Name of Product: Slalom Glider

Units: About 900

Manufacturer: Landscape Structures Inc., of Delano, Minn.

Hazard: The Slalom Glider is a playground slide that lacks a transition platform on the top and sides of the chute. Children can fall when moving from the ladder to the slide and when descending the chute.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and the firm have received 16 reports of injuries to children under 8-years old, including one bruised arm, 14 fractures to arms and legs, one fractured collar bone and one bruised spleen.

Description: The Slalom Glider is a distinctive 6-foot high playground slide that is curved in shape and made from molded plastic. It includes an arched, tubular steel access ladder. The recalled product comes as a stand-alone slide or as an attachment to other playground equipment. The recalled products have model numbers 156456 and 172627 and were sold in combinations of colors, including red, blue, tan, green, granite and white.

Sold: To schools and other facilities with playground equipment nationwide between January 2006 and December 2011 for about $2300.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop children from using the recalled gliders and owners will be contacted by Landscape Structures regarding removal instructions. Customers will be given the option of replacing the Slalom Glider with another piece of playground equipment, receiving a refund, or receiving credit towards a future purchase.

Read more: http://www.wane.com/dpps/before_you_buy/recalls/childrens-slides-recalled-by-landscape-structures-due-to-fall-hazard_4077815

The product recall was issued after discovering that under an array of circumstances, the safety will not stop the gun from firing, which poses a serious injury risk to the user and bystanders.

“This recall involves all Browning 800 Mag Air pistols, which are black and measure 18 inches by 7 inches. The Browning logo and ‘800 Mag’ are printed on the top of the air pistol’s barrel block,” reported the CPSC.

Consumers are advised to contact Umarex USA for instructions on how to return the air pistol for a free repair. Until the gun is repaired, consumers should store the unloaded firearm in its open or uncocked state.

For more information about the nationwide product recall, consumers can contact Umarex USA toll-free at (866) 503-3389 anytime, or visit their website at www.umarexusa.com

View the full article at http://www.personalinjurynewsblog.com/personalinjury/9500-browning-air-pistols-recalled/

FDA considered YAZ RECALL 12.8.11

The joint hearings highlighted the fact that only studies that were linked to the Pharmaceutical industry, and the manufacturer, provided evidence that DRSP(DROSPIRENONE) containing birth control pills presented a risk profile similar to other forms of birth control. FDA’s study confirmed a significantly higher risk of blood clots that was not clearly warned about or communicated to either prescribers of users. The increased risk of blood clots from a DRSP (DROSPIRENONE) containing birth control pills per the FDA’s own study is 75%-77% higher than other available birth control pills.

FDA funded study confirms 75%-77% higher risk of blood clots from DROSPIRENONE pills.

YAZ BLOOD CLOT LAWSUITS allege that women were not adequately warned of increased risks of blood clots that have now been repeatedly confirmed by independent studies and the FDA funded study. The manufacturer has repeatedly disputed findings of increased risk despite a growing body of evidence to the contrary and the fact that such studies have been ‘tied’ to the company or promotion of the DRSP (DROSPIRENONE) containing pills.

To read more: http://yazrecall.com/?page_id=331

The company said a test by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration showed that the lot of Aveeno lotion “exceeded the specifications for common bacteria” allowed for consumer products. But J&J said extensive testing later by an independent laboratory did not show that specifications were exceeded.

Read more:http://www.sun-sentinel.com/health/sns-rt-us-jj-aveenotre80q25a-20120127,0,1332504.story

Costa, a unit of the world’s biggest cruise operator Carnival Corp., will also reimburse passengers the full costs of their cruise, travel expenses and any medical expenses sustained after the grounding.

The agreement was announced today after a day of negotiations between Costa representatives and Italian consumer groups representing 3,206 people from 61 countries who suffered no physical harm when the Costa Concordia hit a reef on Jan. 13.

Passengers and crew are free to pursue legal action if they aren’t satisfied with the deal.

Read more: http://www.wcti12.com/news/30313634/detail.html

Three bodies were recovered from the sea after the Costa Concordia ran aground off the tiny island of Giglio near the coast of Tuscany late Friday, tearing a 160-foot gash in its hull and sending in a rush of water.

The ANSA news agency quoting the prefect’s office in the province of Grosseto as saying that authorities have accounted for 4,165 of the 4,234 people who had boarded the liner.

Photos: Cruise ship runs aground off Italy

By morning Saturday, the ship was lying virtually flat off Gigio’s coast, its starboard side submerged in the water and the huge gash showing clearly on its upturned hull.

Passengers described a scene reminiscent of “Titanic”, complaining the crew failed to give instructions on how to evacuate and once the emergency became clear, delayed lowering the lifeboats until the ship was listing too heavily for many of them to be released.

Helicopters plucked to safety some people who were trapped on the ship, some survivors were rescued by boats in the area, and witnesses said some people jumped from the ship into the dark, cold sea. Coast guard rescuers were continuing to search the ship for passengers.

Authorities still hadn’t counted all the survivors by the time they reached mainland 12 hours later.

The evacuation drill was only scheduled for Saturday afternoon, even though some passengers had already been on board for several days.

“It was so unorganized, our evacuation drill was scheduled for 5 p.m.,” said Melissa Goduti, 28, of Wallingford, Connecticut, who had set out on the cruise of the Mediterranean hours earlier. “We had joked ‘What if something had happened today?”‘

“Have you seen ‘Titanic?’ That’s exactly what it was,” said Valerie Ananias, 31, a schoolteacher from Los Angeles who was traveling with her sister and parents on the first of two cruises around the Mediterranean. They all bore dark red bruises on their knees from the desperate crawl they endured along nearly vertical hallways and stairwells, trying to reach rescue boats.

“We were crawling up a hallway, in the dark, with only the light from the life vest strobe flashing,” her mother, Georgia Ananias, 61 said. “We could hear plates and dishes crashing, people slamming against walls.”

She choked up as she recounted the moment when an Argentine couple handed her their 3-year-old daughter, unable to keep their balance as the ship lurched to the side and the family found themselves standing on a wall. “He said ‘take my baby,”‘ Mrs. Ananias said, covering her mouth with her hand as she teared up. “I grabbed the baby. But then I was being pushed down. I didn’t want the baby to fall down the stairs. I gave the baby back. I couldn’t hold her.

“I thought that was the end and I thought they should be with their baby,” she said.

“I wonder where they are,” daughter Valerie whispered.

The family said they were some of the last off the ship, forced to shimmy along a rope down the exposed side of the ship to a waiting rescue vessel below.

Survivor Christine Hammer, from Bonn, Germany, shivered near the harbor of Porto Santo Stefano, on the mainland, after stepping off a ferry from Giglio. She was wearing elegant dinner clothes — a gray cashmere sweater, a silk scarf — along with a large pair of hiking boots, which a kind islander gave her after she lost her shoes in the scramble to escape. Left behind in her cabin were her passport, credit cards and phone.

Hammer, 65, told The Associated Press that she was eating her first course, an appetizer of cuttlefish, sauteed mushrooms and salad, on her first night aboard her first-ever cruise, which was a gift to her and her husband, Gert, from her local church where she volunteers.

Suddenly, “we heard a crash. Glasses and plates fell down and we went out of the dining room and we were told it wasn’t anything dangerous,” she said.

Several passengers concurred, saying crew members for a good 45 minutes told passengers there was a simple “technical problem” that had caused the lights to go off. Seasoned cruisers, however, knew better and went to get their life jackets from their cabins and report to their “muster stations,” the emergency stations each passenger is assigned to, they said.

Read more:http://mobile.sun-sentinel.com/p.p?m=b&a=rp&id=1487744&postId=1487744&postUserId=42&sessionToken=&catId=6556&curAbsIndex=0&resultsUrl=DID%3D6%26DFCL%3D1000%26DSB%3Drank%2523desc%26DBFQ%3DuserId%253A42%26DL.w%3D%26DL.d%3D10%26DQ%3DsectionId%253A6556%26DPS%3D0%26DPL%3D5

By now, you have heard that on Sunday, Jan. 8, Novartis took the extraordinary measure of voluntarily recalling some of its popular over-the-counter medicines and suspending operations at its Lincoln, Neb., facility.

Thank your fellow consumers for noticing “broken gelcaps” and “chipped tablets.” The products include Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin and Gas-X.

But this sudden recall has been a long time coming, according to Phyllis Entis, a k a “the food bug lady.” In her post, “Novartis Gives Consumers Excedrin Headache,” she wrote that the Food and Drug Administration uncovered quality problems at the plant last July. She links to the inspection here. She also provides a timeline of earlier, limited recalls.

Novartis in its release Sunday said that the temporary shutdown of its plant was “to accelerate maintenance and other improvement activities at the site.”

Entis, however, wondered: “Is it just possible that FDA’s posting on January 5th of the July 8, 2011 Novartis Inspectional “Observations” Report might be somehow tied into this sudden decision by Novartis to go public?”

For its part, Novartis responded Monday, Jan. 9: “These issues came to light through several quality and regulatory processes that gather consumer feedback on a regular basis as well as internal reviews and FDA inspections. Working with the FDA, we have made commitments to improve these areas and, at the appropriate time, we decided to initiate a market action as a precautionary measure in the best interest of consumers who trust and rely on our products.”

The recall is for some bottles of Excedrin and NoDoz with the expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2014, or earlier. As well, some bottles of Bufferin and Gas-X, with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2013, or earlier, are included.

For more information, Novartis has created this website:www.novartisOTC.com.

Consumers can also refer to the FDA’s website, www.fda.gov.

In its announcement, Novartis said, “There have been no related adverse events reported with the issues leading to the recall.” Even so, the FDA is asking consumers to report any such adverse effects to its MedWatch Adverse Reporting program.

To view the full article:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/mickeymeece/2012/01/09/novartis-what-took-so-long/

This chart outlines all state cell phone and text messaging laws. Some local jurisdictionsmay have additional regulations. Enforcement type is shown in parenthesis.

• Handheld Cell Phones: 9 states, D.C. and the Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving. Except for Maryland, all laws are primary enforcement—an officer may cite a driver for using a handheld cell phone without any other traffic offense taking place.
• All Cell Phone Use: No state bans all cell phone use (handheld and hands-free) for all drivers, but many prohibit all cell phone use by certain drivers:
  • Novice Drivers: 30 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by novice drivers.
  • School Bus Drivers: Bus drivers in 19 states and D.C. may not use a cell phone when passengers are present.
• Text Messaging: 35 states, D.C. and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers. 32 states, D.C., and Guam have primary enforcement; the others, secondary.
  • Novice Drivers: An additional 7 states prohibit text messaging by novice drivers.
  • School Bus Drivers: 3 states restrict school bus drivers from texting while driving.
• Some states such as Maine, N.H. and Utah treat cell phone use and texting as part of a larger distracted driving issue. In Utah, cellphone use is an offense only if a driver is also committing some other moving violation (other than speeding).

Crash Data Collection: Many states include a category for cell phone/electronic equipment distraction on police accident report forms. Recently proposed federal legislation would require states to collect this data in order to qualify for certain federal funding.

Preemption Laws: Many localities have passed their own distracted driving bans. However, some states – such as Fla., Ky., La., Miss., Nev., and Okla. – prohibit localities from enacting such laws.

¹ Arkansas also bans the use of handheld cell phones while driving in a school zone or in a highway construction zone. This law is secondarily enforced.
² Hawaii does not have a state law banning the use of handheld cell phones. However, all of the state’s counties have enacted distracted driving ordinances.
³ Idaho has a “Distraction in/on Vehicle (List)” attribute as part of its Contributing Circumstances element, and officers are supposed to list the distractions in the narrative.
⁴ Illinois bans the use of handheld cell phones while driving in a school zone or in a highway construction zone.
⁵ In Michigan, teens with probationary licenses whose cell phone usage contributes to a traffic crash or ticket may not use a cell phone while driving.
⁶ Dealt with as a distracted driving issue; New Hampshire enacted a comprehensive distracted driving law.
⁷ South Carolina has a Distracted/inattention attribute under Contributing Factors.
⁸ Texas has banned the use of hand-held phones and texting in school zones.
⁹ Utah’s law defines careless driving as committing a moving violation (other than speeding) while distracted by use of a handheld cellphone or other activities not related to driving.

Read more: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html

A recall has been announced for the Colorful Hearts Teddy Bears product.

According to the CPSC, the teddy bear’s eyes could loosen and fall out, which could pose a choking hazard for children.

So far, however, no choking incidents have been reported.

Over 280,000 of these particular bears have been sold across the United States.  The toys are manufactured in China.

The CPSC says consumers should immediately take the bears away from children and return them to Build-A-Bear stores.  The company will give consumers a coupon which can be redeemed for any available stuffed animal from Build-A-Bear.

For additional information, contact the firm toll-free at (866) 236-5683 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, on Saturday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT and on Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT, visit the firm’s website www.buildabear.com or email the firm at colorfulhearts@buildabear.com

read more: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/business/Recall-Issued-for-Build-A-Bear-Product-Because-of-Choking-Danger-136310333.html

It’s the largest settlement of its kind so far.

The deal announced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon calls for Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. to create an uncapped fund to pay for repairing roughly 4,500 properties, mostly in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

A separate fund capped at $30 million is to pay for other types of losses, including those by people who blame drywall for health problems.

The manufacturer late last year started a pilot program to repair hundreds of homes containing its defective drywall. About 30 of the homes initially scheduled for repairs were in Broward and Palm Beach counties, with more to be added. Repairs took about three months and cost up to $100,000.

Russ Herman, a lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said the settlement was worth between $800 million and $1 billion, although an attorney for the Chinese company disputed that estimate.

“We’re very thankful for our clients,” Herman said.

Knauf attorney Kerry Miller said the company “decided to step up and settle these claims and do the right thing.”

Herman said that about 55 percent of the people who would benefit from the settlement live in Florida, while roughly 35 percent live in Louisiana. The deal would resolve cases filed in both state and federal courts.

Chinese drywall was used in the construction of thousands of homes after a series of destructive hurricanes in 2005 and before the housing bubble burst. The problems it has caused range from a foul odor to corrosion of pipes and wiring.

Steven Roberts, a plaintiff who built a home in Boynton Beach in 2005 with Knauf drywall, said the first sign of trouble was a foul odor that smelled like “bitter sulfur.” His family did not suspect a more serious problem until electrical appliances started failing and corrosion formed on mirrors and bathroom fixtures.

Roberts, 37, a veterinarian, said he could not afford to repair all the damage or move his wife and daughter out, so he hoped the settlement could finally end their ordeal.

“It would be a huge weight lifted off our shoulders,” he said. “It’s been extremely challenging for my wife, very stressful. It’s definitely a relief to potentially have the end in sight.”

The judge must sign off on the settlement before any money is distributed. Although Fallon could give his preliminary approval to the deal in January, it is likely to take several more months for money to reach homeowners.

Knauf agreed to initially deposit $200 million in the repairs fund, which would be replenished and to replenish it as needed.

To view this article in full: http://mobile.sun-sentinel.com/p.p?m=b&a=rp&id=1347085&postId=1347085&postUserId=42&sessionToken=&catId=6544&curAbsIndex=1&resultsUrl=DID%3D6%26DFCL%3D1000%26DSB%3Drank%2523desc%26DBFQ%3DuserId%253A42%26DL.w%3D%26DL.d%3D10%26DQ%3DsectionId%253A6544%26DPS%3D0%26DPL%3D3