By Myron Levin on July 7, 2010
Last week, FairWarning disclosed plans for a powerful electronics industry coalition to counter tougher laws on drivers using cell phones and other mobile devices, which experts have linked to thousands of traffic injuries and deaths. An internal memo posted by FairWarning said the new group, the DRIVE Coalition, would seek to promote driver education as an alternative to regulations that could dampen demand for mobile devices and lead to billions of dollars in lost sales. In the aftermath of the story, organizers have pulled the plug on DRIVE.
Posted in Auto Safety, FairWarning Investigates
By Myron Levin on June 23, 2010
It’s illegal to demote or fire an employee for blowing the whistle on hazards at work. However, when government investigators have substantiated complaints of illegal retaliation against whistleblowers, often the cases have fallen into a black hole because labor department lawyers wouldn’t take them to court, undermining protections in the law. Critics cited other serious problems with Occupational Safety Health Administration’s whistleblower program, including inadequate staffing and bulging caseloads.
Posted in FairWarning Investigates, Whistleblowers, Workplace Safety
By Myron Levin on June 22, 2010
It’s illegal to demote or fire an employee for reporting hazardous conditions at work. But in California, safeguards for whistleblowers are little more than words on paper, advocates for workers say.
When workers file complaints about retaliation, the investigations drag on longer in California than in any other state, according to U.S. government data. In California, ... Read more »
Posted in Whistleblowers, Workplace Safety
By Myron Levin on June 22, 2010
Related:
Protection Lags for Workers Who Report Hazards on the Job
Whistleblowers Left Hanging in Golden State
Truck driver John Simon blew the whistle on safety violations, and it cost him his job.
Over the next three years, he often thought about how much easier life would be if, rather than decide to stand and fight, he’d ... Read more »
Posted in Whistleblowers, Workplace Safety
By Myron Levin on April 13, 2010
Nearly a decade before Toyota and sudden acceleration, there was Ford-Firestone, a scandal of similar proportions. By late 2001, rollovers of Ford Explorers triggered by blowouts of Firestone tires had claimed 271 lives in the U.S. and dozens more overseas. Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone replaced millions of tires on Explorers. But a statistical analysis showing that fatalities since the recall have outnumbered deaths before suggests the change may have been a short-term fix.
Posted in Auto Safety, FairWarning Investigates, Rollovers
By Myron Levin on March 23, 2010
More than 10,000 people have been killed in all-terrain vehicle crashes since the 1980s. ATV manufacturers profess a strong interest in safety, but critics say it’s just lip service.
Posted in FairWarning Investigates, Off-Road Vehicles
