Everyone in the market for a robe wants to be kept warm, but having that robe catch on fire and kill you is quite a bit over the line. Such a foible was discovered in Blair women’s chenille robes, so Blair and the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall in April.
safety
Mattel Will Pay $2.3 Million Penalty For All Those Lead Toys
By 6.6.09
Remember back when lead toys were all the rage? Oh, those dangerous days, when you couldn’t lick a Dora the Explorer doll without fear of memory loss! Well, Mattel and the Consumer Prouct Safety Commission (CPSC) have reached an agreement on how much Mattel should pay for importing toys that exceeded U.S. lead safety guidelines, and the amount is $2.3 million. Maybe now the CPSC can use some of that money to grease the DC wheels and get their new chair nominee confirmed.
Passenger Spots Handgun Being Smuggled Past Airport Security
By 6.4.09
An eagle-eyed passenger at Philadelphia International Airport spotted another passenger handing a bag directly to an airline employee — skipping airport security. The passenger alerted the TSA, who located the US Airways flight and searched the bag. Guess what was inside? An unloaded handgun.
Woman Sprayed With Pesticide Can't Get List Of Chemicals Because They're A Trade Secret
By 6.2.09
A North Carolina woman out walking her dog last month was sprayed in the face with a gypsy moth pesticide, and subsequently developed “a severe rash and other flu-like symptoms, breathing complications, and nausea for several days.” Unfortunately, her doctor can’t treat her properly because the company that makes the spray won’t tell him what’s in it.
Drunk American Airlines Pilot Arrested Before Transatlantic Flight
By 5.23.09
London police arrested an American Airlines pilot twenty minutes before he was scheduled to fly 204 passengers from London to Chicago. 57-year-old Captain Joseph Crites was four-times over the legal alcohol limit and reeking of booze when he tried to enter his Boeing 777’s cockpit.
Will CVS Ever Pull Expired Medicine, Baby Formula From Their Shelves?
By 5.23.09
CVS stores across the nation regularly stock expired medicine, milk, and baby formula, according to a damning union report. This isn’t the first time CVS has been caught stocking dangerous goods. Last year, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo threatened a suit after his office caught the pharmacy selling goods over a year past their expiration dates. CVS claims that, despite investing over $160 million in a “perpetual inventory management” system, it’s nearly impossible to keep expired items off the shelf because they simply have too much stuff.
Jardine Crib Recall Program Tells Customers To Screw Themselves
By 5.13.09
Aw, get a load of that smile. That’s my 3-month-old daughter, Emma, whom I found out has been sleeping in a wooden minefield rather than a crib.
By 5.11.09
../../../..//2009/05/11/using-a-cell-phone/
Using a cell phone as your home phone comes with a risk Although consumers can save money by canceling their land lines, they risk dropped calls and difficulty being located if they ever need to call 911. What do you think: are the savings worth the risk? [Consumer Reports Electronics]
Obama Picks CPSC Head So They Can Finally Do Their Job
By 5.5.09
Obama nominated Inez Moore Tenenbaum as Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) head and Robert Adler as commissioner. He is also also Congress for $107 million more in funding and plans on beefing up the total number of commissioners to five. [Reuters] (Photo: ashi)
By 5.4.09
../../../..//2009/05/04/how-to-wash-your/
How To Wash Your Hands You’re probably not scrubbing and rinsing long enough; try singing the guitar riff to “Layla” while you wash. [Consumer Reports Safety]
Track The H1N1 Swine Flu Across The Globe
By 4.27.09
Everyone’s still unsure whether the H1N1 Swine Flu is a mild outbreak or something worse, but in the meantime you can amuse yourself with this grim Google Map of suspected and actual cases around the globe. It will give you something to do until the time comes when you have to decide between joining Randall Flagg or Mother Abagail.
Beware Of Fake Facebook
By 4.16.09
Reader Eric says he got a fairly realistic-looking Facebook phishing email and wanted to warn others not to click.
Yamaha ATV Problem: Death, Solution: Free Repairs And Free Helmets
By 4.1.09
The CPSC has announced a a free repair program to address safety issues with all Yamaha Rhino 450, 660, and 700 model off-highway recreational vehicles.
Baby Products: Now With Formaldehyde!
By 3.14.09
More than half of the baby products recently tested by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics were found to contain trace levels of formaldehyde and dioxane. Though the study didn’t accuse Johnson & Johnson of dumping barrels of the potential carcinogens directly into their baby products, the dangerous chemicals can form during the manufacturing process as other ingredients break down. The full list of 48 tested baby shampoos, lotions, soaps, and wipes—including some well-known products you probably have on your shelf—inside.
