Defective & Dangerous Products

• ConAgra Issues Massive Banquet Pot Pie Recall

  Courtney Mills | October 12, 2007 11:03 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  ConAgra Foods Inc. of Omaha, Nebraska stopped production of its Banquet turkey and chicken pot pies at a Missouri plant after linking over 165 cases of salmonella poisoning to the pies. While at least thirty people have ended up in the hospital as a result of eating the pies, ConAgra contends that the outbreak of salmonella is due to consumers undercooking the pies.Although the company...

• Lithonia Lighting Recalls Fluorescent Ceiling Light Fixtures Because of Potential Shock Hazard

  Jenny Albano | October 09, 2007 3:11 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  Litholia Lighting, in conjunction with the CPSC, is recalling about 50,000 Lithonia Lighting Nickel End Wrap Fluorescent Ceiling Light Fixtures because of a potential shock hazard. A wire inside the light fixture can come loose, which could pose an electrical shock hazard to consumers. So far there have been no injuries reported to the company.The light fixtures were sold at Home Depot stores...

• E. Coli contamination prompts hamburger recall

  Kimberly French | October 03, 2007 10:23 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  The Associated Press reported that 21 people in eight states may have become ill from e. coli contamination in frozen hamburgers from Topps Meat Company. At least three of the people affected by the tainted beef have been hospitalized, according to an article on consumerist.com. Topps, based in New Jersey, has recalled 331,582 pounds of frozen burger patties distributed throughout the nation....

• Soft Crib Bumpers May Do More Harm Than Good

  Jenny Albano | September 21, 2007 9:25 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  A study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics September issue, showed that soft crib bumpers have caused a number of infant deaths over the years. Researchers reviewed three U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission databases for deaths related to crib bumpers and crib-related injuries from 1985-2005 and found that there have been 27 accidental deaths of children up to 2-years-old that were...

• California Recalls 56,000 Lunch Boxes Due to Lead Toxin

  Courtney Mills | September 21, 2007 2:17 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  The California Department of Public Health recalled 56,000 lunch boxes on Thursday, citing unsafe level of lead in the paint coating the boxes. The lunch boxes appeared to have been made in China, and were handed out at Public Health fairs and several other events in California. The lunch boxes urged consumers to "Eat fruits and vegetables and be active."Surprisingly, the California Department...

• Top Mattel Exec Apologizes to Congress

  Courtney Mills | September 13, 2007 12:24 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  The chief executive officer of Mattel, Robert A. Eckert, testified to senators about the company's recent problems regards its toys. In testimony before a Senate subcommittee, Eckert discussed with senators how the recent recalls had left his company particularly exposed at an awkward time of the year. Readers will remember that Mattel has suffered mightily in the wake of three recalls for lead...

• Newest product recalls from CPSC

  Staff Writer | September 04, 2007 9:25 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  The most recent product recalls from the Consumer Product Safety Commission include Imaginarium wooden coloring cases, Yorkcraft emergency tool kits, Gerber EAB pocket knives and electric heaters from Marley Engineered Products.SFGate.com details these recalls of defective products that affect consumers across the nation:-- B&F System Inc. of Dallas is recalling 43,000 Yorkcraft emergency tool...

• FAA Orders 737 Inspections

  Courtney Mills | August 29, 2007 10:14 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  The federal government ordered inspections of wing slats of all new Boeing 737s. The Federal Aviation Administration submitted these orders in response to an emergency that occurred last week when a Chinese Airlines jet taxied to a stop in Okinawa last week and caught on fire. Fortunately, all of the passengers escaped safely before the plane was engulfed in flames.According to media reports,...

• Defibrillators in Hospitals not Worth the Cost, Say Analysts

  Courtney Mills | August 28, 2007 3:11 PM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  After initiating a program to put heart defibrillators in schools across the country, some scientists are scratching their heads over whether it's a good idea.After conducting a survey of Paramedic response in the Seattle area to heart related incidents at schools, scientists found the majority of cardiac arrests occurred among adult teachers at schools and adult visitors at schools. Over 16...

• Thomas and Friends, Curious George Recall More Lead Painted Toys

  Courtney Mills | August 22, 2007 10:56 AM | 0 CommentsMobile, AL

  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in conjunction with Schylling Associates of Rowley, MA, announced a voluntary recall of the company's Spinning Tops and Tin Pails.The recall affects about 70, 000 units imported from China, and is specifically concerned about surface paint on the wooden handles of the tops and pails that may contain excessive quantities of lead. Lead is a neurotoxin...