Proforma Safety Blog

Which Were the Leading Product Recalls in 2011?

Posted by proforma on January 4, 2012  |  No Comments

Google identified the leading product recalls in 2011 in its Zeigeist report, which lists the most-searched topics. Among the many product recalls, Consumer Reports says the top ten include Harley-Davidson bike brake failures, Mazda fires precipitated by spider infestations, F-150 pickups with multiple problems, and contaminated turkeys.

Sitting Too Long Can Cause Cancer, Says This Study

Posted by proforma on November 9, 2011  |  No Comments

Do you spend a major portion of your day sitting? Think about it: at work, driving, eating, watching TV…might be worth counting how many hours per day you actually are sitting. A new study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research and recently presented at the American Institute for Cancer Research Annual Research Conference shows a connection between the hours you spend sitting and the increased risk of cancer, especially breast and colon, due to increased inflammation.

Epidemiologist Christine Friedenreich, who led the study, recommends getting up to walk every hour from your office chair; sending fewer emails and walking to your colleague’s office. Or simply standing up more. These and other interesting facts are available in the full article here.

A Happy Thanksgiving Feast Should Not Burn Down Your House

Posted by proforma on November 9, 2011  |  No Comments

With the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching, it would be wise to remind employees of the dangers of home fires associated with holiday festivities. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says that in 2009, home cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day was three times the national average of fires per day .

Whether we believe we need a refresher on the basics of kitchen safety, a reminder about basic kitchen safety practices is always helpful.

Home Fires Primarily Due to Cooking

Posted by proforma on September 18, 2011  |  No Comments

Cooking fires are the leading cause of home structure fires and home-fire injuries says this recently released report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Most of these were from food or food apparatus catching fire.

NFPA’s advice:

Stay in the kitchen while you are cooking. If you leave, be sure to turn off the stove.
Check frequently anything that you’re baking, boiling or simmering. Do not leave the house.
Ensure nothing is on or near the stove top that would easily ignite.

If something does catch on fire:

Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking in order to smother grease fires. If a grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the lid on until everything cools.
If an oven fire begins, shut off the oven and keep the oven door closed.
Do not try to fight the fire yourself (59 percent of non-fatal injuries happened when victims tried to snuff the flames on their own).
Leave the house and call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

Also, check out your stove and oven in Consumer Reports before purchasing to ensure you’re informed of potential hazards.

And speaking of home fire hazards, this month’s Consumer Reports warns of a recall of 30-pint dehumidifiers made by LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co., which have a dangerous electrical flaw that pose fire and burn hazards. Read the alert here.

Sitting for Long Periods as Dangerous as Smoking

Posted by proforma on July 5, 2011  |  No Comments

Prolonged sitting may be just as dangerous as smoking, reports this recently released research, that shows prolonged sitting sends the body into “storage mode” and stops it from working effectively. The more hours per day you sit, the higher the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity. And the hour you spend at the gym doesn’t overcome the negative effects of prolonged sitting. View this video on CBS San Francisco

SaferProducts.gov Offers Immediate Access to CPSC Safety Complaint Database

Posted by proforma on March 14, 2011  |  No Comments

Want to find out if a product you’re buying has any consumer complaints? The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has launched a safety complaints database at www.saferproducts.gov. Whereas in the past, safety complaints submitted to the CPSC were only accessible by request through the Freedom of Information Act, the new database system will make the requested information available immediately — including by smart phone. Consumers can log their own complaints, and manufacturers can respond to these complaints as well.

Before the Season Opens, Are Your Recreational Boaters Informed and Prepared?

Posted by proforma on March 9, 2011  |  No Comments

As warm weather is just around the corner, it’s time to think about the coming months of boating, swimming and other water-based activities. If you own a boat, every member of your family should be trained on safe boating and safety hazards associated with swimming, paddling, snorkeling, jetskiing or other water sport.

One of the best sites we’ve ever seen for kids is the National Safe Boating Council’s Sidekicks site. The volume of interactive, fun activities is impressive and useful. Another United States Coast Guard site offers several good videos here.

For adults, the Boating Safety Resource Center lists locations where boat owners can take courses.

The power of persistent advocacy is evident in the number of people who now buckle up when driving a car. We need to emphasize the same when boating. Depressingly, life jacket wear rates among all boaters (adults and youth) have been declining since 1999. Read the 2010 study for details.

We also need to be persistent in pursuing drunk boating. We haven’t been able to convince people that drinking and driving on the water is worse than on land, with nearly half of boating deaths involve alcohol. Read Drinking While Boating - Don’t Do It! You can support “dry” boating and obtain more information at Operation Dry Water’s Facebook site.

Heating Water at the Office: Do You Know Your Microwave?

Posted by proforma on February 25, 2011  |  No Comments

Can simply heating a cup of water in a microwave pose a hazard? Yes, when the water becomes superheated and boiling bubbles can’t form. Superheated water can “explode” due to the buildup of energy when the cup is moved, or a spoon of sugar, coffee, or other substance is poured in. Here are the facts:

Water can overheat above the boiling point when it cannot release thermal heat through the gas bubbles that would cool it. (How Everything Works) The situation becomes worse if the water is in a clean cup or glass container, because boiling can be hindered by the lack of “nucleation sites” to form the bubbles. (Richard Barton, New Scientist). Adding a soluble powder to the water can produce an explosion of steam bubbles.

The simple solution is to put something in the water such as a stirrer, a wooden spoon, or a tea bag. Don’t use water that has been already heated or sat out overnight. And avoid excessive time heating water in the microwave. Learn how long it takes to boil a liquid in your microwave, and don’t heat it to that point. Sounds simple enough, but we use microwaves in offices and public areas where we are not familiar with the heating capacity of the unit and may not have access to the manufacturer’s user manual. But even reading the manual may not help (“do not overheat liquids”).

Taking time to explain the potential for danger — and posting the recommended settings for heating water near your office microwave — can avoid unpleasant surprises. For additional information, see the FDA’s consumer advisory on microwaves.

Don’t Trust Your Nose to Detect Propane

Posted by proforma on February 2, 2011  |  No Comments

Count yourself lucky if you smell mercaptan. Unfortunately, not everyone can. Even worse, sometimes the mercaptan odor fades when it reacts chemically or is absorbed by other materials. Mercaptan can react with the material of the tank, with rust or water. “Odor fade” also can occur when a propane tank is new, partially filled, or is not in continuous use. And it can occur when propane is in proximity to masonry. Odor fade was attributed as the cause of a fatal explosion last year at a condominium project in Massachusetts.

While odor fade has been known in the industry for several decades, it is still not generally known among the general public, so it’s helpful to inform employees and their families of the dangers associated with propane use and proper use and maintenance of tanks. In spite of the cold weather, consumers continue to pursue outdoor gas grilling, and the use of patio heaters and fire pits are becoming increasingly popular. According to this report by the U.S. Fire Administration, gas grills are involved in four times as many outdoor fires as structure fires. The leading ignition factor is a result of some mechanical failure, such as a part failure, leak, or break and lack of maintenance (43%). And you might not even smell it until it’s too late.

There is lots of good information available on this page published by the National Propane Association, and a fun site to teach children safety around propane at http://www.propanekids.com/.  Science author and teacher Steve Spangler offers practical guidance for leak testing and cylinder storage here.

Be Aware of Factors that Contribute to Hearing Loss

Posted by proforma on February 1, 2011  |  No Comments

People often accept hearing loss as an unwelcome development as they age, but few are aware of the many health conditions that can contribute to hearing loss, or the ways in which they can minimize it.

For example, a recent study appears to indicate a link between heart disease and hearing loss. Interesting to note is a finding that those who exercise saw a 32% reduction in risk for suffering a hearing loss. And this study showed diabetics are twice as likely to develop hearing loss. Cholesteral, blood type, chemotherapy and even tooth decay have demonstrated links to hearing loss. On a positive note, B-vitamin has been linked to preventing it.

If you’re interested in learning more about the various contributing factors, go here. And there’s also an online hearing test offered by the Better Hearing Institute that can give you feedback on how serious your hearing condition may be.