Samsung issued a public apology in connection with the illnesses and deaths of some workers exposed to chemicals at its facilities in South Korea. The company says it will compensate those former manufacturing plant employees affected by leukemia and other blood-related cancers; however, those parties are also seeking compensation from a government insurance fund. “It is truly sad and heart-breaking for us,” the company said in a statement. “We feel regret that a solution for this delicate matter has not been found in a timely manner, and we would like to use this opportunity to express our sincerest apology to the affected people.” Supporters for the Health And Rights of People in the Semiconductor Industry (SHARPS), an advocacy group, say 26 individuals who worked in Samsung’s Gi-Heung and On-Yang semiconductor plants have reported leukemia and lymphoma and of those, 10 people have died. A third-party investigation commissioned by Samsung in 2011 reportedly found no connection between the manufacturing plants and leukemia. (PC World)(Bloomberg)(The Associated Press)
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Toyota Issues Prius Recall for Faulty Software
Toyota announced that it is recalling 1.9 million third-generation Prius vehicles to repair faulty software in the hybrid gas-electrical system. The software problem is related to control systems for boost converters—designed to increase the voltage in batteries small enough to fit in hybrid vehicles that could cause overheating in some transistors, which would shut down the hybrid system and, in some cases, cause the vehicle to unexpectedly stop. Since May 2011, 451 drivers have reported such problems. However, noted Toyota, no accidents have been attributed to the defect, according to Toyota. About half the recalls— about 1 million vehicles—are in Japan and roughly 700,000 or 37 percentare in North America. This is the third recall for the Prius, first produced in 1997 and now Toyota’s best-selling model. (Wall Street Journal)(Reuters)(Bloomberg)(Toyota)
