Latest news with #safetyhazards
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Home Depot's Latest Product Recall Comes With A Fatal Warning
If you're in the market for choosing the best above-ground pool, you'll probably pay attention to several factors, such as estimating the appropriate size, understanding the filtration system, and determining the ease of installation. You'll want to be aware of the hidden drawbacks to buying a DIY swimming pool as well, such as the possibility of safety hazards like walls that may collapse, shallow water that's not safe for diving, and poor-quality ladders. Another important factor is ensuring the swimming pool doesn't have a product recall associated with it, which is especially important considering the recent news from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC announced the recall of roughly 5 million above-ground swimming pools sold at Home Depot and other retailers as far back as 2002. The recall occurred after nine children, ranging in age from 22 months to 3 years, had drowned in the pools since 2007. The affected pools have brand names of Bestway, Intex, and Polygroup. Each of the recalled above-ground pools is at least 48 inches or taller and contains compression straps that fit over the top of support legs on the outside of the pool. Children may use the straps as a foothold to climb over the tall edge, falling in and creating a potential drowning hazard. Even if you remove the ladder, children could still find a way to go over the side by using the straps. Read more: 12 Unique Ways To Make A Basic Chain Link Fence Look Better And Add Curb Appeal What You Should Do If You Own One Of The Recalled Pools From Home Depot To check whether you own one of the recalled Bestway, Intex, or Polygroup above-ground pools, visit the CPSC website. Rather than returning the recalled pool to Home Depot or another place of purchase, you should contact the manufacturer of your pool. (The CPSC website has contact information for each manufacturer.) If you have an above-ground pool from these manufacturers that has compression straps or connectors that are inside the support legs, such designs are not part of the recall because children can't use them as a foothold. The manufacturer will send a DIY repair kit to affected consumers to correct the design flaw. The kit contains a rope that attaches to the vertical legs at ground level, meaning children cannot use the rope as a foothold to boost themselves over the edge. While waiting for the repair kit, consumers should take steps to ensure that children cannot access the pool without adult supervision. Do you have to fence in your backyard above-ground pool to keep it safe? Most local and state regulations require all in-ground swimming pools to have safety fences around them. Installing a fence around an above-ground pool is a good idea for safety, and some local regulations require you to install fences around above-ground pools while also installing safety locks on ladders. Having a secure safety fence should prevent children from gaining access to the compression straps. The safer option would be to drain the water until repairs can be made. Enjoyed this article? Get expert home tips, DIY guides, and design inspiration by signing up to the House Digest newsletter! Read the original article on House Digest.


Irish Times
3 days ago
- Irish Times
Cliffs of Moher visitors risking their lives by breaking into closed sections of cliff-edge walk
Tourists at the Cliffs of Moher are breaking walls and climbing protective fences to access sections of a dangerous cliff-edge trail which have been closed since last August following two deaths. Large stretches of the Cliffs of Moher Walking Trail were closed when a Sport Ireland audit highlighted significant safety issues on the 19km route in Co Clare. The route, which normally attracts 400,000 visitors annually, is owned by 36 local farmers and is bisected by the Cliffs of Moher Visitors' Experience, which is owned and operated by Clare County Council. Clare Local Development Company chief executive Dóirín Graham said managing a partly closed trail with significant safety hazards was proving challenging. READ MORE 'People still climb over fences, people pull down fences and walls, so we are constantly trying to repair fences and remind people that they should not be on that section of the trail,' she said. 'Thankfully there has been no incidents so far. Because of the nature of the trail, people can walk across [private] land and access the trail at many different points. 'People might have travelled a distance to see the cliffs and don't want to listen. People can still see them, there are still good sections of the cliffs visible, through the visitors' centre, that people can see. People can still get that cliffs experience.' She said the Department of Rural and Community Development had supported the CLDC with funding to put someone in place to manage the trail on a part-time basis, 'but he can't stop people climbing over fences. There is an amount of that going on'. Since its development in 2012, the trail has been managed by CLDC under the national walks scheme, with farmers receiving a small payment for access to their land. CLDC is managing the closed and the open sections of the route, but this responsibility will transfer to the county council on September 1st. Following a review of the management plan for the trail, which was instigated before two people died in accidents there last year, it was decided that the council would take over as its management agency. The local authority has been in negotiations with farmers and Clare IFA for several months, with no agreement yet reached about the future of the grade-five difficulty walk. The council has erected barriers and warning signs where the Cliffs of Moher Experience interacts with the closed trail, but has confirmed regular incursions take place. 'There is evidence of regular breaches of the barrier on the closed section on the northern side of the trail. There are local penetrations of the trail on the southern side which are equally being monitored and managed by CLDC,' a council spokesperson said. The closed sections of the trail cannot be reopened until significant safety works are undertaken, with the southern half of the trail unlikely to be fully reopened for years. The area is a nesting ground for protected birds and is a Special Area of Conservation, meaning work can only take place during the winter months. No work can be started, however, until an agreement is reached between the council and landowners. 'Talks are progressing with the landowners and landowner representatives on the northern section of the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk with a view to spending approved ORIS [Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme] funding,' the council spokesperson said. Local farmers will shortly receive their last payment under the national walks scheme, and will not receive any further payments until an agreement is reached with the local authority. 'The landowners are very committed to keeping the Cliffs of Moher Walking Trail open,' Tom Lane of Clare IFA said. 'We are fully aware of the benefits in kind to Clare tourism and the important role it plays in the overall national tourism industry.' Despite these challenges and the bad weather, thousands of tourists walked sections of the trail last weekend, with several making their way into the closed sections. Ollie Gleeson has been running guided walks on the trail for the past five years and employs 12 people. 'It is operationally very difficult. We are able to keep going, but it is a challenge,' he said. 'This trail brought connectivity from one of Ireland's busiest tourists attractions to two local villages [Doolin and Liscannor]. The amount of money that the trail has brought to local villages has been massive. 'When it is open, it does something massive for Doolin, Liscannor, Lisdoonvarna and Ballyvaughan. The trail isn't just about the guides, it is a massive part of the local economy.' In early May last year, a Belgian medical student fell from the 700ft cliffs while she was walking with a group. More than two months later a Chinese boy, who was in Ireland with his parents, also fell to his death from the trail.


BBC News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Labubu dolls: Danger warning over fakes found in Aberdeen
Fakes of the globally popular Labubu dolls seized recently in Scotland are "potentially dangerous", according to trading standards elf-like creature from Chinese toy maker Pop Mart are the latest craze in collectibles and have gone viral on social media. But officials in Aberdeen are warning consumers and businesses to be alert, following the seizure of "counterfeit and potentially dangerous" versions of the toys from shops in the had loose parts which could pose a choking hazard. The council's trading standards team seized the counterfeit Labubu toys from four premises across the did not have the required safety standards manager Graeme Paton said: "Following the discovery of counterfeit toys, we want to alert consumers and particularly parents to be extra vigilant."These counterfeit toys can seem like a bargain compared with trying to source the genuine toy, especially when they are a much-sought-after item, but they are potentially dangerous."He added: "Counterfeit toys can potentially pose significant dangers to young children such as chemical exposure and choking hazards. "These products routinely lack proper safety testing and we encourage anyone concerned about the safety of toys they've purchased to get in touch with us via Consumer Advice Scotland." What are Labubu dolls? Labubu is both a fictional character and a word itself does not mean is the name of a character in "The Monsters" toy series created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing vinyl faces are attached to plush bodies, and come with a signature look - pointy ears, big eyes and a mischievous grin showing nine teeth.A curious yet divided internet cannot seem to decide if they are adorable, or just bizarre.


BBC News
19-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Scheme finds 6,500 hazards in Peterborough rented homes
More than 6,500 safety hazards were identified in almost 1,500 privately rented properties as part of a council's property inspection scheme looking for things like mould and faulty scheme, run by Peterborough City Council in partnership with Home Safe, requires landlords in designated areas to apply for a five-year licence period confirming their properties meet safety and living standards. In the first 12 months of the scheme, which started last year, the council found that out of 1,500 properties, 49% had at least one significant issue posing a significant risk to Jones, Labour cabinet member for housing, said the scheme was "making good progress". It was "already playing a role in our aim of improving private rental housing", she the scheme, each licensed property receives two inspections over the course of the five-year period which aims to identify and address issues the first year, more than 7,000 licence applications were received and more than 6,476 licences were issued by the council following checks of safety certificates and application data. The authority said the scheme had already led to safety improvements in the homes of thousands of tenants, and landlords had completed required works promptly in line with the compliance process. If issues have not been addressed, then properties were being referred to its officers for further action, the city council said landlords who were operating unlicensed properties could face a financial penalty of up to £30,000, an unlimited court fine, and could be ordered to repay up to 12 months' rent to tenants. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.