#safety

mlansbury@despora.de

Scrapping furniture safety regulations will cost dozens of lives a year, warns fire union

Under the current rules – introduced as the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 – manufacturers must submit furniture to independent testing on flammability. The regulations are estimated to have saved between 50 and 70 lives per year.

But now the Westminster government has proposed scrapping these rules in favour of a voluntary regime. Consultation on the plans closed earlier this year and ministers are now considering proposals.

The union warned that the government was using the pretext of dealing with lithium batteries and other hazards to launch a dangerous programme of deregulation.

https://www.fbu.org.uk/news/2023/12/22/scrapping-furniture-safety-regulations-will-cost-dozens-lives-year-warns-fire-union

#corruption #ToryCorruption #Capitalism #CapitalismFails #FBU #furniture #safety #FireRegulations #deaths #ToryGreed #flammability #FireSafety #deregulation #DemocracyLost #Dystopia #DystopianUK #UK #UnitedKingdom #ToryScum

anonymiss@despora.de

A 20-year-old #Amazon employee #died at #work. #Indiana issued a $7,000 #fine.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/11/26/amazon-warehouse-death-7000-fine/

After an 11-week investigation, Indiana #safety officials found that Amazon failed to ensure a #workplace “free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause #death” and issued a serious safety citation.

The #penalty? A $7,000 fine, the maximum in Indiana.

This is what happens when you deregulate everything and rely on the self-regulation of the market.

#job #security #economy #politics #fail #humanRights #business #problem #usa

diane_a@diasp.org

Colorado is considering a weight-base car fee to address car bloat:

🔹 Fee would would apply to cars >3,500 lbs, up to $29.90/yr (should be higher, but it's a start)

🔹 $$ collected would fund bike lanes, road diets, automatic cameras, etc

🔹 Only collected in the 12 most populous counties

#cars #safety @colorado #suvs

https://www.cpr.org/2023/09/29/colorado-pedestrian-safety-suv-truck-owners/

danie10@squeet.me

Don’t just blindly trust your mobile phone app when hiking or trail running around Cape Town, do these things as well!

A red rescue helicopter hovering in the foreground with someone looking down from the open hatch, and mountains in the background
Lesser used paths are often very difficult to follow, and a wrong turn can lead you quickly into difficulties, or even plunge off a 100+ metre drop, especially on Table Mountain. So do some extra research and planning before setting out for the first time on a new trail.

Always research a route also on something like Google Maps that will show the contours, distances, places close by, and often photos and reviews. You can also try the 3D view, or else revert to Google Earth for that.

I’d also highly recommend a well-used app like AllTrails that shows not only recent reviews, but also gives an idea of how often a trail is in use. It also has a good side-view of the elevation along the trail. If you are not familiar with the area, try stick to busier routes like the Newlands Forest Trails or Kirstenbosch Gardens if you are on your own. AllTrails as well as Strava (both maybe premium I think) as well as Google Maps will allow you to share your location as you are moving. Privacy is absolutely not a consideration when out hiking or being on a trail run.

Safety against nature is only one consideration, and the other is unfortunately against humans. We’ve had a few instances of muggings, and even murder, in Cape Town so it is not recommended at all that especially non-residents go out alone on lesser used trails, or over the top of Table Mountain where there is little cellphone reception. Always try and hike or run with someone else, try stay within cellphone reception areas, and let others know where you are going, and when you expect to return.

Apps such as Casi cost only about $2 pm and can summon armed response to assist you. You can also consider installing an app (or automation app like Tasker or MacroDroid) that alerts you if cellphone reception has been lost.

If you’re a ham radio operator, carry your VHH/UHF radio with you as you can summon help on 145.700 or 145.750 FM from most areas where there is no cellphone reception, and rescue organisations such as WSAR often have a ham radio operator on board. If your radio has APRS beaconing, keep that on as your location will be pinpointed at all times.

If you feel lost or threatened, rather summon help quickly and at least have someone monitoring you, than leave it too late (even if this is the BnB owner you are staying with).

There are some really great nature and trails to be explored around Cape Town, but it is essential to be prepared before going out. It is absolutely not to be considered a “walk in the park”.

Make sure your phone battery is fully charged, you have some clean drinking water, a good hat, a jacket, and ideally also have mobile data available. Also check the weather reports before leaving, and remember that in strongish winds the cable car station closes (as I discovered one day and had to descend Table Mountain in the dark).

See https://www.capetownetc.com/news/wsar-rescues-trail-runner-in-jonkershoek-nature-reserve/
#Blog, #capetown, #hiking, #safety, #technology

shuttersparks@diaspora.glasswings.com

Pretty good article here, especially the last part about thousands of chemicals used in our foods that were "approved" but not by the FDA. And about the FDA's policy of never repeating a review. Many chemicals that were approved by the FDA were approved 50 years ago. Despite new evidence of problems, they won't review anything they've previously reviewed.

California Senate Committee on Health approves first-in-the-nation food chemical bill.

The five chemicals to be banned have been linked to many health risks including cancer, nervous system damage and hyperactivity.

https://www.nationofchange.org/2023/08/02/california-senate-committee-on-health-approves-first-in-the-nation-food-chemical-bill/

#food #health #safety #chemicals #FoodSafety #toxic #ToxicChemicals #medical #FDA #california #europe