The Ford Motor Company issued a recall of over 1 million pickup trucks, including the popular F-150. In a report at latimes.com, the pickups have defective gas tanks. According to Ford, the straps that hold the gas tank in place can corrode from prolonged use, causing...
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Worker Killed at Maryland Casino Construction Site
A construction worker was killed last month when a concrete wall collapsed at the Maryland Live! construction site in Hanover, Maryland. Another worker suffered injuries in the construction accident, in a report at bizjournals.com. Rescue workers transported the other injured worker to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where doctors classified his injuries...
Read MoreOSHA Re-Structuring its Whistleblower Program
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) wants to do more to protect whistleblowers, so the agency is revamping its Whistleblower Protection Program (the Program). The overhaul includes changes in OSHA’s reporting chain and improved training for investigators and supervisors. OSHA enforces the 21 statutes that protect employees who report safety violations...
Read MoreSome Passenger Bus Companies are High-Risk Carriers
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) classifies some bus companies as “high-risk carriers.” There are over 2,000 of these bus companies of the 4,000 charter bus companies in the United States. These “rogue” bus companies, according to Fredericksburg.com, attempt to skirt federal safety regulations for passenger buses. The FMCSA turned its attention to these...
Read MoreFive Die in Deadly 24-Hours on DC Roads
The first week of August proved to be a deadly week on Washington, D.C. roads. A series of auto crashes killed five people within a 24-hour span, according to washingtonexaminer.com. A motorcyclist collided with a tractor-trailer around 5 a.m. on Florida Avenue and Eckington Place. The...
Read MoreBaby on Board: Two Infants Trapped in Car after Crash
Firefighters arrived at the scene of a car crash to find a woman and two 18-month-old infants trapped inside their vehicle last month on Interstate 97. In a report at hometownannapolis.com, the woman lost control of her car, hit a guardrail, and came to a stop in the middle of the road. Rescue workers pulled...
Read MoreCompany that Made Ceramic Fire Pots Files Bankruptcy
Napa Home & Garden, Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late last month. The company made and marketed the ceramic firepots popular in back yards. Napa marketed its “Fire Burners” gel pots and “Fire Gel” fuel as safe and easy to use both indoors and...
Read MoreNHTSA Under Reports Fatal Bus Crashes
Thirty-seven people did not make it to Niagara Falls from Washington, D.C., and two of those people died when their tour bus crashed last month in New York State. Investigators suspect that a blown tire caused the bus to veer off the road and into a wooded area where it tipped on its...
Read MoreElectric Current Goes through Teen’s Body and Exits through Kneecap
If you have ever been to any county fair, it may have crossed your mind about how safe the carnival rides really are. They are not permanent structures like in major amusement parks. Instead, workers repeatedly assemble and disassemble them as the rides tour around the country making millions of people smile and maybe...
Read MoreNeither Rider Wearing a Helmet in Fatal Motorcycle Crash
According to Virginia law, all motorcycle riders must wear helmets. Two motorcyclists, unfortunately, did not obey that law when one died and the other suffered serious injuries last month in Middletown. According to the Winchester Star, the motorcycle accident happened when the driver and her passenger crashed their motorcycle into a utility pole around...
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