Safety
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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Ford Recalls Fusion To Fix Faulty Headlights
December 7, 2012 10:09 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsFord is recalling about 19,000 brand-new Fusion midsize cars to fix defective headlights. It's the second recall in a week for the Fusion and the sixth recall of a new Ford vehicle in the past five months. Reflectors in the low-beam lights on the 2013 Fusions can become hazy over time and reduce the brightness.
Five Infant Deaths Prompt CPSC Sue Nap Nanny Manufacturer
December 5, 2012 1:57 pm | by U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission | News | CommentsThe complaint alleges that the Nap Nanny Generation One and Two, and Chill model infant recliners contain defects in the design, warnings and instructions, which pose a substantial risk of injury and death to infants. The Commission voted 3-0 to approve the filing of the complaint, which seeks an order requiring that the firm notify the public of the defect and offer consumers a full refund.
Photo Of The Day: Factory Fire Protests
December 3, 2012 11:04 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsBangladeshi garment workers shout slogans as they participate in a protest to mourn the death of the victims of a fire in a garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, Nov. 30, 2012. Hundreds of garment workers protested Friday outside the Bangladeshi factory where 112 people were killed by the fire.
Ford Recalls Escapes, Fusions For Engine Fire Risk
December 3, 2012 10:11 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsFord Motor Co. said Friday that it is recalling more than 89,000 new Escape SUVs and Fusion sedans because the engines can overheat and cause fires. The recall affects vehicles from the 2013 model year with 1.6-liter turbocharged engines that were sold in the U.S. and Canada, the company said in a statement.
Electrical Cable Tray Fire Protection
November 30, 2012 8:09 am | by Clay Booth, Fire Protection, Market & Sales Manager, Morgan Thermal Ceramics | Articles | CommentsOne of the most significant fire protection requirements for processing facilities and offshore locations is the need to protect control cables and valves in the event of a fire. Several options are on the market and each has its benefits; operators need to weigh the pros and cons of the available solutions to ensure that they select one that is the best.
Factory Owner Didn't Know Fire Exits Needed
November 29, 2012 2:09 pm | by Julhas Alam, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe owner of a Bangladesh clothing factory where a fire killed 112 people says he was never informed the facility was required to have an emergency exit, a sign of how far removed the leaders of the nation's garment industry are from issues of worker safety.
OH Chemical Company Cited After Vapor Release
November 29, 2012 2:07 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsFederal workplace safety officials have cited a chemical company for dozens of violations and propose $545,000 in fines after a vapor release temporarily closed a northeast Ohio plant and a nearby highway. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Wednesday it cited Dover Chemical Corp. for 47 health and safety violations.
GA Chemical Company Cited For Safety Violations
November 27, 2012 10:20 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe U.S. Department of Labor cited a chemical manufacturing company in northwest Georgia for 20 safety violations, and proposes the company pay a $77,000 fine. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Monday that MFG Chemical Inc. exposed workers to fire and explosion hazards, among other safety infractions.
FDA Suspends Operations At Peanut Butter Plant
November 27, 2012 10:10 am | by Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on a New Mexico peanut butter plant that had repeated food safety violations over several years, using new authority to halt operations at facilities that may be producing unsafe food. The agency on Monday suspended the registration of Sunland Inc., which is the country's largest organic peanut butter processor.
Italian Steel Plant To Close Amid Health Scandal
November 26, 2012 2:12 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsA steel plant in southern Italy at the center of an environmental scandal has announced it is closing after police seized some produced goods. Concerns have grown over the elevated incidence of cancer in the area around the Ilva plant. The Environment Ministry has been overseeing efforts to clean up the plant and assess health risks. Police have arrested seven people on suspicion of bribing officials to play down health concerns.
Factory Fire In Bangladesh Highlights Poor Safety
November 26, 2012 2:09 pm | by Farid Hossain, Julhas Alam, Associated Press | News | CommentsFor Bangladesh, where such factories commonly ignore safety as they rush to produce for retailers around the world, the most recent tragedy was unusual only in scope: More than 200 people have died in garment-factory fires in the country since 2006.
OSHA Cites Mississippi Phosphates
November 26, 2012 2:03 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsMississippi Phosphates Corp. has been cited by the government for 40 safety and health violations following the deaths of two workers in separate incidents at the company's Pascagoula facilities. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says in a news release Monday that it has proposed penalties of $165,900. The company has 15 days to appeal.
Toyota Recalls Pickups; Spare Tires Can Come Loose
November 26, 2012 10:29 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsToyota is recalling about 150,000 Tacoma midsize pickups in the U.S. because the spare tires can fall from beneath the trucks. The recalled trucks from the 2001 to 2004 model years were sold or registered in 20 cold-weather states and Washington, D.C.
Feds Probe BMW Motorcycles For Fuel Leak Problem
November 21, 2012 10:12 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the housing around the fuel pump can crack and leak gasoline. No fires or injuries have been reported, but the safety agency has received 28 complaints from owners of the bikes. At least two owners say that gas soaked their pant legs.
Toshiba Shows Four-Legged Robot For Nuke Disaster
November 21, 2012 10:11 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsToshiba Corp. unveiled a robot Wednesday that the company says can withstand high radiation and help in nuclear disasters. But it remains unclear what exactly the new machine will be capable of doing if and when it gets the go-ahead to enter Japan's crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant.
Chemical Plant Workers Safe From Fire
November 19, 2012 10:14 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsAll workers are accounted for and safe after a chemical plant near Dallas erupted in flames. The fire started at the Nexeo Solutions plant in Garland about 3:30 p.m. Friday. Nexeo spokeswoman Christina Reynolds says all 41 workers who were at the plant then are safe.
BP Settles With U.S. For $4.5B In Gulf Spill
November 15, 2012 2:51 pm | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe largest environmental disaster in U.S. history came to reckoning Thursday, as British oil giant BP announced it was paying $4.5 billion in a settlement with the federal government over the 2010 Gulf oil spill disaster and two employees were charged with manslaughter over the 11 workers killed. The settlement was the "largest total criminal resolution in the history of the United States," Attorney General Eric Holder said.
NTSB: Collision Safety Tech Should Be Standard
November 14, 2012 2:44 pm | by Joan Lowy, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe government should require automakers to make the latest collision prevention technologies standard equipment on all new cars and trucks, a move that could reduce fatal highway accidents by more than half, federal accident investigators said Wednesday. The technologies include lane departure warning, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic braking and electronic stability control.
General Motors Recalling About 15,600 Cars
November 14, 2012 2:37 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsGeneral Motors Co. is recalling about 12,600 Cadillac XTS cars because of problems with the rear headrests, and 2,900 Buick Verano and Chevrolet Cruze and Sonic vehicles because of a problem with the driver's side air bags. The recall began Monday, and GM said it will notify owners and dealers and replace the head restraints for free.
Toyota Recalls Autos For Steering, Pump Defects
November 14, 2012 10:31 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsToyota Motor Corp. is recalling 2.77 million vehicles around the world for a water pump problem and a steering shaft defect that may result in faulty steering — the latest in a spate of quality woes for Japan's top automaker. No accidents have been reported related to these two problems announced Wednesday, according to Toyota.
Cause Of Packaging Fire Under Investigation
November 13, 2012 1:44 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe cause of a small explosion and fire at American Packaging Corp. in Columbus is under investigation. Fire officials say a sprinkler system helped contain the fire to the room where it started Monday. Workers were evacuated from the building. And, one person thought to be missing was later located outside.
Portales Peanut Butter Plant Remains Idle
November 13, 2012 1:43 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe New Mexico peanut butter plant linked to a salmonella outbreak remains idle as officials wait for federal approval to reopen. Sunland Inc. spokeswoman Katalin Coburn declined Monday to estimate when operations at the country's largest organic peanut processing plant may resume, saying only that officials are awaiting a response from the Food and Drug Administration.
Toyota Tests Cars That Communicate With Each Other
November 12, 2012 10:14 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsToyota is testing car safety systems that allow vehicles to communicate with each other and with the roads they are on in a just completed facility in Japan the size of three baseball stadiums. The cars at the Intelligent Transport System site receive information from sensors and transmitters installed on the streets to minimize the risk of accidents in situations such as missing a red traffic light.
Boeing Sued Over U.S.-Poland Plane That Crash-Landed
November 9, 2012 2:22 pm | by Machael Tarm, Associated Press | News | CommentsPassengers on a plane that crash landed in Poland last year when its landing gear failed to deploy have sued Boeing and the firm that inspected the airliner before it departed New Jersey, claiming physical injuries and lasting emotional distress.
Chrysler To Fix Stalling Problem In Midsize Cars
November 9, 2012 2:19 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsChrysler is telling U.S. owners of more than 46,000 midsize cars to take them to dealers to fix a problem that can make the engines stall. Owners of Chrysler 200s and Dodge Avengers from the 2011 model year are getting notices from the company. The cars have 3.6-Liter V-6 engines. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating in June after getting complaints from drivers.
