This week in safety: Halloween cautions and recalls
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), last year 58 percent of all highway fatalities across the nation on Halloween night (6 p.m. Oct. 31 to 5:59 a.m. Nov. 1) involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, which is illegal in every state.
What can you do about it? If you're a pedestrian, use the sidewalks and take your children trick-or-treating early in the evening. If you're attending a party where alcohol is being served, plan a safe way home either by designating a sober driver or taking a taxi or public transportation, NHTSA advises.
Decorative lenses
The Food and Drug Administration also issue a Halloween caution this week -- against the use of decorative contact lenses s part of a costume. In a video and press release, the FDA reminds revelers that wearing lenses purchased without a prescription can cause serious eye injuries and even blindness.
Halloween recall
This week there was also a Halloween recall. About 7,800 candle holders in the shape of a haunted house that were sold at Yankee Candle were recalled because the material that covers the windows can catch fire and has in some incidents.
Makeup 101: A safe, reaction-free Halloween for your kids
Medill Reports
After a mass recall of children’s face paint this year due to “rashes, itchiness, burning sensation and swelling where the face paints were applied,” the FDA is urging anyone with concerns about cosmetics to contact FDA representatives. But a single recall doesn’t mean the world is rid of potentially harmful cosmetics. Other makeup still on the market could cause similar reactions. Read more ...
GAO: FDA and USDA not kept in food import loop
ConsumerAffairs.com
Many agencies share responsibility for ensuring the safety of imported food, including the FDA, the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection division. But the GAO found that while importers report information about food shipments to the Customs agency, that agency's computer system does not notify FDA or FSIS when shipments arrive at the border. Read more ...
Add lesser-known hazards to baby-proofing list
Kansas City Star
Anyone can walk down a baby aisle and pick up standard safety materials. But several dangers go unaddressed because awareness is focused on staples such as outlet plugs and baby gates. Read more ...
Mattel lead settlement could add up to $50 million
The Associated Press
Mattel Inc. and its Fisher-Price subsidiary have agreed to settle a consumer lawsuit for what could total more than $50 million over the 2007 recall of millions of toys made in China that were found to contain high levels of lead. Read more ...
Bill giving FDA new powers to oversee food supply has wide support
The Los Angeles Times
Legislation granting the FDA new powers to oversee the nation's food supply has elbowed its way onto Congress' crammed calendar with bipartisan support and rare agreement between consumer groups and an industry stung by product recalls. Read more ...
Nelson seeks funds to help homeowners replace drywall
The Miami Herald
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is urging Florida lawmakers to find out whether leftover federal funds could be used to help homeowners with tainted Chinese drywall. ``Defective Chinese drywall is ruining the health and lives of countless Floridians,'' he said. Read more ...
More recalls
- 13,000 sets Fiesta Masquerade and Home Olympic flatware (choking hazard)
- 1.3 million Idea Village Handy Switch wireless light switches (fire hazard)
- 19,600 Coby Electronics rechargeable batteries sold with portable DVD/CD/MP3 players (fire hazard)
- 4,100 Toro Z Master ZRT Mowers (liquid-cooled models only) (burn hazard)
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