Overzealous safety warnings
Thread Starter
|
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
Likes: 224
From: Frequently frozen MN
Overzealous safety warnings
Started thinking about this when I read the manual for a new small engine.
Here are a couple of nuggets:
- gloves were recommended if the engine was at all hot
- disconnect spark plug -- even to gas it up!
Then there were the little CO2 cartridges that I ordered because they were required for cleaning out this mosquito killing gimmick. They were the small size ones, but with threaded ends. They came with an MSDS (material safety data sheet). It went on to warn me about the dangers of the CO2 as a greenhouse gas - and also that it could displace oxygen, which would cause breathing difficulty and possble death !
I pretty much know why we get so many safety warnings -- a combination of lawsuit mania and overzealous government nannies. But, I wish that we could get back to some common sense in this area. If you read 30 pages of bogus and overblown warnings, you could well miss the the few things that actually are dangerous.
Just a little rant, I guess,
oh well,
hj
Here are a couple of nuggets:
- gloves were recommended if the engine was at all hot
- disconnect spark plug -- even to gas it up!
Then there were the little CO2 cartridges that I ordered because they were required for cleaning out this mosquito killing gimmick. They were the small size ones, but with threaded ends. They came with an MSDS (material safety data sheet). It went on to warn me about the dangers of the CO2 as a greenhouse gas - and also that it could displace oxygen, which would cause breathing difficulty and possble death !
I pretty much know why we get so many safety warnings -- a combination of lawsuit mania and overzealous government nannies. But, I wish that we could get back to some common sense in this area. If you read 30 pages of bogus and overblown warnings, you could well miss the the few things that actually are dangerous.
Just a little rant, I guess,
oh well,
hj
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 9
From: Franklin, IN
The companys that produce those products are just trying to cover their asses from all these sue happy americans. Id rather print a completely ridiculous warning then lose millions because someone wanted to get some free money
Super Moderator
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 40,024
Likes: 1,519
From: Maine, Virginia
I'm thinking that many of these silly warnings are born from stupid people.
Things like wearing gloves and eye protection isn't stupid but things like, "never reach under the lawn mower deck with the engine running and the blade spinning" is stupid buy shamefully necessary.
Things like wearing gloves and eye protection isn't stupid but things like, "never reach under the lawn mower deck with the engine running and the blade spinning" is stupid buy shamefully necessary.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 6
From: Georgia
With tools and everyday things I really haven't seen many instances where a company knowingly is misleading about something to the point of someone getting injured. Just stupid people need to be told don't put a ladder on a pile of bricks or you might fall, or that wood stoves get hot when there's a fire in them.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
I've heard that people with severe food allergies now have a harder time determining whether a given packaged food is safe due to somewhat recent regulations concerning potential cross-contamination. Companies (I don't blame them), to cover their butts now slap statements like "May be processed on same equipment as peanuts", even if they're not, nor was there any chance they were.
Jason
Jason
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,155
Likes: 0
From: Southern Louisiana
The only thing I can do when reading an overly cautious warning somewhere is that someone had to do it at least once to warrent a warning about it.
Trending Topics
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA (Northside)
Got a door mat for christmas. This is the warning label from it.
Can't tell you what the mat has written on it, but everytime I look at it I think "do not taunt the mat"
Can't tell you what the mat has written on it, but everytime I look at it I think "do not taunt the mat"
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalytic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,250
Likes: 7,678
From: Chino Valley, Arizona
once when flying to Dallas for Bell school, I actually read the warning on the bag of peanuts (this was back when you could have peanuts in an airplane) and the entire back side of the bag said "CAUTION MAY CONTAIN PEANUTS"
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 11,537
Likes: 27
From: Long Beach, Ms.
I would say that PROPER and RESPONSIBLE use WILL cause serious injury or death!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,724
Likes: 1
From: Butler, IN
This should have been added to the warning...."Especially, combined with the use of adult beverages!" Come to think of it, those two sentences should be in every auto manual.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
KevinGnWV
General NON-Automotive Conversation
4
Apr 25, 2011 02:17 PM
websthes
General NON-Automotive Conversation
3
Dec 7, 2010 08:09 PM
nick11082001
General NON-Automotive Conversation
11
Apr 27, 2007 05:32 AM