Let's Get Serious About Product RecallsBy Danny Tyree December 01, 2014
"Graco recalls almost 5 million strollers in the U.S. due to fingertip amputation hazard." "Craigslist founder dodges questions on recall policy." "Safety agency admonishes Chrysler for handling of Jeep recall." And that's just a sampling of recent newspaper headlines. Some combination of poorly trained or lackadaisical workers, unreasonable production schedules and careless miscommunications keep the consumer safety folks on constant alert. For years there has been a rule of thumb about "never buy a car made on Monday or Friday" (because of the danger of either hangovers or preoccupation with the upcoming weekend), but in 2014 (whether we're talking about pharmaceuticals, toys or appliances) we seem to be tiptoeing through a minefield.
Airbag Recall
Remember the old Ford Motor Company slogan "Quality is Job One?" Now workers at whatever company (commenting off the record) will say, "Quality? Oh, that's the department where the boss's nephew is always flirting with the receptionist." Remember when R&D stood for "Research and Development," not "Rushing and Dismemberment"? (When my wife the college biology teacher was in manufacturing, she became persona non grata because she wouldn't rubberstamp approval of behind-schedule products that hadn't been properly tested yet.) Craftsmen used to "measure twice and cut once," mindful of their reputation. Mass manufacturers are more worried about the reputation of their liability lawyers. Henry Ford famously stated that the consumer could purchase any color of vehicle he wanted - as long as it was black. Modern manufacturers promise, "You can purchase any color of car you want - as long as you don't sue if the engine catapults out."
GM Recall
Sometimes a recall notice leaves us sighing, "Yeah, I can see how that mix-up happened," but other times the errors go above and beyond the call of duty. ("We regret that Yeti hair and out-of-date wine from the Holy Grail somehow got mixed in with our infant formula.") At least there's a certain amount of karma involved. Corporations may try to sweep bad news under the rug, but they wind up using a defective broom that severs an artery. "What could possibly go wrong?" should not be a cheerful rhetorical question, but a challenge to examine every contingency. It's time for zero tolerance of incompetence and subterfuge. Let's bring some real penalties to bear on those who foist stupid mistakes upon the public. Please join me in petitioning President Romney on this important matter.
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