Safety
BMW Recalls 3 Series For Faulty Air Bags
May 7, 2013 7:51 am | News | CommentsBMW is recalling 45,500 3 Series sedans in the U.S. and Canada because their passenger air bags may not inflate properly. The recall affects 3 Series from the 2002 and 2003 model years. The defective air bags have an inflator housing that can rupture during deployment and send shrapnel flying into the vehicle.
China's Struggling Automakers Jump On SUV Boom
May 7, 2013 7:48 am | by Joe McDonald, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsThe SUV boom clashes with Beijing's efforts to push automakers to develop electric cars and to sell smaller vehicles to help curb smog and demand for imported oil. But the SUV's image of safety appeals to prosperous Chinese drivers who face chaotic city streets while electrics from BYD and other producers struggle to attract buyers.
FAA Safety Oversight Of Aircraft Repairs Faulted
May 6, 2013 1:41 pm | by Joan Lowy, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Department of Transportation's inspector general said in a report released Monday that a supposedly risk-based safety inspection system adopted by the FAA "falls short of being truly risk-based." The report said this is especially true for foreign repair stations.
Texas Plant That Blew Up Carried $1M Policy
May 6, 2013 12:15 pm | by Christopher Sherman, Associated Press | News | CommentsRoberts said he expects the plant's owner to ask a judge to divide the $1 million in insurance money among the plaintiffs, several of whom he represents, and then file for bankruptcy. He said he wasn't surprised that the plant was carrying such a small policy.
Adidas: Asia Laborers Can Text Complaints
May 6, 2013 12:12 pm | by Juergen Baetz, Associated Press | News | CommentsAdidas said the SMS hotline will help bridge the communication gap between management and workers, enabling employees to "simply send an SMS when they feel their rights are breached." It says the initiative was successfully tested at an Indonesian supplier's factory and will now be rolled out to four other plants in the country and one in Vietnam.
Toys R Us Appeals $20M Award In Slide Death
May 6, 2013 7:35 am | by Denise Lavoie, AP Legal Affairs Writer | News | CommentsThe national chain argues that the 1976 Consumer Product Safety Commission regulation cited by Aleo's family does not apply to inflatable in-ground pool slides, but only to rigid pool slides. Toys R Us also says the trial judge allowed lawyers for Aleo's family to inflame the jury by accusing Toys R Us of importing an "illegal" product.
Kimberly-Clark Corp. Sues Recycler
May 3, 2013 2:23 pm | News | CommentsA spokesman for Dallas-based Kimberly-Clark said Thursday that it found improperly made tampons for sale on the Internet. The company says it had an agreement with Austin, Texas-based Balcones Recycling to destroy the items but found them for sale on the Internet.
Plastic Fragments Prompt Frozen Pizza Recalls
May 3, 2013 1:58 pm | News | CommentsThe USDA says one consumer reported a chipped tooth after biting into one of the California Pizza Kitchen products. The problem was apparently related to the spinach in the pizza, so the company is recalling other pizza products that used the same lot of spinach.
Assess Your Technology Ladder When Addressing Burn Risk
May 3, 2013 1:45 pm | by Scott Brooksby, Olson Brooksby PC | Articles | CommentsThere are few more sophisticated and complex high-heat metallurgy manufacturing processes — and few with less tolerance for error — than the processes involved in manufacturing components of the hot-section of an aviation gas turbine engine. This precision minimizes the risk of catastrophic aviation disasters such as uncontrolled engine failure.
Three Examples Why Cheaper Equipment Isn’t Always Less Expensive
May 3, 2013 8:19 am | by Carol Thorsen, Wynright Corporation | Articles | CommentsPerhaps one of the most significant contributions the Internet has made to our daily lives (outside of being able to connect with people we never spoke to and didn’t even know in high school) is the ability to find the rock-bottom price for just about anything we need to purchase easily.
Officials: No Breakthrough Yet In Texas Explosion
May 3, 2013 8:14 am | by Nomaan Merchant, Associated Press | News | CommentsTheir work is complex for several reasons: the magnitude of the blast at West Fertilizer, which knocked out windows and rooftops all over the tiny town of West and registered as a small earthquake; the deaths of 10 first responders and two others who volunteered to help; and the spread of debris as far as two miles away.
Bangladesh Official: Disaster Not 'Really Serious'
May 3, 2013 8:09 am | by Farid Hossain and Julhas Alam, Associated Press | News | CommentsBangladesh's finance minister downplayed the impact of last week's factory-building collapse, saying he didn't think it was "really serious" Friday, hours after the 500th body was pulled from the debris. The government appears to be attempting to fend off accusations that it is in part to blame for the tragedy because of weak oversight of the building's construction.
China Beefs Up Law To Fight Food Safety Scandals
May 3, 2013 7:49 am | News | CommentsThe Supreme People's Court said Friday that the guidelines will list as crimes specific acts such as the sale of food excessively laced with chemicals or made from animals that have died from disease or unknown causes. China's penal code, which forbids unsafe and poisonous food, does not specify what acts are considered in violation of the law.
UK Man Jailed For Selling Fake Bomb Detectors
May 2, 2013 1:58 pm | News | CommentsJames McCormick made an estimated 50 million pounds ($77.8 million) from the sales of his non-working detectors — which were based on a novelty golf ball finder — to countries including Iraq, Belgium, Niger and Saudi Arabia. McCormick, 57, was convicted of three counts of fraud last month.
UN Report Wants Moratorium On Killer Robots
May 2, 2013 1:47 pm | by Peter James Spielmann, Associated Press | News | CommentsReport author Christof Heyns, a U.N. human rights lawyer, calls for a worldwide moratorium on the "testing, production, assembly, transfer, acquisition, deployment and use" of killer robots until an international conference can develop rules for their use.
Is Anti-Bacterial Soap Safe?
May 2, 2013 1:37 pm | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration is planning to deliver a review this year of whether triclosan is safe. The ruling, which will determine whether triclosan continues to be used in household cleaners, could have implications for a $1 billion industry that includes hundreds of anti-bacterial products from toothpaste to toys.
Calif. Lawsuit Claims Lead In Ginger, Plum Candies
May 2, 2013 7:52 am | by Jason Dearen, Associated Press | News | CommentsCalifornia has filed a lawsuit against Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and other food retailers, manufacturers and distributors, alleging the companies are selling lead-tainted ginger and plum candies without warning labels, as required by state law.
Bremen Castings: Making Heavy Industry A Safer Place
May 1, 2013 12:32 pm | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | Articles | CommentsIn a heavy industry, where potential hazards are numerous, reaching one million hours of safe operation is a remarkable achievement, and it’s one that Brown attributes not only to that “big stick,” but also a dramatic shift in company culture, simply by being aware of safety down to the smallest loose cable and scratched knuckle.
Workers Rally For Better Conditions On May Day
May 1, 2013 8:42 am | by Margie Mason, Associated Press | News | CommentsTens of thousands of low-paid workers took to the streets on May Day to demand higher wages, better benefits and improved working conditions a week after a building collapse in Bangladesh became a grim reminder of the dangers of lax safety regulations in poor countries.
Worker Dies In Blender At Oregon Meat Plant
May 1, 2013 8:18 am | News | CommentsParamedics and sheriff's deputies were called around 11:45 p.m. Friday, after Avalos-Chanon was found entangled in the machinery. Another worker had hit an emergency stop button, but it was too late, Thompson said. Firefighters returned the following day to dismantle the machine and remove the body.
Monster Suing San Francisco Over Energy Drinks
May 1, 2013 7:41 am | by Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer | News | CommentsThe company, based in Corona, Calif., says it's being unfairly singled out by City Attorney Dennis Herrera, who late last year had asked Monster to produce documentation showing that its drinks are safe. Since then, Monster says Herrera has asked it to reformulate its drinks and change what it says on labels and marketing materials.
Larson Electronics Releases Explosion-Proof Exit Sign
April 30, 2013 4:08 pm | Products | CommentsLarson Electronics has announced the release of the EXP-EMG-EXT-12W-1LX Explosion Proof Emergency Exit Sign, which has been designed to provide continued operation in the event of unexpected power failures. The exit sign will run for 90 minutes when its main power source is unexpectedly shut down.
Safety Agency Probes Porsche 911
April 30, 2013 1:41 pm | News | CommentsU.S. safety regulators are investigating coolant leaks in Porsche 911 sports cars that could cause roadway spills and send vehicles careening out of control. The probe, announced Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, affects about 10,000 models with the GT1 engine from the 2001 through 2007 model years.
U.S. Probes Dodge Viper For Suspension Problem
April 30, 2013 10:30 am | News | CommentsU.S. auto safety regulators are investigating complaints that a rear suspension part can fail on the iconic Dodge Viper muscle car. The investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers about 2,500 Vipers from the 2005 and 2006 model years.
FDA To Investigate Added Caffeine In Foods
April 30, 2013 7:37 am | by Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press | News | CommentsWith a growing number of foods boasting added caffeine for an energy boost, the Food and Drug Administration says it's time to investigate their safety. The FDA's new look at added caffeine and its effects on children and adolescents is in response to a caffeinated gum introduced this week by Wrigley.
