Safety
Whirlpool Sued In Ohio's Child Cancer Cluster Case
March 29, 2013 8:02 am | News | CommentsLawyers in Ohio filed a $750 million class action lawsuit Thursday against Whirlpool Corp. that's related to a child cancer cluster between Toledo and Cleveland. The lawsuit attempts to link Whirlpool and others to the cancer cluster, though the families of the children who've been diagnosed with cancer aren't involved.
Boeing CEO: 787 'Very Close' To Flying
March 28, 2013 10:27 am | by Scott Mayerowitz, AP Airlines Writer | News | CommentsBoeing started flight testing a solution to the 787's battery problems Monday. Those problems led regulators to ground the plane in January. McNerney expects the tests to conclude in a few days and said the data should be conclusive enough to convince regulators to let the plane fly again.
Japanese Regulators To Investigate Nuclear Crisis
March 27, 2013 8:35 am | News | CommentsSeveral groups have published findings of their own investigations into the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, which was ravaged by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Previous investigations have largely blamed the disaster on botched crisis management, government-industry collusion and the tsunami.
Economical, Low-profile Safety Light Curtain With Innovative Mounting
March 26, 2013 4:14 pm | Products | CommentsSICK has launched the deTec4 Core safety light curtain, which, according to the company, is ideal for hazardous point protection and single-sided access protection. The low-cost curtain has a low-profile design for quick and easy machine integration.
Mazda Recalling Atenza Passenger Cars
March 26, 2013 8:24 am | News | CommentsMazda Motor Corp. reported to the transport ministry Tuesday it is recalling 8,902 of its latest model Atenza passenger cars due to an electric system fault that may cause fire. Subject to the recall are Atenzas manufactured between last October and this month.
Boeing Schedules Seattle Test Flight For 787
March 25, 2013 1:56 pm | News | CommentsBoeing says it will conduct a test flight of its 787 to see if a redesigned battery system works properly while the plane is in the air. The company said Monday that it filed a plan to conduct a check flight on a 787 built for LOT Polish Airlines. The plane is scheduled to take off and land at Paine Field in Seattle.
J&J Recalls OneTouch Verio Blood Sugar Meters
March 25, 2013 1:50 pm | News | CommentsJohnson & Johnson has announced a voluntary recall for all its OneTouch VerioIQ blood glucose meters in the U.S. because they do not provide a warning when a diabetic's blood sugar level is dangerously high. Instead, the meters turn off. The meters are made by J&J's LifeScan unit, which will issue a free replacement meter to all patients.
Toenail Clippings To Measure Toxic Exposure In NJ
March 24, 2013 9:11 pm | by Katie Zezima, Associated Press | News | CommentsA plume of hexavalent chromium, a metal used in industrial production that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls a "well-established carcinogen," has spread under Garfield, putting about one-tenth of the city's homes — about 600 structures and 3,600 residents — at risk.
NJ Compounding Pharmacy Extends Closure In Recall
March 24, 2013 8:45 pm | News | CommentsA New Jersey compounding pharmacy that issued a national recall of all of its drugs has agreed to remain closed two more weeks. The New Jersey pharmacy board says Tinton Falls-based Med Prep Consulting Inc. continues to investigate the cause of contamination found in bags of magnesium sulfate that it formulated.
Troubled Calif. Nuke Plant Seeks Restart In Summer
March 23, 2013 3:51 am | by Michael R. Blood, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsSouthern California Edison disclosed Friday it hopes the move could open the way for the Unit 2 reactor to be back in service by summer, when power demand typically soars in the region. San Onofre has been shut down since January 2012, after a small radiation leak led to the discovery of unusual damage to hundreds of tubes that carry radioactive water.
Investigators Scold Boeing Over 787 Comments
March 22, 2013 10:06 am | by Joshua Freed, Associated Press | News | CommentsIt appears that Boeing's comments about the smoldering batteries on its 787 have annoyed the National Transportation Safety Board. Boeing gave its own account of two battery incidents, which include a fire, at a detailed press briefing in Tokyo last week.
FDA: Georgia Pharmacy Recalling All Sterile Drugs
March 21, 2013 9:12 pm | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsAugusta, Ga.-based Clinical Specialties Compounding Pharmacy issued a recall earlier this week on dozens of lots of the Roche drug Avastin after receiving reports of eye infections in five patients treated with the medication. The infections, called endophthalmitis, occur inside the eyeball and can lead to permanent vision loss, the FDA said in a statement.
Transportation Department Launches Car Safety App
March 21, 2013 11:26 am | News | CommentsConsumers can use the "SaferCar" app to look for crash test ratings for vehicles by make and model. They can also use the app to file a vehicle safety complaint, find recall information, subscribe to recall notices and find the nearest car seat installation station.
Safety First: A Digital Supplement On Manufacturing Safety
March 20, 2013 11:18 am | Articles | CommentsManufacturing.net has teamed up with sister publications Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation, Food Manufacturing and Manufacturing Business Technology to develop a comprehensive digital supplement that covers the latest developments in manufacturing safety.
AP: U.S. To Revise Cigarette Warning Labels
March 20, 2013 8:18 am | by Michael Felberbaum, AP Tobacco Writer | News | CommentsSome of the nation's largest tobacco companies, including R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., sued to block the mandate to include warnings on cigarette packs as part of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that, for the first time, gave the federal government authority to regulate tobacco.
U.S. Orders Nuclear Sites To Upgrade Vents
March 20, 2013 8:13 am | by Matthew Daly, Associated Press | News | CommentsU.S. nuclear power plants must upgrade ventilation systems at 31 reactors with designs similar to those that melted down two years ago in Japan, under a Nuclear Regulatory Commission order that stops short of requiring filtered vents, as some safety advocates and NRC's staff had urged.
VW Announces China Recall For Gearbox Problem
March 20, 2013 1:24 am | News | CommentsVolkswagen AG announced a recall Wednesday of more than 384,000 vehicles in China to fix gearboxes following a report last week by state TV that criticized the quality of the German automaker's cars.Volkswagen said that problems with direct-shift gearboxes might cause a power interruption, but it said drivers could remain in control and maneuver to a stop.
Court: Can A Generic Drugmaker Be Sued Over Design?
March 19, 2013 2:22 pm | News | CommentsThe Supreme Court will soon decide whether generic drug manufacturers can be sued in state court for a drug's design defects after federal officials approved the brand-name version. The justices Tuesday heard arguments from generic manufacturer Mutual Pharmaceutical Co, Inc.
Ore. Bill Would Phase Out Chemicals Toxic To Kids
March 18, 2013 8:32 am | by Jeff Barnard, AP Environmental Writer | News | CommentsThe bi-partisan bill is patterned after a law in Washington state. Based on the experience of past failures to ban harmful chemicals from everyday items like baby bottles and food cans, environmentalists and child advocates also are supporting the measure as a longer, market-driven view.
Bills Seek End To Farm Animal Abuse Videos
March 18, 2013 8:00 am | by Tracie Cone, Associated Press | News | CommentsBills pending in California, Nebraska and Tennessee require that anyone collecting evidence of abuse turn it over to law enforcement within 24 to 48 hours — which advocates say does not allow enough time to document illegal activity under federal humane handling and food safety laws.
Toyota Recalls Over 200,000 FJ Cruisers
March 17, 2013 8:20 pm | News | CommentsFJ Cruisers from the 2007 through 2013 model years are included in the recall. Toyota said the driver and front passenger seatbelts are mounted on the vehicle's rear doors. If the doors are closed forcefully over a period of time, cracks can form in the door panel around the seatbelt retractor and the retractor can become detached.
Court: Group Can Sue Over Soap Chemical
March 15, 2013 1:52 pm | News | CommentsA New York federal appeals court says environmental activists can try to prove that a chemical found in some soaps is potentially dangerous. On Friday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit of Appeals in Manhattan reinstated a lawsuit by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The group had sued the Food and Drug Administration to force it to finalize its regulation of triclosan.
Boeing: Commercial 787 Flights To Restart In Weeks
March 15, 2013 8:10 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsBoeing Co. Chief Project Engineer Michael Sinnett outlined a fix centered on a new design for the lithium-ion battery system that has layers of safeguards to prevent overheating and measures to contain malfunctions. "We could be back up and going in weeks and not months," Sinnett told reporters at a Tokyo hotel.
FDA Probes New Pancreas Risks With Diabetes Drugs
March 14, 2013 1:17 pm | News | CommentsThe agency says samples of pancreas tissue taken from a small number of patients showed inflammation of the pancreas and cellular changes that often precede cancer. The unpublished results come from a group of academic researchers, and the FDA says it is seeking more information.
Toys R Us Recalls Imaginarium Activity Walkers
March 14, 2013 9:48 am | News | CommentsToys R Us is recalling approximately 9,000 Imaginarium Activity walkers due to a potential choking hazard. The toy company said Wednesday that the small bolt and spacer that attaches each front wheel to the walker can detach, creating the possible hazard. No injuries have been reported.
