Tag: Safety
Philips reports possible safety issue
April 27, 2021HME News Staff
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Philips has determined from user reports and testing that there are possible risks to users related to the sound abatement foam used in certain of the company’s sleep and respiratory care devices.
“The risks include that the foam may degrade under certain circumstances, influenced by factors including use of unapproved cleaning methods, such as ozone, and certain environmental conditions involving high humidity and temperature,” the company stated...
NMEDA highlights safety with new listing
December 20, 2019Liz Beaulieu, Editor
TAMPA, Fla. - The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association has published an online listing of vehicle conversions that it has reviewed for compliance with applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
The listing, available at www.nmeda.com/SafetyReviewedVehicles, helps the association's dealer members and their customers feel confident about their wheelchair accessible vehicles, says Danny Langfield, CEO of NMEDA.
“The idea is, let's give manufacturers the opportunity...
BPR Medical: US oxygen users at higher risk
October 28, 2019Tracy Orzel
LONDON - American oxygen users are twice as likely to die in a home oxygen fire than in Japan, and 20 times more likely than in England, according to a new study from BPR Medical, a medical gas designer manufacturer. The report identified 311 separate home oxygen fires over a 20-month period, resulting in 164 deaths, 71 serious injuries and 119 minor injuries. HME News spoke to Richard Radford, managing director, about how these fires start and what can stop them.
HME News: Did anything about...
VA requires firebreaks for home oxygen
June 20, 2018HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has mandated* the use of thermal fuses, also know as firebreaks, in all of its home oxygen patient installations. The VA last month published a “Patient Safety Alert” requiring thermal fuses to be installed on every stationary and portable oxygen concentrator used by its 85,000 patients to help prevent patient deaths and limit injuries in the event of an oxygen fire. The requirement is being phased in over six months. The VA's 21 regional...
Feds host listening sessions on sleep apnea proposal
April 29, 2016HME News Staff
WASHINGTON - The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration will hold three public listening sessions in May to gather information on the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea among those working in highway and rail transportation, according to a notice in Thursday's Federal Register. The agencies also seek information on the potential costs and benefits from possible regulatory actions that address the safety risks associated with transportation workers who...
Workplace safety: Believe in the threat
September 25, 2012Joe Rosner
A. The single most important thing you can do to protect your team from workplace violence is: Believe it can happen to one of your employees and have a plan ahead of time.The “Rule of Self Exclusion,” aka, “It can't happen to me,” is one of the biggest causes of serious injury and death. Bad things can and do happen. Take steps now to avoid regrets later. Most business owners will spend more time planning their company party than planning to protect their people against violence...