation or oversight. As a result, incorrect use of cosmetic lasers has resulted in patient injury, including severe scarring and burning - and has demonstrated the need for standardized, industry-wide regulations to address patient safety concerns, increase consumer confidence, and facilitate the continued growth of the $8 billion medical-aesthetics industry.

Trying to reduce a growing death toll on SEPTA rails, 500 transit employees and volunteers will swarm local rail stations and bus stops on Wednesday to warn people to stay off the tracks. Students at Nazareth Academy Grade School in Northeast Philadelphia got a preview of the message Tuesday from Scott Sauer, SEPTA director of system safety. "Any time is train time," Sauer said, noting that in a collision, a car is to a train as a soda can is to a car. He said more than 1,000 people are killed each year by trains nationwide.