Safety
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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Japan To Allow Airlines To Resume 787 Flights
April 26, 2013 10:17 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsJapan's transport minister said Friday the government is poised to allow Japanese airlines to resume flying grounded Boeing 787s once they complete installation of systems to reduce fire risk in problematic lithium ion batteries. The approval could come as early as Friday evening following an expected formal safety order from the U.S. federal regulators, Transport Minister Akihiro Ohta said.
OSHA: OH Plant 'Could Have Prevented' Worker Death
April 25, 2013 2:09 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsA federal agency has cited an Ohio aluminum plant with eight safety violations following the death of a worker who was crushed by a hot metal rack stacked with heavy aluminum. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, said Thursday that Extrudex Aluminum acted with knowing disregard or plain indifference to hazards at the company's plant in North Jackson in northeastern Ohio.
Mitsubishi Motors IDs Cause Of Battery Problem
April 24, 2013 1:58 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsMitsubishi Motors Corp. said Wednesday it has identified the cause of a battery malfunction of its Outlander plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and will take recall procedures as soon as the effectiveness of preventive measures is confirmed.
TX Plant Blast Loss Likely Exceeds $100M
April 24, 2013 1:56 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsAn insurance industry trade group estimates losses from a deadly fertilizer plant explosion in a tiny Texas town will likely exceed $100 million. Insurance Council of Texas spokesman Mark Hanna said Wednesday that insured losses after the explosion in West, Texas, included dozens of damaged homes, businesses and cars — as well as the costs of resettling displaced residents.
Poland's Boeing 787s To Resume Flight In June
April 23, 2013 2:13 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsPolish national airline LOT said Tuesday its Boeing 787s, which had been grounded for months due to battery problems, will resume flying in June and that it will seek compensation from the U.S. plane maker. The world's total fleet of 50 Boeing 787s has been grounded since Jan. 16.
NTSB Probes Safety Testing Of Boeing 787 Batteries
April 23, 2013 10:28 am | by Joan Lowy, Associated Press | News | CommentsAs airlines prepare to resume flying Boeing's beleaguered 787 Dreamliners, federal investigators looked Tuesday at how regulators and the company tested and approved the plane's cutting-edge battery system, and whether the government cedes too much safety-testing authority to aircraft makers.
Investors Who Stood By Boeing Reap Reward
April 22, 2013 2:17 pm | by Joshua Freed, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsInvestors who stood by Boeing during its 787 crisis have been rewarded. Some investors bailed out, spooked by the latest snag with a plane considered to be a key to Boeing's future. Others were confident that Boeing Co. would quickly fix the battery problem and raved about its long-term prospects.
Haliburton Seeking Settlement Over Gulf Oil Spill
April 22, 2013 2:12 pm | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | CommentsBP's cement contractor on the drilling rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 announced Monday that it is trying to negotiate a settlement over its role in the disaster, a focus of trial testimony that ended last week. Halliburton Chief Financial Officer Mark McCollum said during a conference call to discuss first-quarter earnings that talks were at an "advanced stage."
FAA Approves Resumption Of Boeing 787 Flights
April 22, 2013 10:13 am | by Joan Lowy, Joshua Freed, Associated Press | News | CommentsBoeing's beleaguered 787 could be flying again within a week after federal officials approved a fix for its batteries, even though the root cause of a fire on one plane and smoke on another still isn't known. The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it would send airlines instructions and publish a notice next week lifting the 3-month-old grounding order that day.
Safety Rules Limited For Small Fertilizer Plants
April 22, 2013 10:11 am | by Jack Gillum, Ramit Plushnick-Masti, Associated Press | News | CommentsThere were no sprinklers. No firewalls. No water deluge systems. Safety inspections were rare at the fertilizer company in West, Texas, that exploded and killed at least 14 people this week. This is not unusual. Small fertilizer plants nationwide fall under the purview of several government agencies, each with a specific concern and none required to coordinate with others on what they have found.
Five Common Chemical Irritants In The Workplace
April 22, 2013 8:00 am | by Grady Winston, Blogger & Entrepeneur | Blogs | CommentsIndustrial work environments requiring physical labor pose a variety of risk. Injuries can occur from lifting, straining or moving, but also from contact with irritants and chemicals in the warehouse or distribution center. The safety and security of employees should be the number one priority of any business.
Federal Inspectors At Scene Of Texas Blast
April 19, 2013 4:03 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsA dozen investigators from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board are inspecting the site of this week's fertilizer plant explosion in the Central Texas town of West. A spokeswoman for the federal agency that's charged with investigating chemical accidents says the group arrived in the small farming town on Thursday and was "inspecting the areas of impact" midday Friday.
Nissan Recalls SUVs To Fix Brake Problem
April 19, 2013 4:03 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsNissan is recalling more than 19,000 Nissan and Infiniti SUVs because a brake part can fail and make it harder for the driver to stop the car. The recall affects Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti JX SUVs from the 2013 model year. The automaker says an iron brake caliper part wasn't made properly and can crack or fail.
Overhead Lifeline Systems
April 19, 2013 3:36 pm | by Kee Safety, Inc. | Product Releases | CommentsThe KeeLine® Overhead Lifeline Systems can provide fall protection and support for one or two workers at elevated heights during construction and maintenance.
'SWAT Robots' Soon To Protect First Responders
April 19, 2013 10:18 am | by Clarke Canfield, Associated Press | News | CommentsA Maine company that's developed high-tech tanks for the military and Hollywood has a new contraption — a ballistic police shield that sits atop a miniature, remote-controlled tank-like vehicle made to protect first responders. Brothers Mike and Geoff Howe said the "SWAT robot" keeps SWAT teams and other first responders safe.
OSHA Last Inspected TX Fertilizer Plant In 1985
April 19, 2013 10:15 am | by Sam Hananel, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration most recently inspected the Texas fertilizer plant that exploded Wednesday night in 1985. Records reviewed by The Associated Press show that OSHA issued the West Chemical & Fertilizer Co., as the plant was called at the time, a $30 fine for a serious violation for storage of anhydrous ammonia.
Honda Recalls Nearly 205K Vehicles To Fix Shifters
April 19, 2013 10:12 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsHonda is recalling nearly 205,000 minivans and SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem with the automatic shifters. The recall includes the Honda CR-V small SUV and Odyssey minivan from the 2012 and 2013 model years. Also covered is the 2013 Acura RDX SUV.
Rescuers Search Ruins Of Texas Fertilizer Plant
April 18, 2013 2:14 pm | by John L. Mone, Michael Brick, Associated Press | News | CommentsRescue workers searched the smoldering ruins of a fertilizer plant Thursday for survivors of a monstrous explosion that leveled homes and businesses in every direction across the Texas prairie. As many as 15 people were feared dead and more than 160 others injured.
Nissan To Recall 80,000 Minivans
April 18, 2013 2:09 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsNissan Motor Co. in a report to the government Thursday said it will recall a total of 85,220 minivans produced between November 2010 and February 2012 under its Serena and Suzuki Motor Corp.'s Landy brands. A component of an electricity generator attached to the engine could drop out due to a defective installment, causing the engine to stall in the worst-case scenario, Nissan said in the report.
'Smart Gun' Won't Work In The Wrong Hands
April 17, 2013 4:35 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | CommentsWhat if technology could keep guns out of the wrong hands? Some are developing 'smart guns' that may do just that. The New Jersey Institute of Technology has spent the last thirteen years developing a gun that analyzes a person's grip and only fires for its owner.
Auto Black Boxes In Every Vehicle By 2014?
April 17, 2013 2:14 pm | by AssociatedPress | Videos | CommentsMost drivers don't realize that over 90 percent of new cars are being made with a black box. Similar to a flight cockpit recorder, it is called an Event Data Recorder (EDS). It records everything that is happening in your car. At issue is your right to privacy.
White House Threatens Veto On Cybersecurity Bill
April 17, 2013 2:05 pm | by Anne Flaherty, Josh Lederman, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe White House on Tuesday threatened a veto against a House bill intended to improve cybersecurity through information-sharing, warning lawmakers that the president won't sign the measure unless changes are made to protect privacy and civil liberties.
No Helmets Required For Elio Vehicle Under Bill
April 17, 2013 10:09 am | by Littice Bacon-Blood, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe House Transportation Committee backed a proposal Tuesday that would pave the way for the production of a three-wheeled vehicle called the Elio by removing the requirement that occupants wear helmets. Officials with Elio Motors, located in the former General Motors plant in Shreveport, said the helmet requirement could harm sales by sending a signal to consumers that the vehicle was unsafe.
FAA Orders Inspection Of Boeing 737 Jets
April 16, 2013 1:08 pm | by NBC News | Videos | CommentsAfter reports of faulty parts on plane tails, the Federal Aviation Administration has asked for inspection of more than 1000 U.S.-registered Boeing 737 jets. The mostly late-model aircraft will be examined to see if a part of the plane's tail need to be replaced. NBC’s Brian Williams reports.
BP Manager Testifies At Trial
April 16, 2013 10:14 am | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | CommentsA BP team leader who supervised managers on the oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 testified Monday that he was frustrated by last-minute changes to the drilling project, but didn't have any safety concerns before the deadly blast.
