USLegal Reporter

American Airlines, the world’s largest carrier, today canceled 900 flights to conduct wiring inspections. The airline has scrubbed more than 2,500 flights since Tuesday.

The Federal Aviation Administration has cracked down on airline safety inspections. Last month, it fined Southwest Airlines more than $10 million for failing to inspect its planes as required under FAA rules.

Source: http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-american11apr11

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines today grounded 43 planes to conduct safety inspections. Specifically, the airline is checking for cracks and making sure that the planes are structually sound to fly.

The Federal Aviation Administration last week fined the airline $10.2 million for failing to conduct the required inspections.

It is the largest civil penalty ever imposed on an airline carrier. Southwest says it will appeal.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2008/03/12/afx4765634.html

The Associated Press has released results of a five month investigation which found pharmaceutical drugs present in the drinking water of major cities across the United States. The study raises questions about the safety of our nation’s water supplies and potential affects on public health. About 41 million Americans drink water from treatment plants in which traces of medications have been found.

The AP study notes that actual concentrations of drugs are low and the exact risk to human health is not known. Water authorities insist public drinking water is safe.

Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hGsoyElv4ZL879LW6z2aZS0Pix7AD8VA14500 

The US Senate on Thursday passed one of the strongest consumer product safety bills in more than a decade. The legislation calls for an overhaul of the Consumer Product Safety Commission to be more response to consumer complaints about product safety.

Most notably, the bill calls for the creation of a public database to allow consumers great access to product complaints. It will also increase funding and staff for the agency. It also seeks to strengthen testing on children’s products including reducing the amont of lead allowed in toys.

The bill is a tougher version than the House passed in December.

House and Senate leaders will now meet to sort out differences before sending the legislation to President Bush. 

Source: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/03/cpsc_senate.html

The Kentucky state legislature has passed a new law aimed at curbing accidential fires caused by cigarettes. Senate Bill 134 now requries that all cigarettes sold be able to extinguish themselves when a smoker stops puffing them. The measure has been hailed as a public safety initiative. It comes on the heels of a February 6th house fire that killed 10 people. Investigators believe the cause of that fire was a smoldering cigarette left in a chair.

California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Utah, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont have passed similar laws. The new Kentucky law will take effect next year.  

Source: http://www.kentucky.com/471/story/26609.html