Safety

OR House Passes Bill To Track Toxic Chemicals

June 19, 2013 2:24 pm | by Lauren Gambino, Associated Press | News | Comments

The Oregon House passed a bill Tuesday that would set up a public database to track 19 toxic chemicals used in children's toys and products and would require manufactures to remove the chemicals from their products within five years. The bill, which passed 39-21, would require companies with gross sales of more than $5 million per year to report the presence of the chemicals in their products.

After The AR Spill: The Future Of The Oil Industry

June 19, 2013 1:14 pm | by Al Jazeera | Videos | Comments

In the wake of a ruptured pipeline that coated an Arkansas town in oil over two months ago, residents are complaining about illnesses that could be related to the spill. Al Jazeera take a look at the environmental controls being placed on the U.S. oil industry and what their possible impact on public health could be.

Chrysler Agrees To Recall Of Jeeps At Risk Of Fire

June 19, 2013 10:11 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writers | News | Comments

After initially defying federal regulators, Chrysler abruptly agreed Tuesday to recall some older-model Jeeps with fuel tanks that could rupture and cause fires in rear-end collisions. But the recall, which came in an 11th-hour deal between the automaker and the NHTSA, covers only 1.56M of the 2.7M Jeeps that the government wanted repaired. The rest are part of a "customer service action" and many may not get fixed.

Fire At PA Titanium Plant Causes $3.5M In Damage

June 19, 2013 10:09 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Investigators say a fire earlier this week at a titanium-manufacturing plant in eastern Pennsylvania caused $3.5 million in damage and has been ruled accidental. The blaze started in a building at the Timet Corp. facility in Caernarvon Township around 8 p.m. Monday.

Tesla Model S Recalled For Rear Seat Latch Issue

June 19, 2013 10:07 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Tesla is recalling as many as 1,228 of its Model S vehicles, citing a problem with a rear seat latch in the electric sports sedan. The company says no injuries or customer complaints have been reported. Chairman and CEO Elon Musk said in a blog entry Wednesday that the strength of a mounting bracket for the rear, left seat latch may be weaker than intended.

IN County Allowed To Develop Fertilizer Plant

June 19, 2013 10:04 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

The state won't stand in the way of a fertilizer plant that a Pakistan-based group is developing in southwestern Indiana despite reservations expressed by Gov. Mike Pence, his office said Tuesday. Pence directed the Indiana Finance Authority not to block Posey County from backing the Midwest Fertilizer Corp. plant.

United 787 Heading To Tokyo Diverted To Seattle

June 19, 2013 10:02 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

A Boeing 787 flying from Denver to Tokyo diverted to Seattle because of an oil filter issue, a United Airlines spokeswoman said. An airline maintenance team was inspecting the jet after Flight 139 landed normally Tuesday afternoon at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, United spokeswoman Mary Ryan said in an email statement.

Engineering: A Crucial Element Of A Burgeoning Firearms Industry

June 19, 2013 8:00 am | by ATW | Articles | Comments

Firearm sales have increased exponentially over the past few years, and forecasts are continuing to escalate, reflecting an increase in the popularity of hunting, a rise in the desire for personal protection, and a variety of other socio-economic factors. As manufacturers seek to meet demand while decreasing costs, reducing weight, and increasing durability, the spotlight is turning to engineering and design capabilities in the industry.

U.S. Safety Agency Investigating Suzuki SUVs

June 18, 2013 2:12 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

U.S. safety regulators said Tuesday that they are investigating problems with air bag sensors in the seats of some small Suzuki SUVs. The probe covers 205,000 vehicles including Grand Vitaras from the 2006 through 2011 model years and SX4s from 2007 through 2011.

Chrysler Expected To Formally Refuse Jeep Recall

June 18, 2013 10:14 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments

In one of the biggest-ever showdowns between an automaker and the government, Chrysler on Tuesday is expected to file papers explaining its refusal to recall 2.7 million older Jeep SUVs that are at risk of catching fire in rear-end collisions.

TX Governor Woos Disgruntled CT Gun Makers

June 18, 2013 10:12 am | by Stephen Singer, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Texas Gov. Rick Perry extolled the tax policies and regulatory climate of his state as he courted gun manufacturers that have threatened to leave Connecticut since the state passed new gun-control laws in response to the Newtown school massacre.

Lawmakers: Put Dangerous Chemical Site Info Online

June 18, 2013 10:10 am | by Will Weissert, Associated Press | News | Comments

There are 16 fertilizer production sites in Texas like the one that exploded in West, but authorities aren't clear how many of those might be located near schools or other residential centers, top state officials said Monday. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw and State Fire Marshal Chris Connealy testified before the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee.

An Easy Reach: Industrial Ergonomics

June 17, 2013 4:45 pm | by Rachel Leisemann Immel, Associate Editor, IMPO | Articles | Comments

Ergonomics can be thought of as much like a dinner table setting: Everything should be in easy reach and no one should have to reach too far or stretch into an unnatural position to get at what they need, says Ed Metzger, president of BioFit. “By ensuring that workers have the freedom to move comfortably and naturally, companies can prevent many of the musculoskeletal injuries and fatigue that leads to lost time and productivity.”

Nuclear Weapons Plant To Improve Fire Safety

June 17, 2013 2:16 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Pantex, the country's only nuclear weapons assembly and disassembly plant, has completed main construction on a $35M project that is designed to improve fire protection at the facility. The new construction comes after the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board raised safety concerns earlier this year.

2 Remain Hospitalized After LA Explosions

June 17, 2013 2:13 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Federal investigators are at two chemical plants that were the sites of fatal explosions last week, and two people remain hospitalized. CF Industries Holdings Inc. spokeswoman Blythe Lamonica says a team from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was at the plant Sunday.

Hundreds Sickened In Bangladesh Garment Factory

June 17, 2013 2:11 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Several hundred garment workers were sickened at their factory outside Bangladesh's capital on Sunday, apparently after drinking water there. Police official Mohammad Jahid said many of the workers were treated at various hospitals after the incident at East West Factory in Gazipur district.

Boeing's 787 Nightmare Is Over

June 17, 2013 1:46 pm | by CNN Money | Videos | Comments

It wasn't that long ago that the Boeing 787 was having some problems with its battery, leading to many airlines grounding their 787s. Now, the Dreamliner maker's stock is the 2nd best performer in the Dow this year as worries about Boeing's 787 battery problems fade.

Police: 1 Dead, 7 Hurt In 2nd LA Plant Blast

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

A second blast in two days has killed a worker at a south Louisiana chemical plant, just miles from the site where two workers were killed a day earlier. The latest explosion also injured seven people, some severely, State Police Trooper Jared Sandifer said late Friday.

GM Recalling 193,652 SUVs For Fire Risk

June 17, 2013 10:07 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

General Motors is recalling more than 193,652 SUVs from the 2006 and 2007 model years because a circuit board in the driver's door could short and cause a fire. The vehicles involved are the Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Ruick Rainier, Saab 9-7x and Isuzu Ascender from the 2006 and 2007 model years. The 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL are also included.

AP: More Bangladesh Factories Dangerous

June 14, 2013 5:23 pm | by Ravi Nessman, Associated Press | News | Comments

Bangladeshi garment factories are routinely built without consulting engineers. Many are located in commercial or residential buildings not designed to withstand the stress of heavy manufacturing. Some add illegal extra floors atop support columns too weak to hold them, according to a survey of scores of factories by an engineering university that was shown to The Associated Press.

U.S. Prosecutors Want Smartphone 'Kill Switch'

June 14, 2013 5:23 pm | by Meghan Barr, Associated Press | News | Comments

U.S. law enforcement officials are demanding the creation of a "kill switch" that would render smartphones inoperable after they are stolen, New York's top prosecutor said in a clear warning to the world's smartphone manufacturers. The New York Attorney General said the formation of a coalition of law enforcement agencies devoted to stamping out what he called an "epidemic" of robberies.

Blast At LA Plant Kills 1, More Than 70 Hurt

June 14, 2013 10:02 am | by Stacey Plaisance, Associated Press | News | Comments

The blast sent workers on a mad scramble to escape the plant, said a worker, some of them by clambering over gates. Outside the plant, witnesses saw towering flames and felt the ground shudder. A body was found by hazardous materials crews moving through the site after the blast, state police Capt. Doug Cain said.

Honda Recalling 104,500 Cars To Fix Brakes

June 14, 2013 9:52 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Honda is recalling 104,500 cars in 49 countries worldwide to fix problems with the brakes. In the U.S., the recall covers more than 18,000 Acura RSX compact cars from 2006 and the Honda S2000 sports car from the 2006 and 2007 model years.

At Least 30 Injured In LA Plant Explosion

June 13, 2013 2:20 pm | by Stacey Plaisance Associated Press | News | Comments

Ambulances and helicopters took at least 30 people from a burning chemical plant after an explosion Thursday in Louisiana, officials said. Early tests did not indicate dangerous levels of any chemicals around the plant in Geismar, southeast of Baton Rouge, but area residents were told to remain indoors with doors and windows closed, said Jean Kelly, spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Quality.

Voice-Operated Dashboard Technology Still Risky

June 13, 2013 2:18 pm | by Joan Lowy, Associated Press | News | Comments

Dashboard technology that lets drivers text and email with voice commands — marketed as a safer alternative — actually is more distracting than simply talking on a cellphone, a new AAA study found. Automakers have been trying to excite new-car buyers, especially younger ones, with dashboard infotainment systems that let drivers use voice commands to do things like turning on windshield wipers, posting Facebook messages or ordering pizza.