Hybrid Vehicle Top Safety Pick

An auto insurance trade group, The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, has named a hybrid vehicle as a top safety pick. The Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid vehicle with a small gasoline engine, achieved the honor along with the all-electric Nissan Leaf. The Insurance Institute offered the judgment after the group's first US crash tests of plug-in and pure electric cars. Anyone wondering if hybrid vehicles are going to be safe can rest easy.

The Volt earned its top rating of "good" for front, side, rear and rollover crash protection. The Institute also noted that both the Volt and the Leaf have standard electric stability control which the group considers a crucial safety feature. Makers of hybrid vehicles are clearly using the same standards of safety in the production of these new types of cars as in the more common internal combustion engine vehicles.

Critics have long argued that hybrid vehicles could not be made economically and that safety would be compromised in the rush to "go green," but the recent crash tests show that this is not the case. These hybrid vehicles are as safe or safer than any car produced today.

Both the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt are small cars which initially would seem to indicate a lack of safety. Both, though, have battery packs adding significant weight to the vehicles making them safer than other cars in their class. This, too, was demonstrated by the Institute's crash tests.

Additionally, the tests proved that using technology to boost fuel economy, such as the electric batteries in both these vehicles, is preferable to simply downsizing and lightening the weight of cars to save fuel. Hybrid vehicles are actually safer than standard cars of the same size while remarkably fuel-efficient at the same time.

These hybrid vehicles are perfect for highway driving. Should a crash occur, these cars will protect the drivers better than the vast majority of standard cars.

In fact, these electric cars are far safer than the low-speed vehicles, such as the GEM e2 or the Wheego Whip, which were judged dangerous after crash tests last year. These are golf-cart-like vehicles which are becoming increasingly popular, but are not required to meet the national safety standards of passenger vehicles.

The image of the electric and hybrid car was damaged in the mind of the consumer by these small carts which were never meant for highway driving. Nevertheless, industry observers think that the new tests will propel the Leaf and the Volt forward in the minds of eco-minded consumers who have been waiting for a chance to purchase a reasonably green, fuel-efficient and safe car for at least five years. The time has finally arrived. Both the Leaf and the Volt are extremely safe, fuel-efficient and will not harm the environment. Auto makers have finally turned the corner on producing desirable hybrid vehicles.

Diane Butler, Ph.D., a writer living in Southern California, has eagerly awaited the appearance of a popular and safe hybrid cars. She has always hoped to see the demise of the polluting internal combustion engine.

Tornado Preparedness - The Six Keys to Safety

The US has more tornadoes than any other area on the globe. We get them in the spring, as weather changes in the fall, when summer storms hit, and as byproducts of hurricanes. Though the Midwest is known as "tornado alley," there's really no place in the country that's immune. Add to this the fact that hurricanes and severe thunderstorms can produce directional winds nearly as destructive as the vortex of a twister, and it's easy to see that we need additional preparedness info beyond "duck and cover."

We're going to cover the six main areas of tornado preparedness that will help you before, during, and after a tornado or heavy storm strikes. Appropriately, we'll use the acronym S.T.O.R.M.S.:

Shelter - Strengthen your home and know where to find expedient shelter.

Time - Increase your chances of getting the early warning.

Others - Safety and protection involves the whole family and communicating with others.

Resources - You'll need everything from immediate supply to good insurance.

Medical - Help yourself now to save the injured later.

Sweeping Up - Tips and tricks for dealing with the aftermath.

Shelter

Severe storms with driving rain, possible hail, and projectiles hurled by strong winds offer extreme dangers from which we need to protect ourselves. The best protection would be a steel-reinforced concrete safe room located in the basement of a structurally sound building. Lacking that, let's look at a few things you should do now:

Reinforce your house. There are simple things we can do to greatly strengthen our homes. Ask your local home-supply store rep about angle brackets, strapping, and techniques to install them to make your roof, walls, and connection to the foundation stronger. Also, do an internet search for "hurricane retrofit" (including quotes) to find additional instruction.

Create a safe room or area within your home. The general rule of thumb is to pick an area near the center of your house and below ground if possible or at least on the lowest floor. Consider these points:

- Turn your walk-in closet into a safe area. Remove the sheetrock from walls and ceiling, add extra wall studs held in place with screws, strapping, and angle brackets, and then replace the sheetrock with one or two layers of ¾" marine plywood held in place with structural adhesive and screws. Finish and paint the walls and you'll never know it was retrofitted. (We have plans and schematics in our preparedness manual.)

- If you live in a mobile home, your best bet for safety would be a storm cellar. One simple and relatively inexpensive way to make a storm cellar is to have a septic tank company install a clean new unit in your yard, but leave about a foot above the ground. You can build a strong cover over that and use it as an outdoor deck, or as the foundation for a storage shed.

- Some locations might reimburse you for building a safe room. Check with your tax assessor, county extension office, insurance provider, insurance commissioner, or local emergency management office.

Learn the "safe points." When a tornado strikes you might be at home, but it's more likely you'll be at work, out running errands, or on a trip. Learn to recognize all the locations that will provide protection. Does the building you're in have shelters? For example, in the Denver Airport, the restrooms are designated tornado shelters. Does the building have a basement? Are you on the road? How far are you from a known safe building, or from a deep ditch?

Time In emergencies, our most important asset is time. The two best ways to gain extra time in weather emergencies are to prepare now, and to get as early a warning as possible that severe weather is heading your way. If you wait for your community's alert sirens, you've waited too long.

Buy a Weather Alert Radio. Not only do they warn you of inclement weather, but the system is now being tied in to the regular EAS system to warn you of other emergencies.

Sign up for an alternate alert service such as the Weather Channel's "Notify" which can be found on their website. Hint: When you get the warning, take action! Don't do dumb things like videotaping the tornado.

Learn the indicators of severe weather. The Weather Channel and others such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), have educational information that will teach you how to spot incoming severe weather. Some "symptoms" may include:

- A large anvil-shaped thunderhead cloud or a thick, very dark, cloud cover with a pea-soup consistency. - Hail or, in some cases, unseasonable snow.

- Green lightning (as lightning flashes behind clouds heavily laden with water).

- A sudden change in humidity, wind direction or wind speed, rain volume, or rain direction.

- A sudden change in air pressure (your ears may pop).

Network with others. Sometimes our friends and coworkers are our best early warning system. Develop a phone tree or at least a general agreement among friends and relatives that you'll warn each other about dangers in the area.

Others There are two sets of "others" you might deal with in concert with a severe storm. One is your family and the other is first responders. Communicate with your family both now - to prepare for a tornado - and later in the event a tornado watch or warning is given. You also may need to communicate with first responders if you experience injury or certain types of property damage that requires official assistance. Consider:

Tornado drills. Emergency reactions are worth practicing. Have your family practice getting into the safe room and into a safe position ("duck and cover") within 30 seconds or less.

Protect your pets. On warning of severe weather, round up your pets, put them on leads or in carriers, and take them to your safe area. If your house is damaged in the storm your pets are more protected and easier to care for afterward. Hint: You can train your pets to head to the safe room on command. Your vet can give you some training pointers.

Communication and signaling may be vitally important if your home is damaged and/or someone sustains injury during a tornado. For example, though everyone might be uninjured, you may be trapped in the debris that was once your home and need someone to dig you out. In addition to your house phone and cell phone, have backup options like a hand-held two-way radio, and something that can make a loud noise such as an air-horn. Also, make sure your neighbors know you have a safe room in the house, or storm cellar in your yard. They can tell authorities where to look if no one has heard from you.

Resources In a disaster, you'll need goods, gear, or services to help you deal with the event and then recover afterward. Make sure you have adequately covered each of the following areas:

Make sure your insurance policy covers all types of natural disaster including water damage from rain or flood since many policies have strict exclusions. Also, make sure your policy will provide for the costs of temporary lodging and the full replacement value for your property and possessions.

Keep your isolation and evacuation supplies together in a protected spot where you can access them immediately, or where they'll be protected if your home is damaged while you're away.

Make a list of services you might need after a tornado, such as cleanup and repair services or temporary lodging. Look through your phone book to find services like tree-cutting and debris removal, structural home repairs, automotive repairs, lodging, etc. Write their contact information down and keep it with your emergency kits so you can call these services immediately after a disaster to get your name on their lists.

Medical We're hoping that all the advice above has kept you safe in the event of a tornado. However, we know things do happen and people get hurt. Cover the following, just in case:


First aid training is important for every family regardless of the threat, so learn the basics of general first aid and CPR. Next, talk with your doctor about first aid measures for specific ailments. For example, if someone in your family has Asthma and they have an attack, what are some things you can do to care for them if you can't immediately get to their inhaler or medication?

First aid kits are a must and families should have several and not just one. The main kit should be kept in the home, but smaller kits should be kept in each automobile and at your workplace.

Copies of medical information should be kept at home. After a destructive event there's no guarantee your family doctor will be available or that the hospital's computers will be functional. In case of injury, medical practitioners will need to know a general medical history of the injured. Keep a list of ailments, conditions, special medical needs, and current medications of each family member (including pets). Remember, even though you're the head of household and you know all that information, you may be injured and unable to communicate.

Sweeping Up All destructive events have at least one thing in common; they're going to create quite a mess. Here are a few tips to help you stay safe while cleaning up:


Though you might think the power is completely out, stay away from downed power lines.

Stay alert to the hissing sound of a broken gas line or the smell of gas.

Dress for the weather, but still dress to protect. Wear sturdy shoes or boots (and watch out for boards with nails), a hat and sunscreen, insect repellant, and heavy work gloves. The hospitals will be too full of major injuries to deal with the minor injuries you could have prevented.

Physical labor after a stressful event can be quite taxing. Drink plenty of fluids, eat regularly, and take periodic breaks.

Here is where you'd need your list of professional cleanup services. Call as soon as possible.

In the case of total destruction, your property itself will be a trash pile. Therefore, use your main trashcan as a receptacle for the items you want to salvage. Label it accordingly so no one throws away its contents. Hint: Take photographs or video of all the damage for insurance purposes.

It's possible that your valued possessions might be strewn about the neighborhood. It'll be easier to have things returned if your name is written or engraved on them. If you don't want to use your name, use a unique identifier such as the first phone number you can remember from childhood. Hint: Never use your Social Security Number.

Though this article is longer than average, there is still no way we can pass along all the helpful hints and tips that will keep you safe in an emergency and help you recover afterward. Do what you can with the information presented, and continue your education on your own. The steps you take to protect yourself against tornadoes will help protect you and yours during any number of other disaster preparedness scenarios. Stay safe!

© 2007, Paul Purcell. About the author: Paul Purcell is the lead security analyst and preparedness consultant for InfoQuest in Atlanta, GA. He's also the author of "Disaster Prep 101 - The Ultimate Guide to Emergency Readiness." For more information about the author and other storm and preparedness-related articles visit http://www.disasterprep101.com Permission is granted to reprint this article provided all portions remain intact.

A History of Safety

Throughout history, the safety and health movement has been impacted by legislation. In the following safety and health chronology, noteworthy events, individuals, and legislative action are set forth to illustrate the theme that the safety professional/practitioner is and has been a significant part of those preventive experiences making up the story of life.

The Ancient Chinese (c 2,500 BC) spread the risk of loss by placing 1/6 of their harvest on each of six boats traveling to the market.

Hammurabi (c 2,000 BC), ruler of Babylon, was responsible for the Code of Hammurabi, part of which bears resemblance to today's workers' compensation laws.

Ancient Egyptians (as early as 1600 BC) recognized the hazards of breathing the fumes produced by melting silver and gold.

Hippocrates (c 460-c 377 BC), the father of contemporary medicine, established a link between the respiratory problems of Greek stonecutters and the rock dust surrounding them.

In ancient Rome, the few slaves who survived the dangerous task of ship launching were given their freedom.

In 1601, the first English statute on "assurance" (an earlier term for insurance) was enacted. This statute covered marine risks.

In 1667, the Great Fire of London (September 2-7, 4666), caused the first English fire insurance laws to be enacted.

In 1700, Bernardino Ramazzini, an Italian physician, published the first thesis attempting to prove the connections between occupation and disease.

In 1730, Benjamin Franklin organized the first fire-fighting company in the United States as well as detecting lead poisoning symptoms with Dr. Evans.

In 1775, English doctors discovered that chimney sweeps, who were exposed to coal tar residues in their daily work, showed a higher incidence of cancer than did the general population.

In 1792, the first charter to write marine and fire insurance was granted in the United States.

In 1812, the Embargo of the War of 1812 spurred the development of the New England textile industry and the founding of factory mutual companies. These early insurance companies inspected properties for hazards and suggested loss control and prevention methods in order to secure low rates for their policyholders.

In 1864, The Pennsylvania Mine Safety Act (PMSA) was passed into law.

In 1864, North America's first accident insurance policy was issued.

In 1867, the state of Massachusetts instituted the first government-sponsored factory inspection program.

In 1877, the state of Massachusetts passed a law requiring guarding for dangerous machinery, and took authority for enforcement of factory inspection programs.

In 1878, the first recorded call by a labor organization for federal occupational safety and health law is heard.

In 1896, an association to prevent fires and write codes and standards, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), was founded.

In 1902, the state of Maryland passed the first workers' compensation law.

In 1904, the first attempt by a state government to force employers to compensate their employees for on-the-job injuries was overturned when the Supreme Court declared Maryland's workers' compensation law to be unconstitutional.

On March 21, 1911, in the Asch Building in New York City, nearly 150 women and young girls died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire because of locked fire exits and inadequate fire extinguishing systems. A major turning point in history, this fire changed regulation by the government and laws instituted to protect workers.

In 1911, a professional, technical organization responsible for developing safety codes for boilers and elevators, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) was founded. A17 Safety Code was published.

1911-1915, During this five-year period, 30 states passed workers' compensation laws.

In October 14, 1911, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) was founded in New York City. Originally named the United Society of Casualty Inspectors. The ASSE was dedicated to the development of accident prevention techniques, and to the advancement of safety engineering as a profession.

California Railroad Commission, now known as the California Public Utilities Commission, ws created by constitutional amendment to oversee rail safety, including the safety of highway/rail crossings.

In 1912, a group of engineers representing insurance companies, industry, and government met in Milwaukee to exchange data on accident prevention. The organization formed at this meeting was to become the National Safety Council (NSC). (Today, the NSC carries on major safety campaigns for the general public, as well as assists industry in the development of safety promotion programs.)

In 1916, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of state workers' compensation laws.

In 1918, the American Standards Association was founded. Responsible for the development of many voluntary safety standards, some of which are referenced into laws, today, it is now called the American National Standards Institute [ANSI].

In 1931 the Uniform Traffic Code was established because of the increase in speed and volume of motor vehicle traffic and accidents. The code consists of four separate acts: motor vehicle registration, driver licensing, automobile anti-theft and uniform traffic regulations.

In 1936, Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor, called for a federal occupational safety and health law. This action came a full 58 years after organized labor's first recorded request for a law of this nature.

In 1936, the Walsh-Healey (Public Contracts) Act passed. This law required that all federal contracts be fulfilled in a healthful and safe working environment.

By 1948, all states (48 at the time) now had workers' compensation laws.

In 1952, Coal Mine Safety Act (CMSA) was passed into law.

In 1960, specific safety standards were promulgated for the Walsh-Healey Act.

On Jan 3, 1961, an accident at an experimental nuclear reactor at a federal installation near Idaho Falls, ID kills three workers. These were the first deaths in U.S. nuclear reactor operations.

In 1966, the Metal and Nonmetallic Mines Safety Act (MNMSA) was passed.

In 1966, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and its sections, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), were established.

In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson called for a federal occupational safety and health law.

In 1969, the Construction Safety Act (CSA) was passed.

In 1969, the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) was established. This organization certifies practitioners in the safety profession.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon signed into law the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), thus creating the OSHA administration and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

In 1970, on January 1, the National Environmental Policy Act, (NEPA) was signed. This provided a national charter for protecting and improving the environment and created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

On May 29, 1971, the firast OSHA standards were adopted to provide a baseline for safety and health protection in American workplaces.

In 1972, the Consumers Product Safety Act (CPSA) was signed into law.

In 1976, The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) passed and became the instrument by which the management of hazardous waste is regulated.

In 1980, to address the issues of hazardous waste management, the Pollution Liability Insurance Association (PLIA) was formed.

Jan 16, 1981 OSHA updates business electrical standards to simplify compliance and adopt a performance approach.

1991 North Carolina Plant Fire kills 25 workers and 49 injured at the Imperial Chicken processing plant in Hamlet NC. The employees were trapped inside due to padlocked doors meant to keep vandals away.

Sep 11, 2001, 2886 work related fatalities including 537 rescue workers, resulted from terrorist attacks on the NY City World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, an on the planes that crashed.

Charles Morrison, Certified Safety Professional has published several articles and has presented papers at professional safety conferences while he has worked for major oil & gas companies and has created his own company, Safety Consulting Services. Charles holds a patent for a cold weather gas measuring device using body heat. He is active in the American Society of Safety Engineers.

Fire Safety - How to Prepare Yourself

Though fire safety might not be high on your priority list when you move into an apartment, it's not something you want to regret at a later date. The findings of the National Fire protection Agency (NFPA) reveal some startling statistics; in 2009, U.S. fire departments had to tend to 362,500 home fires, which caused approximately $7.6 billion in damages. These fires claimed 2,565 lives and injured more than 12,650 people; sufficient evidence that fire safety should be taken seriously.

Facts Cooking remains one of the primary causes of home fires as does smoking. Often people fall asleep leaving food to heat on the stove which leads to a fire. A stray cigarette butt not extinguished properly, electrical malfunction, overheating and charcoal or paper burnt indoors are other common reasons for fires starting at home.

A fire needs heat, oxygen and fuel to start and sustain; and once a fire starts and heats up an area, the heat will cause the fire to spread very quickly, often much faster than you can estimate. A home has sufficient amounts of all three; clothes, wood, food, paper, everything is inflammable. The best thing you can do during a fire, of course for your safety, is to run out of the house immediately.

According to the NFPA study, in almost 40% of avoidable fires, smoke alarms weren't installed, while in 23% cases they didn't have batteries or they were disconnected. False or nuisance alarms are the leading causes of smoke alarms being disabled. The first step towards fire safety therefore is to check your smoke alarms to make sure they are activated at all times!

The study also revealed that the winter months of January, February and March are the peak months for home fires, possibly due to the higher indoors temperature through fireplaces and heaters.

Fire safety- preemptive measures:

Create an escape route - Does your home have an escape route? When short listing a house, if it is on a higher level than ground, make sure it has some kind of an escape route. If it doesn't, ensure fire safety by installing an escape ladder. In case of a fire, you might have to take a call whether you want to stay indoors and risk being suffocated, or jump down and risk breaking a limb. An escape route makes it easier not just for you to leave but also for rescue personnel to enter burning premises that might have blocked doors and save crucial time.

Smoke Alarms - Check your smoke alarms atleast once a year to see they are working properly; change batteries if needed. A smoke alarm on each level of the home is important and it is best they all are interconnected. According to the NFPA, smoke alarms are the best form of fire safety as they cut the risk of dying in a fire by half! Most smoke alarms have a limited life and need to be replaced every 10 years, a fact people sadly tend to ignore.

Store and discard any inflammable material properly - Ensure fire safety by storing inflammable liquids like kerosene outside the house in metal containers; dispose of ash and other waste in a steel bin away from the house.

Adequate ventilation and proper wiring- Make sure the house has adequate ventilation since burning fuel produces deadly fumes. Check your pipes from time to time to ensure there is no carbon buildup. Clean chimneys and exhaust systems atleast once a year before the onset of winters for optimum fire safety. Ensure all doors and windows at home open and close properly, and all electrical fixtures are wired properly and well covered. It has been found that electrical failures or malfunctions result in almost 50,000 fires a year.

Sprinkler systems - having a sprinkler system in close proximity to your home structure makes it easier to battle a fire immediately. Once again, make sure it works! Some home insurance companies give you discounts going up to 20% on your rates if you install the right combination of smoke detectors, and sprinkler systems in your house. That just goes to show the importance of both these fire safety measures.

Lastly- compile an inventory of your household stuff and valuables preferably along with photographs so that in the event of any fire damage, you have no trouble claiming from your home insurance company.

As per *NFPA findings, in 2008, the fire department was responding to fires in homes almost every 82 seconds; approximately 8 people died in home fires every day while a person was injured in home fires every 40 minutes. Remember stuff lost in a fire is replaceable while lives are not. Educating yourself and taking the right steps to ensure fire safety can protect you and your loved ones in the event of an unforeseen mishap.

Bethany Collins is a Work at Home Mother (WAHM) who lives with her husband and two kids. She loves to read and surf the internet looking for new money saving tips, recipes, etc. In her spare time she writes on personal finance [home, life and car insurance, budgeting, and other investment options] and grows organic vegetables in her small vegetable garden.

Texas Relates To Import Safety Issues As China Executes Its Top Food and Drug Administrator

China's official Xinhua news agency announced yesterday the execution of Zheng Xiaoyu, the former head of its State Food and Drug Administration, in an attempt to show the country's seriousness about cleaning up obvious problems with exporting contaminated food and drugs.

Xiaoyu was convicted of accepting bribes totaling the equivalent of one million USD to approve untested drugs. The Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court carried out the sentence after denying appeals from Xiaoyu, who argued the punishment was too harsh for the crime, and that he had confessed to his wrongdoings. Evidently, it wasn't enough. Xiaoyu was the first ministerial-level official executed in China in seven years, and only the fourth within the past thirty.

The execution is expected to be met with mixed reviews by the American public, which has been outraged by China's continuous problems with contaminated food and drugs. Numerous industries -- from major retail chains, to the health insurance and health care industries -- have been trying to contain serious health and safety risks from the products. Hundreds of human and animal lives have been affected in the U.S. alone.

But putting an individual to death for accepting bribes also is riling up human rights' activists, many of whom argue that, no matter one's stance on the effectiveness of the death penalty, it should not be considered for nonviolent crimes. China's reputation for violating human rights, after all, is no better than its reputation for exporting dangerously contaminated goods.

The nationwide contamination earlier this year of some of the U.S.'s top pet food brands by wheat protein imported from China was only the latest in a series of scandals involving compromised products from the country, including tires, children's toys, vitamins used for baby formula, and toothpaste. Even phony anti-malarial drugs have been exported and used, killing or further sickening desperately ill patients.

Texas understands this issue well. With so many products legally and illegally imported from the border, and with only 1% of all of the nation's imports being inspected by the Food and Drug Administration, it's likely that nearly any establishment in the state selling almost any goods -- from Dallas, to Houston, to Austin, to the tiny border towns -- is making available a product American regulatory industries would never allow to be produced in the U.S. Even fruit is subject to different regulations in Mexico, and is often sprayed with chemicals now banned in this country. The problems with Chinese imports, then, which circulate throughout every state, only adds to the problem, and Texans have been shown to be less than tolerant about products on the market that could put public health at risk.

China knows America's outrage, and is making overt efforts to reassure the Western public of its commitment to safety, including the conviction and execution of Xiaoyu. Without its exports, the Chinese economy would collapse. Wal-Mart alone is China's eighth largest trading partner, and over 90% of the vitamin C sold in the U.S. is produced there. In fact, Americans would be surprised to know that much of their aspirin, pain relievers, and antibiotics, including penicillin, are produced in China. Labels stating a vitamin or drug's country of origin are not required in the U.S., however, and few products actually reveal it. Fewer Americans probably even think about it when picking up a prescription from the pharmacy.

This is certainly not to say that all products from China are dangerous, or even of poor quality. It's the fact we simply don't know that makes us cringe. We don't know which exports are safe or, at times, even when we're buying imported products, let alone imported drugs from a facility in China that may or may not be clean, and that may or may not be producing untested products. Xiaoyu's willingness to accept bribes to approve untested drugs forces most of us to count our blessings that we weren't one of the many malaria patients trusting phony medication, or one of the many beloved pets ingesting contaminated wheat protein. Perhaps this will be a turning point for China's regulatory industry. Perhaps. But until then: buyer beware.

Making sure the products you buy are safe is one very important part of taking care of your health. How you take care of yourself will certainly affect you as you age, and eventually your wallet, as well.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, also referred to as the NHTSA, is a government agency that is part of the United States Department of Transportation. The NHTSA was formed in 1970 with the passage of the Highway Safety Act of 1970. The NHTSA also dates back to the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 and the Highway Safety Act of 1966. It also has ties to the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act of 1971. The NHTSA's mission statement on their website states that their main focus is "to save lives, prevent injuries and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic costs."

The NHTSA operates under three main areas; research, information and education, and funding other research. The NHTSA is responsible for writing and enforcing safety, theft-resistance, and fuel economy standards for motor vehicles. It is also responsible for licensing vehicle manufacturers and importers, allows or blocks the import of vehicles and safety regulated vehicle parts, administers the VIN system, develops the dummies used in crash test safety as well as the standards for those tests, and provides vehicle insurance cost information.

Since the inception of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highways deaths in the United States have declined almost annually. Since the year 1960, the number of deaths per miles travelled has declined incredibly. The current number of deaths per year on United States roads hovers around 40,000. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also expanded to include consumer information programs as well. One of the main reasons for the creation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was due to public pressure in the United States to create safer automobiles. One of the provisions by Congress made it a law to install safety belts in all newly manufactured vehicles. The meetings held by Congress occurred in 1966 and those same meetings produced the creation of the United States Department of Transportation.

Prior to the creation of the NHTSA, all vehicles being imported to the United States had to meet standards that were set by the ECE. The ECE is short for the Economic Commission for Europe. They are called the ECE Regulations for vehicle design, construction, and safety performance. Once the United States government created and placed into effect the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards, any vehicles meeting the ECE safety standards but not the United States standards were no longer permitted to be imported into the country for sale.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also responsible and is legally allowed to perform safety investigations of any safety problems with vehicles imported into the country as well as vehicles that are manufactured within the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also works in conjunction with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to provide American drivers with the most safety information about their vehicles and the roadways as possible. The NHTSA is working on a proposal to mandate that all vehicles by the model year 2012 have Electronic Stability Control equipped on them.

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Enforcing Food Safety - The Government's Responsibility

According to the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the United Nations, a food is regarded as safe "If it doesn't cause harm to the consumer when prepared and/or eaten according to its intended use". This entails that food should be free from contaminants, adulterants, naturally occurring toxins and all those substances which might have adverse effects on human health. Right from the earliest days of human existence, access to good quality food, in particular safe food has been one of the most pressing and critical questions for the mankind. Through centuries of ignorance, experience and trial-and-error methodology, we have learnt that safe food is not just a fundamental precondition for human survival but is also inherently and indispensably linked with social, economic and ethical facets of our lives. Today, nations all around the world acknowledge that without surety of the safe food, prosperity in its collective sense is a far cry. Based on such concrete conclusions, it is now of utmost importance that we augment our understanding regarding the current world scenario and re-evaluate our strategic approach that will be required to unknot the complexities of providing safer and healthier food to every human being in the world.

Over the last few decades, the question of ensuring adequate food safety standards has evolved into a much more complicated problem with a series of interconnected factors to be considered. On one hand, the scientific and technological advancements such as the development of high precision analytical equipments and improved agricultural and preservation techniques have made it possible for us to evaluate and eradicate many of the existing potential safety hazards. Yet on the other hand, some of the modern scientific practices such as increased usage of chemicals and other additives have also introduced such detrimental changes in the entire food supply chains which were never envisaged in the entire history. Moreover, factors such as ever-increasing population, global financial recession and rising media exposure with consumer awareness have added many newer dimensions to the food safety issue. Keeping an eye over these constantly emerging interrelated concerns, it is undoubtedly the need of the time that we adopt a multidimensional approach at all levels of a food chain i.e. from farm to fork. Stakeholders such as the food industry and the consumers also have a role to play but it is the state government along side its associated agencies which has the ultimate responsibility to establish a solid legal infrastructure for other stakeholders and occupy an imperative position in developing and enforcing food safety standards at all levels.

It is often misunderstood that the sole liability of the government and its agencies is to provide a legislative and regulatory framework and lay down certain mandates for those involved in provision of food to the people. These conditions may include compliance with the approved procedural specifications, fulfillment of bio-safety guidelines and proscription of the production and sale of the adulterated and contaminated foods etc. At this moment if we talk about Pakistan, most of the food laws existing deal with production, distribution and food supply in addition to dealing with mere profit exploiting and hoarding. Specifically, there are four laws present in the aspect of Food Safety and are related directly to this issue. According to USDA's annual country report for Pakistan, food imports are generally regulated by the Federal government and food standards are regulated by the Provincial together with of the local health authorities. The Pakistan Pure Food Laws (PFL) devised in 1963 forms the basis of the entire existing trade-related food quality and safety legislative framework. Working with an aim of preventing food adulteration and assuring adequate level of purity, it covers around 104 different food items ranging from edible oils and fats, cereals, fruits and vegetables, dairy products etc. It sets the regulations addressing the usage of preservatives, antioxidants, colorants, flavorants and other food additives and forbids the production, sales and trade of all such unsafe food items which violate the prescribed rules and are likely to prove harmful for the health.

In addition to this, PFL issues a defined set of instructions for the food safety aspects such as labeling of food packages, preventive measures in storage and transport, and aims of providing a platform for laboratory analysis and inspection of food samples. Another law of similar in its operational approach, the Cantonment Pure Food Act of 1966 applies food safety regulations exclusively on the cantonment areas. The Pakistan Hotels and Restaurant Act of 1976 makes it obligatory for hotels, restaurants and caterers all over Pakistan to control and regulate their rates and standard of services. Section 22 of the act declares that the sale of food and beverages which are prepared/served in unhygienic conditions or contain contaminated/ injurious substances is an offense and any person/organization found guilty is likely to receive severe legal penalties. The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority Act is relatively a new law with its induction in the year 1996 and is not generally classified as a food law. This act supplies a platform for the establishment of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA). Working under the patronage of the Ministry of Science and Technology, it is the premier standardization body working with 81 scientists/engineers and 254 supporting staff as self-finance organization with a primary task of not only formulation of Pakistan Standards, but also its promulgation.

Apart from these basic food safety regulations, there are a number of other law enforcing and regulatory bodies that are working in direct and indirect correlation with the concerned issue. Generally, the government still relies heavily on the Codex Alimentarius standards and guidelines developed jointly by the FAO and WHO for setting and revising its requirements for labeling, packaging, food additives, pesticides and imported food products. Food standards which are specified by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USDA) and Food and Drug Association (FDA) are also used for certain products. Moreover, government agencies such as the Customs Department and Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR),National Institute of Health (NIH), Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) and Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) are also working for the focal point of achieving food safety objectives in their respective premises. In the presence of so many agencies and available regulations, it is however a harsh reality that the prevailing situation of food safety and security standards in the country is dark and dismal. In the wake of this plethora of regulations and regulatory bodies, the presence of such deteriorated structure indicates towards a fact that the influx of laws and regulations and establishment of regulatory bodies is certainly not the sole way of combating the safety issue and there exists severe glitches in our law enforcement and implementation policies at all levels.

Like most of the developing countries around the world, Pakistan has a very basic and undeveloped food system with multiple problem areas such as fundamental differences in agency missions and approaches to inspection, non-uniformity of facilities, unavailability of skilled personnel and money wastage on non-essential issues with efforts lagging in the development of new technologies for controlling concerns. To an extent, it will be reasonable to say that Pakistan does not have an integrated food safety framework at all but has a set of laws dealing with some selected aspects of food safety. Though laws have the potential to achieve food safety standards to an extent, the absence of their understanding and implementation at all levels of the governments leaves too many loopholes to be filled. There is an urgent need to understand that a government in its truest sense has the responsibility of developing a comprehensive, personalized and integrated food safety framework which does not necessarily deals with protection, but also with health maintenance and promotion.

Fairly achieved in developed countries like Canada, UK and the USA, we really need to sketch out a well-conceived national food control policy developed with the support of the various participants. This policy should elucidate role of the governmental hierarchy, different agencies, various sectors of economy and consumers, and should ascertain mechanisms for cooperation with means of dealing with emerging challenges in regard to human health and the national economy. There is an acute need to understand that the formulation and functionality of the entire system is dependent on the way the responsibilities are transferred and enforced at levels of a governmental structures and state actors such as the federal, provincial, municipal governments, independent health agencies and non-governmental organizations.

At the top of the ladder, the most critical responsibility of the State or Federal ministries (Food, Health etc.) is to structure a centralized vision with Risk Assessment, Risk Management and Risk Communication as its broad guiding principles. Since Risk Assessment and Risk Management deal with scientific and socio-economic arenas respectively, it is a prime task of the state government to develop a scientific and legal amalgamation and supervise its implementation right till the grass roots. Other important responsibilities of the state government include:

Assessment of raw materials and finished products and identification of critical control points throughout the system.
Allocation of appropriate funds for the provincial governments to uplift their food safety programs.
Introduction of stringent monitoring systems of sampling and thorough inspections before approving food imports.
Evaluation of the laws and standards adopted from international bodies and their localization in accordance with our needs and resources.
Replacement of 'Hands-on' approach with new techniques and establishment of up-to-date laboratories and research centers with latest equipments and other analytical facilities.
Development of the transport system all through Pakistan to minimize microbiological losses.
Enforcement of basic hygiene practices and safety and quality management systems such as ISO: 9001-2000, HACCP and ISO: 22000 at every level.

Coming next in line, the Provincial governments have the responsibility of taking the message from the central authorities and implement it in their respective provinces. Whatever the plan of action they adopt, it should not in any way deviate from the regulations set by the state. Working on a unified vision, each province should initiate its own operations in accordance with its priorities and resources. Just like the inauguration of a Parha Likha Punjab Campaign (Literate Punjab), every province should invest in such programs for awareness about food safety and should incorporate these operations to all districts, cities and villages in its jurisdiction. Other responsibilities include:

-Assessment of raw materials and finished products and identification of critical control process points at provincial level.

-Continuous surveillance of the entire supply chain including farmers, processors, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers etc. with special attention to the execution of the regulations and predefined criteria.

-Introduction of technical programs for training of small farmers and other producers at the grass root level concerning basic food safety and hygiene principles.

-Funding for new graduates who pursue governmental public health careers and enhance state efforts on recruitment and retention of public health professionals.

-Establishment of 'Emergency Recall System' at the time of a catastrophic outbreak.

-Re-invention of procedures and development of capacities to support health agencies during recalls and outbreaks.

-Impeachment of the people/organizations breaching the regulations with autonomy granted to agencies to immediately ban such business, independent of the court decisions.

Despite being at the lowest end of the command order, the Municipal/City/District government has one of the most critical roles to play in implementing and enforcing food safety standards. Being the most familiar with the ground realities, municipal government has a superior chance of understanding situations and then act appropriately. Some of its key responsibilities include:

Continuous food safety surveillance of the different food chains including industries, hotels, restaurants, cafes with appropriate penalties and prohibitions for offenders.
Enhanced facilities for action based approach on consumer complaints.
Recruitment of skilled and sincere personnel for the inspection and scrutiny of general practices.

Conclusively, we can say that seeing the devastating consequences of the recent system failures in countries such as China, the issue of food safety can not taken lightly. The ever increasing complexities of food system with rapid and almost explosive technology have made it essential that the issue of food safety be considered as an integral part of the national planning. The government and other state players should therefore realize that they occupy an extremely decisive position and any ambiguity or negligence in understanding or implementation of food safety regulations might lead us to a catastrophe.

Noor Ali Noorani

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, also referred to as the NHTSA, is a government agency that is part of the United States Department of Transportation. The NHTSA was formed in 1970 with the passage of the Highway Safety Act of 1970. The NHTSA also dates back to the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 and the Highway Safety Act of 1966. It also has ties to the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act of 1971. The NHTSA's mission statement on their website states that their main focus is "to save lives, prevent injuries and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic costs."

The NHTSA operates under three main areas; research, information and education, and funding other research. The NHTSA is responsible for writing and enforcing safety, theft-resistance, and fuel economy standards for motor vehicles. It is also responsible for licensing vehicle manufacturers and importers, allows or blocks the import of vehicles and safety regulated vehicle parts, administers the VIN system, develops the dummies used in crash test safety as well as the standards for those tests, and provides vehicle insurance cost information.

Since the inception of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highways deaths in the United States have declined almost annually. Since the year 1960, the number of deaths per miles travelled has declined incredibly. The current number of deaths per year on United States roads hovers around 40,000. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also expanded to include consumer information programs as well. One of the main reasons for the creation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was due to public pressure in the United States to create safer automobiles. One of the provisions by Congress made it a law to install safety belts in all newly manufactured vehicles. The meetings held by Congress occurred in 1966 and those same meetings produced the creation of the United States Department of Transportation.

Prior to the creation of the NHTSA, all vehicles being imported to the United States had to meet standards that were set by the ECE. The ECE is short for the Economic Commission for Europe. They are called the ECE Regulations for vehicle design, construction, and safety performance. Once the United States government created and placed into effect the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards, any vehicles meeting the ECE safety standards but not the United States standards were no longer permitted to be imported into the country for sale.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also responsible and is legally allowed to perform safety investigations of any safety problems with vehicles imported into the country as well as vehicles that are manufactured within the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also works in conjunction with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to provide American drivers with the most safety information about their vehicles and the roadways as possible. The NHTSA is working on a proposal to mandate that all vehicles by the model year 2012 have Electronic Stability Control equipped on them.

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