Safety

Feds To Probe Ford Cars, SUVs For Stalling

February 25, 2013 10:18 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it will investigate problems with stalling or surging engines in nearly 725,000 Ford cars and SUVs. The probe affects Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs and Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans from the 2009 through 2011 model years.

Japan Identifies Some Boeing 787 Problems

February 22, 2013 2:11 pm | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Japanese authorities have identified the causes of fuel leaks and other problems with Boeing's 787 but are still investigating the more serious battery problem that forced an emergency landing in January and the worldwide grounding of the jets.

United Airlines Drops 787s Through June 5

February 22, 2013 10:05 am | by Joan Lowy, Joshua Freed, Associated Press | News | Comments

United Airlines cut the grounded Boeing 787 from its flying plans at least until June and postponed its new Denver-to-Tokyo flights on Thursday, as airlines continued to tear up their schedules while the plane is out of service. Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused a battery fire in one plane and forced the emergency landing of another plane last month. The world's 50 787s have been grounded since Jan. 16.

Judge: U.S. Steel Can Test New Employees For Booze

February 21, 2013 4:24 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

A federal judge in Pittsburgh says United States Steel Corp. can randomly test new employees for drugs and alcohol, rejecting a challenge by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission which sued claiming a worker was fired when she falsely tested positive for drinking because she was diabetic.

Boeing To Propose 787 Battery Fix

February 21, 2013 4:24 pm | by Joan Lowy, Joshua Freed, Associated Press | News | Comments

Boeing has developed a plan that it intends to propose to federal regulators to temporarily fix problems with the 787 Dreamliner's batteries that have kept the planes on the ground for more than a month, a congressional official told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Japan Probe Finds Miswiring Of Boeing 787 Battery

February 20, 2013 1:44 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

A probe into the overheating of a lithium ion battery in an All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 that made an emergency landing found it was improperly wired, Japan's Transport Ministry said Wednesday. The Transport Safety Board said the battery for the aircraft's auxiliary power unit was incorrectly connected to the main battery that overheated.

New Airbag Protects Pedestrians

February 20, 2013 8:08 am | by Meaghan Ziemba, Editor, WDD | Articles | Comments

Car safety has come a long way since the very first Ford Model-T took to the streets back in 1908. From air bags to digital rear-view mirrors, drivers can now feel more comfortable when they get behind the wheel — and safer. Now that the driver is more secure, the automotive industry has shifted its sights to increased safety features for pedestrians.

MS Part Of $29M Agreement With Toyota

February 19, 2013 1:50 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood says Mississippi will receive about $561,288 in a multi-state settlement with Toyota Motor Corp. over problems with accelerator pedals. Hood says Mississippi will be getting part of a $29 million pot split among 29 different states and American Samoa.

VA Part Of $29M Agreement With Toyota

February 15, 2013 1:12 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Virginia joined 28 other states in a $29M agreement with Toyota over allegations the company concealed safety issues related to unintended acceleration. In a complaint filed along with the agreement, the states allege Toyota engaged in deceptive practices when it failed to timely disclose known safety defects with accelerator pedals.

Shell, BASF Offer Millions In Class Action Suit

February 15, 2013 12:57 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Shell Brasil SA and BASF SA have offered more than $20 million to settle a class-action lawsuit with former workers allegedly contaminated at a pesticide plant in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil's top labor court said Friday. The court said on its website that the two companies have offered to provide 884 workers with lifelong health plans with a "global value" of 52 million reals ($26 million).

Airbus To Drop Lithium-Ion Batteries In A350

February 15, 2013 10:18 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Airbus abandoned its plans to use lithium-ion batteries for its new A350 airplanes due to the uncertainty surrounding the technology following the grounding of Boeing's 787, the company said. The European aerospace group said Thursday it would revert to conventional nickel-cadmium batteries for the A350.

BMW Recalls More Than 30,000 SUVs To Fix Brakes

February 15, 2013 10:17 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

BMW is recalling more than 30,000 SUVs to fix an oil leak that can knock out the power-assisted braking. The German automaker says the recall covers X5 SUVs in the U.S. from the 2007 through 2010 model years. The vehicles were made between Sept. 12, 2006, and March 18, 2010. They have eight-cylinder engines.

Entergy NY Reactor Shut Down After Pumps Fail

February 15, 2013 10:12 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

An Entergy Corp. nuclear reactor in the New York suburbs has been shut down because two pumps that send water from a drain tank to the steam generators stopped working. Entergy said Wednesday the shutdown of Indian Point 2 went safely. They said there were no injuries and no release of radioactivity.

New EPA Rules On Cadmium Exposure Raise Liability Risk

February 15, 2013 9:17 am | by Michael Gruver, Lawyer, Kaye Scholer and Glenn Pogust, Partner, Kaye Scholer | Articles | Comments

Cadmium is a chemical element with many possible industrial applications and one huge challenge: cadmium is highly toxic. Recently, the health risks associated with cadmium exposure has led to increased public attention.

Chrysler Adds 278,000 Trucks To Axle Recall

February 14, 2013 2:09 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Chrysler said Thursday that it is recalling 278,000 pickup trucks and SUVs because their rear axles can lock up unexpectedly. The recall covers many Ram 1500 pickups from the 2009 through 2012 model years as well as Dodge Dakota pickups from 2009 through 2011. Also included are Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango SUVs from 2009.

Poland's Dreamliners Grounded Through October

February 14, 2013 2:07 pm | by Monika Scislowska, Associated Press | News | Comments

Polish airline LOT said Thursday it is keeping its Boeing 787 Dreamliners grounded through October while the U.S. company tries to solve a potential safety threat. The late date suggests some airlines are growing skeptical about the plane's chances of resuming flight soon.

Lexus, Porsche Top Dependability Rankings

February 13, 2013 12:45 pm | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments

If there's one thing you can count on, it's your car. Vehicles are more dependable than ever, says J.D. Power and Associates. The consulting company's latest study, which measures problems experienced in the last year by owners of 3-year-old vehicles, found that reported problems fell 5 percent to the lowest level since it collecting data in 1989.

U.N. Agency Moves To Kill Aircraft Battery Exemption

February 12, 2013 10:24 am | by Joan Lowy, Associated Press | News | Comments

A U.N. agency that sets global aviation safety standards is moving to prevent aircraft batteries like the one that caught fire on a Boeing 787 last month from being shipped as cargo on passenger planes, people familiar with the effort said.

AL Plant Cited For Safety Violations

February 12, 2013 10:20 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Federal labor officials have cited a south Alabama manufacturing plant for 15 safety violations. Department of labor spokesman Michael D'Aquino says Tenax Manufacturing Alabama LLC has been cited for safety violations after an August 2012 inspection of its plant in Evergreen. The company manufactures construction netting and fencing products.

Boeing Warns That 787 Deliveries Could Slip

February 11, 2013 2:25 pm | by Joshua Freed, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Boeing acknowledged Friday that it may not be able to deliver 787s as fast as hoped. The company said it has told customers expecting the next 787 deliveries that those planes have either been delayed, or are at risk for a delay. Boeing is still building the long-range, fuel-efficient planes, and it reiterated that it has no plans to slow production.

Boeing Sends 787 On Test Flight From Seattle

February 11, 2013 10:12 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Boeing sent a 787 up on a test flight Saturday, the first since the new airliner was grounded three weeks ago because of a battery fire. According to flight-tracking website FlightAware, the aircraft flew for 1,131 miles, slightly more than the 919 planned. The Federal Aviation Administration granted permission for test flights on Thursday.

OSHA Proposes $123K Fine For NY Manufacturer

February 11, 2013 10:10 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has proposed $123,000 in fines for operators of an upstate New York plant that makes roof insulation panels. OSHA alleged Friday that Hunter Panels LLC committed 23 serious safety violations at its Kingston plant.

Six Things To Consider Before Implementing An EQMS

February 11, 2013 8:08 am | by Mike Roberts | Articles | Comments

What does quality management software do? From a 30,000 foot view, it helps companies ensure the production and delivery of high quality products and processes. More specifically, though, it streamlines, standardizes, and centralizes cross-functional data from across the value chain.

Worker Crushed To Death At WV Mine

February 8, 2013 3:15 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

A West Virginia coal miner has been crushed to death under a piece of equipment at a Raleigh County coal mine, state and federal regulators said Friday. The victim's identity was not immediately released, but officials say it happened Thursday night at Pocahontas Coal Co.'s Affinity Mine.

Feds May Expand Pontiac Brake Light Recall

February 8, 2013 10:03 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments

U.S. safety regulators are looking at expanding a small recall of Pontiac G6 midsize cars so it includes up to 550,000 vehicles. About 8,000 of the cars were recalled by General Motors in 2009 because the brake lights and cruise control didn't work properly.