Safety
Think Space Heater Safety
As the cold weather makes its return to Massachusetts, many people are bringing out the portable space heaters.
Always practice caution when using space heaters. Each year, space heaters cause death, injury and substantial property damage in both Massachusetts and across the country.
In 2007, U.S. fire departments responded to 66,400 home structure fires that involved heating equipment, according to the National Fire Protection Association. These fires killed 580 people, injured another 1,850, and were responsible for $608 million in direct property damage.
In Massachusetts, there were 57 space heater fires between 2004 and 2008, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. One in every six space heater fires caused a fatality.
The leading cause of space heater fires is when the appliance gets too close to combustible materials, such as furniture, carpeting or bedding. Other space heaters are also defective, improperly made and should never have been sold to consumers.
If you are using a space heater this winter:
- Keep the space heater at least three feet away from flammable items, such as rugs, curtains, blankets or clothing.
- Use a space heater to supplement your furnace. A space heater should not be your primary source of heat. If you are worried about having your heat shut off, learn more about the state’s Utility Shutoff Protection program.
- Do not leave a space heater in a room unattended while it is turned on or plugged in.
- Take caution not to use a space heater when you are sleepy. Many fires happen when someone falls asleep near a space heater.
- Do not allow small children near a space heater.
- Do not use an extension cord with your space heater. Many space heater fires start when an extension cord ignites a carpet, rug or wood floor. If an extension cord is needed, use one that is new and rated by the Underwriters Laboratory at 16-gauge or thicker.
- Purchase a space heater with an automatic shut off. This will stop the device from working if tipped over.
- Inspect your space heater for cracks and broken parts. If you see a problem, replace it before using.
For more information on space heater safety, visit the National Fire Protection Association’s website. We also urge you to check regularly to see if your space heater has been recalled. You can search for your model on the recall section of the Consumer Product Safety Commission website. If you don’t find anything, try a simple Google search. Space heaters are regularly recalled, as are other devices. Manufacturers make design mistakes, or errors are made somewhere along distribution. Other times products are marketed incorrectly. Even if you register products with the company, you really have to be proactive and search for product recalls yourself to protect your family. We should not have to check; manufacturers have a responsibility to fully test products before making them available to consumers. Because this does not always happen, it’s important to check for space heater recalls on your own.
Propane Distributor Linked to More Odorless Propane
A new state report shows DCP Midstream, which distributed the unodorized propane that caused a deadly Norfolk condo explosion, also shipped dangerous propane to four gas facilities serving Massachusetts consumers.
The report was released by Attorney General Martha Coakley and State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan last week. It found DCP Midstream distributed under-odorized propane to four sites associated with Heritage Propane in Sandwich and Martha’s Vineyard. DCP Midstream also had unodorized propane in five railcars at its Westfield facility. Federal and state laws require propane to have an additive known as mercaptan, which emits a strong odor.
The report was prepared this fall by an independent propane expert. Prior to the investigation, state investigators had found six other distributors in Massachusetts received deficient propane.
On July 13, a 48-year-old electrician was killed in a condominium explosion at The Village at River’s Edge in Norfolk, Massachusetts. The complex had received unodorized propane distributed by DCP Midstream. There was a propane leak, but none of the workers at the scene that day were able to smell propane.
“We applaud the swift investigation by the Attorney General’s office, and the findings of the Independent Examiner,” said Marc Breakstone, the attorney for the electrician’s family. “But this report does not answer the question of how odorless gas ended up in the environment at the explosion site. Only time and extensive discovery will reveal the truth about how this catastrophic explosion occurred.”
State officials say the affected companies have all addressed the deficient propane. Independent testing will continue at DCP Midstream’s facility for two years.
DCP Midstream began distributing the dangerous propane in Massachusetts in May 2010. The propane originated with Aux Sable Liquid Products of Illinois.
Daylight Saving Time is Time to Check Smoke Alarm Batteries
Each day, it gets darker outside earlier and we are reminded that Daylight Saving Time is almost here. Next Sunday, Nov. 7, we “fall back” again and set our clocks back an hour.
Daylight Saving Time began during World War I to take advantage of the longer days and save energy costs from increased sunlight. Retailers like it because they believe it increases evening shopping. But today, fire departments across the country use it as a reminder to check the batteries in your home’s smoke alarms.
It’s important to follow this advice. Approximately every three hours a home fire death occurs in the United States. Eighty percent of these occur in homes without working smoke alarms. Many other people sustain serious personal injuries.
Daylight Saving Time is also a good opportunity to test your smoke alarm, although the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends smoke alarms be tested once a month.
In between monthly checks, pay attention for failing batteries. It’s time for a new battery if a smoke alarm begins to chirp. This is the smoke alarm’s low-battery warning.
Also make sure you have an adequate number of smoke alarms to protect your home. The CPSC recommends at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home. Make it a priority to place alarms near bedrooms and inside bedrooms. If you are changing the wiring in your house, wire your smoke detectors together. That way, if one goes, they all go.
Another suggestion is to produce a fire evacuation plan and do a home fire drill. When there is a plan, people panic less and there is a better chance they will escape the flames faster. For assistance with this, visit the National Fire Protection Association’s web page on fire escape planning.
For more information on smoke alarm safety, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website.
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Keep Your Family Safe This Halloween
Halloween is just a few days away and that means it’s time to pull out the ghost and goblin costumes. But before you and your children head out to trick-or-treat, it’s worth considering a few tips for staying safe:
- Help young children choose a safe costume. Make sure it’s made out of a non-flammable material. Facial masks should provide adequate openings for breathing and vision.
- Check to see if you can incorporate reflective tape or other components into your child’s costume. If not, other accessories like glow sticks or flashlights help make your child more visible to drivers.
- Children should go out trick-or-treating with an adult. When there’s a group of children, a few adults should go along and take careful head counts throughout the night.
- Plan a safe trick-or-treating route and discuss it with your children to make it easier to find each other if you get separated.
- Give your child a cell phone so he or she can contact you if get separated.
- Designate a time to return home from trick-or-treating in case you get separated or your children go out with another family.
- Instruct your children not to eat any candy until they bring it home and it’s examined by an adult.
- Tell your children and teenagers to never ring a doorbell without being escorted by a parent and never enter a stranger’s house.
- Talk to your children about crossing the street. Even if you’re with them, children who are excited on Halloween may be eager to get across the street on their own. Tell them to look in both directions before crossing and only cross the street in a crosswalk. Equip them with a strong flashlight.
Car Care Month Time to Check Your Car For Safety
October is a month to enjoy the fall foliage and help young children choose their Halloween costumes. But it is also a good time to prepare your car for the harsh winter driving that lies ahead.
The nation’s largest auto club AAA observes October as Car Care Month, giving all drivers reason to check their automobiles for safety. If you are a AAA club member, this means you are eligible for a $1 visual inspection at a local AAA location. On Saturday, Oct. 16, members can visit the Franklin, Rockland or Newton AAA offices for an inspection. On Saturday, Oct. 23, visual inspections will be offered in Saugus. Click here for a $1 coupon.
AAA club members can also prepare for winter with a free car battery test. Click here for those locations.
If you do not belong to an auto club, winter is the time to consider joining one. Another sound practice is to carry a cell phone with you while driving in case you breakdown or have a car accident and have to call the police, an auto club or family member for help.
In a year of car recalls, you may also want to check whether your car has been involved in a safety recall. The manufacturer should have notified you of any recalls. But if you are concerned about a smaller recall that may have slipped your attention, contact your local car dealer or visit www.recalls.gov/.
Our last suggestion is to put together a car safety kit should you ever get stuck on the roadway or in a car accident. Here are some things to include:
- First aid kit
- 12-foot jumper cables
- Four 15-minute roadside flares
- Colored safety vest to wear in case of breakdown
- Extra fuses
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Tool kit with screwdrivers, pliers and adjustable wrench
- Tire inflator (such as a Fix-A-Flat)
- Tire pressure gauge
- Rags
- Roll of paper towels and duct tape
- Pocketknife
- Ice scraper
- Pen and paper
- Help sign
If you have an accident, remember to record all relevant information, including the name, address, license number of the other driver, the model and registration of any vehicles; and the names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses.
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Time to Think Back to School Safety
Heading back to school is always a big event, no matter how old a student is. Students look forward to meeting new teachers, starting new classes and being reunited with friends.
But all this activity brings safety concerns. Yet if parents, teachers and students recognize the risks and work together, the Back-to-School season can be an enriching time. Here are some tips to keep your children safe:
Playgrounds. Each year, more than 200,000 children are treated in U.S. emergency rooms for falls on the playground. The goal is to implement preventative measures in your playground and make it as safe as possible if falls do occur.
Start by inspecting playground equipment for any defective or broken parts.There should be a 12-inch depth of wood chips, mulch or sand. Mats should be made of safety-tested rubber or fiber material to prevent head injury if a child falls.
Drawstrings on Jackets and Sweatshirts. Many pieces of fall clothing come with drawstrings. Most people think nothing of these until a child endangers himself or a classmate, often unknowingly.
Prevent a dangerous situation where a child gets strangled. Remove drawstrings on hoods. Cut drawstrings from the waist or bottom of jackets, coats and sweatshirts to three inches.
Loops on Window Blind Cords. Visit your child’s classroom to ensure it’s a safe environment. Look at the windows to see if they have blinds with a long cord. If there are blinds with cords, this is a safety hazard. A child could strangle himself when the teacher’s not looking or swallow the plastic piece at the end of the cord.
Bikes. Many students ride their bicycles to school. It’s important for drivers to watch out for them, but parents also need to educate students on how to avoid bike accidents. The first rules is bike helmets. Massachusetts has a mandatory bike law for minors under 16. Beyond the law, bike helmets prevent and reduce head injuries should your child take a fall.
To learn more about school safety, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission web page, “American Goes Back to School Program.”
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DePuy Orthopaedics Recalls Hip Implants–Massachusetts Patients Affected by Defective Product
The DePuy Orthopaedics unit of Johnson & Johnson has recalled two types of hip implants that have failed one in eight patients and required a second surgery within five years. The standard hip implant lasts for 15 years.
DePuy recalled its ASR XL Acetabular System, a traditional hip implant procedure, and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System last week. Only the traditional hip implant procedure is available in the United States. About 93,000 DePuy devices have been implanted worldwide.
The recall was issued because of friction between the implant’s metal components. The friction generates metal ions which affect the healing of the joint in some people. The device is also difficult for surgeons to properly implant in the precise location.
In the past two years, the Food and Drug Administration has received about 400 complaints about DePuy hip implants.
The product recall is the latest in a series for Johnson & Johnson, which has pulled Tylenol and Acuvue contact lenses from shelves in recent months. The Tylenol recall is the subject of a federal inquiry over the company’s handling of over-the-counter product recalls.
If you have a DePuy hip implant, it is important you consult your surgeon. To find out what to expect, visit the Breakstone, White & Gluck website.
Massive Egg Recall Prompts Calls for Food Safety Overhaul
We urge government officials and farms to reconsider food safety measures after the recall of a half-billion eggs and the salmonella poisoning of over 1,300 Americans. And it is time for Congress to act on pending legislation that would strengthen the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ability to protect the public.
Earlier this month, Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa issued a voluntary recall of 380 million eggs on its five farms. Shortly thereafter, the FDA and the State of Minnesota identified Hillandale Farms in Iowa as a second source of contamination. Some 550 million eggs were recalled overall.
As the agencies investigate, many are calling for government reform on several fronts.
First, there is the problem of government oversight. The FDA has authority over shelled eggs sold in the grocery store. Yet the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has jurisdiction over chickens and any eggs cracked before shipping. Individual states also have inspection power of farms.
These agencies may have contradicting priorities and problems with coordination. In the case of Wright County Egg, the agencies lacked any knowledge of the others’ work.
A CBS News report shows state inspectors visited one of Wright County Egg’s sites in April, without reporting on 27 key inspection points, including questions about on-site birds, insects and rodents.
The report explains the state inspector saw no need because the farm was assigned a full-time USDA inspector. But the USDA claims its inspector was only responsible for measuring eggs and finding cracked shells.
“When you have multiple agencies in charge of a single issue, sometimes no one’s in charge,” Caroline Smith Dewall, Director of Food Safety at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told CBS News. Click here to watch the CBS News video.
Another troubling point CBS News uncovered was the frequency of inspections. Shockingly, records obtained by the news outlet show the FDA has not inspected 56 percent of the nation’s food production facilities and farms in the past five years.
Consumers deserve better protection. The legislation that would address these issues is stalled in Congress. The legislation would increase the frequency of inspections and provide the FDA greater authority over food production sites.
The House passed a bill, but it has remained stalled in the Senate despite widespread, bipartisan support. The bill is essential so the Obama administration can continue to revise food safety regulations, including regulations that would improve the safety of egg production.
The Boston personal injury lawyers at Breakstone, White & Gluck support this legislation and encourage you to contact your United States Senator to urge the bill’s passage.
U.S. Senator Scott Brown
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4543
U.S. Senator John Kerry
218 Russell Bldg.
Second Floor
Washington D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2742
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Keeping Kids Safe from Motor Vehicles in Warm Weather
For young children, summer is about warm weather, splashing around the pool and family daytrips. These activities often involve a motor vehicle and that, combined with a change in routine during which people may drop their guard, may present dangers. The key is for parents to educate themselves about potential motor vehicle accidents, then actively pay attention.
Hyperthermia and Heat Stroke
With many things on their minds, parents can quickly forget a child who is usually in school is in the backseat. Parents need to be extra careful in the summer not to leave children in the car unattended and should also avoid it in the cooler months.
If the outside temperature is 80 degrees, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach the 100 degree mark within minutes. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration advises that even temperatures in the 60s can rise beyond 100 inside your closed-up car. Children’s bodies overheat much faster than adults and leaving the window open a small amount may not be enough.
Avoid leaving your child in the car unattended by placing your purse or briefcase in the backseat with your child. Also try writing yourself a note and placing it where you will see it when exiting the vehicle. At home, keep your keys out of your child’s reach.
Power Windows
Most new cars are built with power windows, a feature great for convenience but potentially dangerous for children.
Implementing strong rules protects your children. Never allow your children to be alone in your vehicle. Teach children not to play with automobile window switches. For your part, never leave the keys in the ignition when you are not there. Before purchasing, investigate vehicles with safeguards, such as power windows that automatically go down when a child’s arm gets in the way.
Motor Vehicle Backovers
Adults pulling vehicles out of driveways always need to watch for young children. But the need is greatest in the warm weather when children spend more time outdoors.
Parents and drivers must both work to keep children safe. If you are a parent, keep a close eye on your children. Teach them not to play around cars and to move away when a driver enters a vehicle to avoid a motor vehicle accident. Teach children not to leave their toys in the driveway. Drivers can back out of their driveways slowly and ask children to stand on the sidewalk.
Trunk Accidents
Children love to play and that sometimes leads them to the danger of a vehicle trunk. Because this can be deadly, parents must watch youngsters closely and teach children trunks are for cargo, not for playing.
Always lock car doors and trunks and keep keys out of sight. Keep the rear fold-down seats closed or locked to prevent your children from climbing.
Lastly, explain the dangers of playing in the trunk and show young children how to use the “glow in the dark” trunk release in case of emergency. Auto manufacturers have been required to install these releases in new vehicles since September 2001. If you have an older car, ask your local car dealer about retrofitting your vehicle with the release.
For more tips on children and motor vehicle safety, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.
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Honda Recalls 384,000 Vehicles for Faulty Ignition Interlocks
Honda has recalled 384,000 vehicles for faulty ignition interlocks that allow drivers to shut off the engine and remove their keys before placing the vehicle into park.
The motor vehicle recall follows at least 28 complaints, 10 of which allege rollaway motor vehicle crashes. In one case, a female owner said she was almost into her house when she noticed her car rolling out of the garage. The car crashed into a cable box at the end of the driveway. In another case, an owner stated the vehicle rolled out of a driveway and crashed into a tree across the street.
One complaint involved a minor injury, Honda said in a statement.
The product recall announced last week involves 197,000 Accords and 117,000 Civics from 2003 and 69,000 Honda Elements from 2003-2004.
Honda has recalled vehicles for similar problems in 2003 and 2005. In those cases, the recalls involved Accords, Odysseys, Acuras and Preludes.
If your vehicle is involved in the Honda recall, you can visit the company’s recall website at www.recalls.honda.com or call its recall center at 800-999-1009, option 4. By calling the recall center, you can determine if your vehicle is actually impacted by the recall. Due to a production change during the model years, Honda said some of the vehicles may not have the ignition problem.
Honda expects to mail recall notices in late September and start the process of repairing vehicles. Motor vehicle repairs will be free.
Until then, concerned drivers may contact their local dealer, but Honda said they have not received replacement parts yet.
To read a Christian Science Monitor article about the recall, click here.
To read the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration alert on the recall, click here.
To read Honda’s statement on the recall, click here.
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