Monthly Archives: January 2010

Report: Barring Cell Phones Doesn’t Cut Crashes

January 30, 2010 By in Auto & Highway Safety, Law Enforcement, LinkedIn, Personal Safety, Police Officers, Public Safety Tags: , ,

State laws barring handheld cell phone use by drivers do not reduce crashes according to the first large study on their effects, raising questions about whether bans on texting or other moves to reduce distracted driving will have the benefits safety advocates hope for.

But the study by an arm of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety drew a sharp rebuke from federal officials who called it “irresponsible to suggest that laws banning cell phone use while driving have zero effect.”

The back-and-forth reflect the move by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to make reducing driver distraction and pushing for banning texting behind the wheel a cornerstone issue. LaHood said Thursday that federal and state efforts had only just begun, with two bills working their way through Congress.

The IIHS analyzed crash rates in three states and the District of Columbia after banning handheld cell phone use by drivers, comparing them with rates before the bans were in place and to nearby states that had no such prohibition.

Other studies done by the IIHS and others had shown drivers were four times more likely to be involved in a crash if they were using their cell phones, and that the laws were effective in reducing the number of drivers who held their phones behind the wheel.

“Crashes aren’t going down where handheld phone use has been banned,” said IIHS President Adrian Lund. “This finding doesn’t auger well for any safety payoff from all the new laws that ban phone use and texting while driving.”

Michigan lawmakers are poised to join 19 states in barring texting while driving, and Congress is considering two bills to bar the practice nationwide. Six states bar handheld cell phone use, and 21 states block novice drivers from using any type of cell phone.

Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said driver distraction played some role in 15% of highway deaths, or 6,000 people a year.

The IIHS says one issue may be that drivers are simply switching to using hands-free devices with their phones, which have been shown not to reduce the safety risk from distracted driving, or that other distractions remain in place. But crash rates have been fairly steady or declining over the past few years, even as more people with cell phones use them more frequently.

No study has yet attempted to measure the effect of the bans against texting behind the wheel.

NHTSA said outside studies had shown that driver distractions were just as serious a challenge to safety as driving drunk, and that it takes years of laws and enforcement to change behaviors.

“When it comes to distracted driving, we are only at the starting gate,” the agency said in its statement.

OSHA Releases Workplace Injury and Illness Information

January 28, 2010 By in LinkedIn, OSHA News, OSHA Record Retention, Workplace Injuries Tags: , , 1 Comment

For the first time, OSHA has made the work-related injury and illness data collected from more than 80,000 employers from 1996 to 2007 available in a searchable online database, allowing the public to look at establishment or industry-specific injury and illness data.

The workplace injury and illness data is available at http://www.osha.gov/pls/odi/establishment_search.html as well as http://www.data.gov.

OSHA uses the data to calculate injury and illness incidence rates to guide its strategic management plan and to focus its Site Specific Targeting (SST) Program, which the agency uses to target its inspections.

“Making injury and illness information available to the public is part of OSHA’s response to the administration’s commitment to make government more transparent to the American people,” said David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for OSHA. “This effort will improve the public’s accessibility to workplace safety and health data and ensure the agency can function more effectively for American workers.”

Information available at the http://www.data.gov and http://www.osha.gov Web sites includes an establishment’s name, address, industry, associated Total Case Rate (TCR), Days Away, Restricted, Transfer (DART) case rate and the Days Away From Work (DAFWII) case rate. The data is specific to the establishments that provided OSHA with valid data through the 2008 data collection (collection of CY 2007 data). This database does not contain rates calculated by OSHA for establishments that submitted suspect or unreliable data.

The Data.gov site provides expanded public access to valuable work force related data generated by the executive branch of the federal government. Although the initial launch of Data.gov provides a limited portion of the rich variety of federal datasets presently available, the public is invited to participate in shaping its future by suggesting additional datasets and site enhancements to provide seamless public access and use of federal data.

More information about the Department of Labor’s Open Government Web site is available at http://www.dol.gov/open/, where visitors can find links to the latest data sets, ways to connect with Department staff and information about providing public input that will make the site and its work more useful and engaging.

OSHA schedules meetings on combustible dust hazards

January 28, 2010 By in Combustible Dust, LinkedIn, OSHA News, Workplace Safety Tags: , ,

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has scheduled two informal stakeholder meetingsto solicit comments and suggestions on combustible dust hazards in the workplace. OSHA will use comments from these meetings in developing a proposed standard for combustible dust. The meetings are scheduled for February 17, 2010, 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., at the Marriott Perimeter Center, 246 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30346.

Since 1980, more than 130 workers have been killed and more than 780 injured in combustible dust explosions. A February 7, 2008, explosion at an Imperial Sugar Company plant in Port Wentworth, Ga., killed 14 people and resulted in OSHA issuing nearly $8.8 million in penalties. OSHA is holding the meeting in Atlanta to make it easy for victims’ families and others with relevant information about this deadly incident to attend.

“Fourteen people were killed in a combustible dust explosion that was preventable. The deaths need to stop,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels. “Information gathered from these meetings will help OSHA move ahead on this urgently needed standard and prevent more deaths from combustible dust explosions.”

Combustible dusts are solids ground into fine particles, fibers, chips, chunks or flakes that can cause a fire or explosion when suspended in air under certain conditions. Types of dusts include metal (aluminum and magnesium), wood, plastic or rubber, coal, flour, sugar and paper, among others.

Those interested in participating must register by submitting a notice of intent to participate by Feb. 3. Notices can be submitted electronically by registering at https://www2.ergweb.com/projects/conferences/osha/register-osha-stakeholder.htm. Submissions can also be faxed to 781-674-2906 and label it “Attention: OSHA Combustible Dust Stakeholder Meeting Registration,” or mailed to ERG Inc., 110 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421; Attention: OSHA Combustible Dust Stakeholder Meeting Registration.

For general and technical information, contact David Wallis, OSHA, Office of Engineering Safety, at 202-693-2277.

Salami Recall Related to Salmonella Outbreak

January 26, 2010 By in Consumer Alert, Consumer Safety, FDA Recall, LinkedIn Tags: , , , 3 Comments

The government has announced a recall of 1.2 million pounds of salami and other “ready-to-eat sausages,” related to a large, ongoing salmonella outbreak.

As of today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report 184 potentially outbreak-associated cases have been identified in 38 states, including eight from Oregon and 14 from Washington. Nationally, more than 35 people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported. The earliest recognized cases began in July 2009, and the CDC continues to report cases.

According to the Oregon state Department of Public Health, Rhode Island-based Daniele brand salami has been identified as the source of the outbreak.

The Oregon DPH said in a statement today that the recalled products are widely sold at groceries, warehouse stores and online. Vendors include Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Amazon and other locations. Most products are sold under the Daniele brand name, but several items with the Boar’s Head, Black Bear, or Dietz & Watson labels are also included.

According to the Oregon DPH, the list of recalled products includes:

Daniele Deli Selection (20 oz)

Daniele Italian Brand Gourmet Pack (16 oz)

Daniele Italian Brand Gourmet Pack (8 oz)

Daniele Surtido Fino Italiano (454 g)

Dietz and Watson Artisan Collection Party Platter Pack (8 oz)

Daniele Gourmet Combo Pack (16 oz)

Daniele Surtido Fino Italiano (340 g)

Daniele Brand Gourmet Pack (Emballage Assorti Gourmet Italian)  (500 g)

Boar’s Head All Natural Salame Coated with Coarse Black Pepper (8 oz)

Daniele All Natural Salame Coated with Coarse Black Pepper” (10oz)

Daniele Pepper Salame

Black Bear Baby Genoa Pepper Salame (9 oz)

Dietz & Watson Artisan Collection Baby Genoa Pepper Salame

Daniele Gourmet Italian Deli Selection (600 g)

Daniele Salame Bites Pepper Salame (7 oz)

Daniele Natural Salame Coated with Coarse Black Pepper

Daniele Gourmet Deli Selection (Assortment De Fines Charcuterie Italienne)  (400g)

Daniele deli Selection (32oz)

BSH Home Appliances Corp. Expands Recall of Thermador® Built-In Ovens Due to Fire Hazard

January 22, 2010 By in Consumer Alert, Consumer Safety, Home Safety, LinkedIn, News Tags: , ,

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Thermador® Built-In Ovens

Units: About 37,000 (42,000 built-in ovens were previously recalled in June 2007)

Manufacturer: BSH Home Appliances Corp., of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hazard: The ovens can have gaps in the insulation where overheating can occur and when used in the self-cleaning mode it can cause nearby cabinets to catch fire. This poses a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: BSH Home Appliances has received three additional reports of incidents, including two that resulted in fires that damaged surrounding cabinets. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves Thermador Brand built-in double ovens with model numbers C272B, C302B, SEC272, SEC302, SECD272 and SECD302 and serial numbers between FD8403 through FD8701. Model and serial numbers are located on the underside of the control panel.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty stores nationwide from June 2004 through July 2007 for between $3,000 and $4,400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the oven’s self-cleaning mode and contact the firm to schedule an inspection and free repair, if necessary.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Thermador at (800) 701-5230 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.thermador.com

Picture of Recalled Built-In Oven

C272 and C302


Picture of Recalled Built-In Oven

SEC,SECD 272 and 302


Picture of Model and Serial Number Location on Recalled Built-In Oven

Model and Serial Number Location

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CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

News from CPSC – Three New Recalls – 1-22-2010

January 22, 2010 By in Consumer Safety, CPSC News, CPSC Recalls, LinkedIn, News Tags: ,

1.  Johnson Health Tech North America Recalls Horizon Fitness and LIVESTRONG(tm) Fitness Elliptical Trainers Due to Fall Hazard, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10116.html

2.  Lysol Steam Cleaning Mop Recalled by Conair Corp. Due to Burn and Laceration Hazards, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10117.html

3.  BSH Home Appliances Corp. Expands Recall of Thermador(r) Built-In Ovens Due to Fire Hazard, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10118.html

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1.  Johnson Health Tech North America Recalls Horizon Fitness and LIVESTRONG(tm) Fitness Elliptical Trainers Due to Fall Hazard

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 21, 2010

Release # 10-116

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 962-3596

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Johnson Health Tech North America Recalls Horizon Fitness and LIVESTRONG(tm) Fitness Elliptical Trainers Due to Fall Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Horizon Fitness and LIVESTRONG(tm) Fitness Elliptical Trainers

Units: About 18,000

Distributor: Johnson Health Tech North America Inc., of Cottage Grove, Wis.

Hazard: The foot pedal can become disengaged, posing a fall hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm is aware of 58 reports of foot pedal disengagements. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled products are elliptical trainers branded under the Horizon Fitness and LIVESTRONG Fitness names. The brand name is located at the top of the console display with the model numbers just below and the serial numbers are located on the front support tube of the trainer. The recalled models and serial numbers are listed below.

Horizon Model:

Serial Number Range

EX-58:

EP5130909CX00001 – EP5130909CX00645;

EP5130909CY00646 – EP5130909CY00903;

EP5130909CX00904 – EP5130910CX01893

EX-68:

EP5140909CX00259 – EP5140910CX00387

EX-78:

EP5160909CX00121 – EP5160910CX00142

GS1050E:

EP5180909CX02194 – EP5180910CX01290

CE5.1:

EP515N232090001 – EP515N332090519;

EP515X639090001 – EP515X245090129

LIVESTRONG Model:

Serial Number Range

LS7.9E:

EP5250908CN00001 – EP5250908CN01679;

EP5250909CX00001 – EP5250911CX00296

LS9.9E:

EP5270907CN00016;

EP5270908CN00001 – EP5270908CN01682;

EP5270909CX00001 – EP5270911CX00120

LS12.9E:

EP5280908CN00003 – EP5280908CN01534;

EP5280909CX00001 – EP5280911CX00550

Sold at: Sporting goods stores nationwide and online at www.livestrongfitness.com and www.dickssportinggoods.com between October 2009 and November 2009.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the elliptical machines immediately and contact Johnson Health Tech NA to schedule a free in-home replacement of the defective pedals.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Johnson Health Tech NA at (800) 962-3596 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web sites at www.horizonfitness.com (PDF) and www.livestrongfitness.com. Consumers can contact the firm also via email at ellipticalsupport@horizonfitness.com

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10116.html

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2.  Lysol Steam Cleaning Mop Recalled by Conair Corp. Due to Burn and Laceration Hazards

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 21, 2010

Release # 10-117

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 687-6916

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Lysol Steam Cleaning Mop Recalled by Conair Corp. Due to Burn and Laceration Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Lysol Steam Cleaning Mop

Units: About 162,000

Distributor: Conair Corp., of Stamford, Conn.

Hazard: Hot water mixed with Lysol can forcefully spurt out and rupture the housing unit, posing a burn hazard and a laceration hazard to consumers from the broken housing unit.

Incidents/Injuries: Conair has received 14 reports of hot water forcefully spilling out of the water reservoir compartment including two minor burn injuries to consumers who sought medical attention.

Description: This recall involves the Lysol Steam Cleaning Mop by Conair with model numbers SM10L or SM10LR. The model number is printed on the bottom of the mop under the microfiber cloth.

Sold at: Department, drug, hardware and home improvement stores and mass merchandisers nationwide and on the Internet from September 2006 through September 2009 for about $40.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled mop and contact Conair to receive a free replacement steam cleaning mop.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Conair at (800) 687-6916 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.conair.com/recallmop

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10117.html

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3.  BSH Home Appliances Corp. Expands Recall of Thermador(r) Built-In Ovens Due to Fire Hazard

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 21, 2010

Release # 10-118

Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 701-5230

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

BSH Home Appliances Corp. Expands Recall of Thermador(r) Built-In Ovens Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Thermador(r) Built-In Ovens

Units: About 37,000 (42,000 built-in ovens were previously recalled in June 2007)

Manufacturer: BSH Home Appliances Corp., of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hazard: The ovens can have gaps in the insulation where overheating can occur and when used in the self-cleaning mode it can cause nearby cabinets to catch fire. This poses a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: BSH Home Appliances has received three additional reports of incidents, including two that resulted in fires that damaged surrounding cabinets. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves Thermador Brand built-in double ovens with model numbers C272B, C302B, SEC272, SEC302, SECD272 and SECD302 and serial numbers between FD8403 through FD8701. Model and serial numbers are located on the underside of the control panel.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty stores nationwide from June 2004 through July 2007 for between $3,000 and $4,400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the oven’s self-cleaning mode and contact the firm to schedule an inspection and free repair, if necessary.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Thermador at (800) 701-5230 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.thermador.com

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10118.html

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‘CPSC 2.0′ Launches Product Safety Agency into Social Media — Learn more at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09346.html

* Visit our new blog, OnSafety at www.cpsc.gov/onsafety

* See our videos on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/uscpsc

* Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/OnSafety

* See our photos on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/uscpsc

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.