Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking to permanently shut down a Brooklyn, New York-based maker of ready-to-eat deli salads, seafood, and cream cheeses. Food and Drug Administration inspectors say that NY Gourmet Salads Inc. has a history of serious non-compliance with federal food safety standards and the presence of potentially deadly bacteria in its processing facilities and foods.

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The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration unveiled a new website this week dedicated to providing would-be whistleblowers with encouragement and protection. According to OSHA, “workers who ‘blow the whistle’ on prohibited or unlawful practices in the workplace or report safety and health discrimination play an important role” in keeping employers in line with federal laws.

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Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Bridgeport, Conn., office are investigating the scene of a bridge collapse that seriously injured a 59-year-old construction employee.

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To help educate parents about toy safety, Consumer Product Safety CommissionChairman Inez Tenenbaum held a town-hall style meeting in New York City. Discussions centered on new federal safety rules that raise the standards for toys and help protect children from unnecessary harm.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that new requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) would go into effect today. The new regulations are aimed at making children’s products safer and increasing consumer confidence in the marketplace. The new requirements will affect product manufacturing standards, toughen regulations about advertising children’s products, and increase fines for violations of these standards.

CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said, “I will ensure that these requirements are enforced vigorously and fairly.” She urged businesses to comply.

New standards include:

• The limit for Lead Content in children’s products will be reduced from 600 parts per million to 300 parts per million.

• The limit for Lead in Paint and Similar Surface Coating Materials in children’s products also will be lowered significantly, from 600 parts per million to 90 parts per million.

• The Civil Penalties for violation of CPSC standards involving children’s products will be substantially increased.

• Manufacturers will be required to place Tracking Labels on consumer products intended primarily for children.

• Catalog Advertising for certain toys and games intended for use by young children (ages 3-6) must have stricter warnings of potential dangers.

Tenenbaum says, “By ensuring that toys and other children’s products meet strict lead limits and can be tracked in the event of a recall, I believe children will be better protected in their homes.”

For more information, visit the CPSC web site.