Worth the Weight? Cybex Recalls Weight-Lifting Equipment For Major Injury Risks
Most gyms may never have dangerously broken machines, and more power to them for keeping their members safe. It only takes one incident, though: For a lone weightlifter with God as his only spotter, it can be a harrowing experience if the machine malfunctions. That's the situation for 15,000 Smith machine-style weight racks that are...
Blender Blunder: Vitamix Recalls Over 100,000 Blender Containers for Possible Laceration Hazard
This isn't the first time we've written about a blender recall, and for all I know it won't be the last. I'm no engineer, but it feels like in 2018 it shouldn't be too complicated to put a cup on a weed-whacker. Despite that we've seen a rash of safety defects announced by various kitchen-device...
Fentanyl, The Opioid Crisis, and Products Liability Law
You've probably heard or read the phrase "opioid crisis" in the news. Better and more careful explanations of the growing worldwide problem are available with a quick Google search. For now let me just say that one of the panic's major elements is the pharmaceutical opiate fentanyl. Everyone from medical professionals to government agencies seem...
Harbor Freight Recalls Over A Million Chainsaws That Might Not Turn Off
Tool manufacturing giant Harbor Freight recently announced the recall of more than a million chainsaws because of a serious operational defect. Who Makes The Defective Product(s)? The chainsaws were actually manufactured in China then imported by Harbor Freight Tools in Camarillo, California. They were then sold under three other brand names: Portland, One Stop Gardens,...
Haeger Revisited: Faulty Goodyear Tires and the Statute of Repose
Recently the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a preliminary investigation into the field performance of tire manufacturer Goodyear line of "G159" model tires. According to records that were ordered unsealed by a judge last year, the tires--often used on motor homes despite being unfit for the purpose--may have caused wrecks that injured or...
You Had One Job : Kidde Recalls Almost 500,000 Potentially-Faulty Smoke Detectors
Earlier this month, nearly half a million Walter Kidde Portable Equipment Company Inc. ("Kidde") brand smoke alarms were recalled because they had the potential to fail at their sole purpose. What's Wrong With the Smoke Alarms? According to a recall reported by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) roughly 500,000 smoke detectors were manufactured...
Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc. Recalls Thousands of “Allez” Model Bikes for Faulty Forks
Product recalls happen far more often than I could relay even if that's all I wrote about. The truth is that manufacturers and sellers, from local artisans to multinational conglomerates, sometimes create and sell defective products. When I say "products," though, I should note that it's often a little more granular than that word might...
Polaris Industries Recalls RZR Vehicles AGAIN for Fatal Fire Hazard
A joint statement between Polaris and the U.S. Consumer Products and Safety Commission (CPSC) was recently added to a series of company recalls related to potential fire issues in some of the company's vehicles, and the circumstances of it are worth talking about. Which Products Are Affected? The company's most recent statement relates to a...
Unregulated “Detox” Products and Supplements Just Might Be Dangerous Nonsense.
I've written a couple of times about my general distrust of dietary supplements and homeopathic medicine. I know they carry some psychological benefit and I understand not wanting to lean on prescription medications if it can be helped, but supplements and "wellness" products receive almost zero regulation or oversight in the U.S., which I find...
From NutriBullet to NutriBomb: Multiple Plaintiffs File Suit Over Alleged Blender Explosions, Injuries
Fans of kitchen gadgets and doodads, prepare yourselves for bad news: A series of lawsuits have been filed against the makers of the high-powered infomercial-famous NutriBullet blender--sorry: "Nutrient Extractor." Dearly as I love a good extracted nutrient, the lawsuits make troubling claims that several of the products have seriously and harmfully malfunctioned during use. The...
