Ford Recalls Two Million F-150s Over Smoking Seatbelts

Ford Motor Company has announced a recall for about two million F-150 pick-up trucks because of reports of smoking seatbelt pretensioners.

The average motorist might be surprised to hear that “pyrotechnics” play a role in automotive safety. Specifically, seatbelts use a small pyrotechnic charge to “cinch” or “tighten” the seatbelt across the driver or passenger’s torso in the event of a crash. Air bags too can be “pyrotechnic.”

Because of this, automotive safety devices are regulated as hazardous materials in transportation.

Ship airbags and seatbelts? Be confident you know how to keep your shipments in compliance. The Shipping Automotive Airbags and Other Safety Devices Online Course provides full hazmat training for managers and personnel who prepare safety devices for transport by ground or air.

Affected vehicles include:

• 2015-18 Ford F-150s built at Dearborn Assembly Plant, 3/12/2014 through 8/23/2018
• 2015-18 Ford F-150s built at Kansas City Assembly Plant, 8/20/2014 through 8/23/2018

In 2015, international and US authorities updated the permissible Proper Shipping Names for airbags and seatbelt pretensioners. As of January 1, 2015, these devices must be identified under UN numbers 0503 for “Safety devices, pyrotechnic” or UN 3268 for “Safety devices electrically initiated.”

Takata Airbag Recall

This is not the first time automotive safety devices have been at the center of a major consumer recall. In May 2015, a major airbag supplier acknowledged defects in its airbag inflators that caused airbags to rupture and spray metal shards into the car.  

That airbag defect was blamed for six deaths and more than one hundred injuries. The recall affected tens of millions of vehicles.  

Get more information on the F-150 recall on Ford’s website.

Hazmat Training for Employees: Shipping Hazmat Airbags and Safety Devices

The Shipping Automotive Airbags and Other Safety Devices Online Course is designed specifically for employees involved in shipping these regulated safety devices.

US DOT requires all employees who prepare airbags inflators for transport (defective or not) complete adequate training once every three years. Parts dealers, service operations, and dealerships must train employees on the rules for classifying, packaging, marking, labeling, and documenting these products for transport. Overlooking the US DOT requirements for hazmat shipping can result not only in costly civil penalties (now above $78,000 per violation, per day), but also in incidents in transit and injury to workers.

Parts managers can enroll their employees at Lion.com or call Lion Technology at 888-546-6511 to inquire about training solutions for groups.
 

Tags: 49CFR, auto parts, DOT, hazmat, hazmat shipping