Portland Shellfish Shut Down by FDA For Safety Breaches
Another plant is being shut down by the Food and Drug Administration until they can correct numerous safety flaws. This time, the factory in question is a seafood processing plant in Portland, Maine. The aptly named Portland Shellfish company based out of that city was shut down by the FDA because the company has exhibited… read more
FDA Issues Directives to Curb Livestock Antibiotic Usage
The Food and Drug Administration is doing what it can to prevent animals from becoming resistant to antibiotics that ought to help stave off infections. For years now, various livestock producers have been using antibiotics to make animals such as cattle grow larger so as to improve food output, or else to improve feed efficiency. … read more
Botulism Risk Prompts Recall of Import Foods Smoked Fish
A potential botulism risk has caused the recall of a variety of fish products imported into Minnesota. The recall specifically concerns croaker, barracuda, big eye, and red snapper, all smoked and all available in a 10 ounce cardboard box. The items were imported from Guyana by Import Foods Wholesale Inc., a St. Paul-based company. The… read more
Traffic safety campaign launched in San Francisco
In San Francisco, a recently announced public safety initiative made possible by the cooperation of local law enforcement officials and safety advocates representing motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, is attempting to reduce the number of death and injuries caused by automotive collisions and promote greater traffic safety throughout the city. The Safe Streets Program includes a… read more
Wheelchair barrier defect prompts Micro Bird bus recall
Micro Bird Incorporated has announced a voluntary recall for 13 of its Micro Bird and Girardin G5 transit buses equipped with Braun Vista 2 and Century 2 wheel chair lifts. The roll stop latches affixed to the outer barrier of these wheel chair lifts may become misshapen or improperly aligned after repeated use over time…. read more
Trailer grain hoppers recalled due to safety violation
Davis Equipment Corporation has issued a voluntary recall for 25 of its Merrit Commodity Trailer 38 inch Grain Hoppers due to their failure to meet federal safety guidelines regulating rear impact protection. These vehicles, manufactured and distributed during model years 2008 through 2011, are equipped with a conveyor belt that extends from the trailer’s rear… read more
Swedish study: Education more effective than cell phone bans
Informing motorists on risks associated with using handheld communications devices while driving and providing drivers with safer techniques for using these devices might be more effective than passing laws to prohibit their use entirely, according to a report released recently by the Linkoping-headquartered Swedish National Road and Transport Institute. The report suggests that a combination… read more
Tax deadline increases fatal accident risk, study says
According to the results of a research study published in a recent medical journal, U.S. drivers face a higher risk of being involved in a fatal automotive collision on income tax day. Researchers compiled the Internal Revenue Service’s tax day data from 1980 through 2009, and cross referenced the deadline dates with fatal accident statistics… read more
Houston Campaigns to Stop Texting While Driving
Hot on the heels of a Texas campaign designed to raise awareness about motorcycle safety, the city of Houston has launched an initiative that aims to get people talking about that go-to public menace: texting while driving. The campaign is a joint effort by the Houston Police Department, the Fire Department, State Farm Insurance, and… read more
FDA Commissioner Wants to Double Inspectors at Savannah Port
Millions upon millions of shipments of foreign goods arrive in the United States through busy ports every year. But do we have enough personnel available to make sure that what’s being imported into our country is actually safe for our citizens? The Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration thinks that we could do a… read more
Challenges Impede Mandatory Rearview Camera Ruling
Studies have shown that rear-view cameras can save a number of lives if they are installed on vehicles across the country, but when can we expect this to become commonplace? A new report discusses the benefits of such devices as well as difficulties that are preventing extensive installation. It quotes statistics which show that a… read more
Doctor Claims Riata Heart Implant Had Deadly Defect
A battle is shaping up between the makers of a medical device and a doctor who is saying that a defect in the device directly contributed to the death of more than 20 people. In the March issue of the Heart Rhythm Journal, a medical journal, a doctor has written a report about St. Jude… read more
