14 February 2012

VST Nozzle Latches removed in California

In 2010, a judge in California, USA, upheld the state's fire marshal's order for the removal of hold-open latch to be removed from nozzles manufactured by Vapor System Technologies LLC. The state's fire marshal, which is affiliated to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, deemed the defective nozzles to be a fire hazard.

Apparently, a manufacturing defect in VST's nozzles caused 13 incidents where petrol has been sprayed (at the nozzle) before the nozzle was inserted into the vehicle. This happened because the hold-open latch did not disengage after earlier customers used the petrol pump.

The fire marshal's order affected some 3,000 petrol stations in the state of California. The good news was that the fire marshal was working with VST and other petrol nozzle manufacturers to replace the defective VST nozzles with new, safer petrol nozzles with hold-open latches. (At least, that's what the circular dated 23rd August 2010 said.)

Customers who were frustrated with the fire marshal's order to remove the hold-open latches had used other items to keep the latches open, such as "wallets, keys, sunglass holders, tennis balls". Petrol station owners were disappointed with the order because they felt that they would lose business.

“A lot of people have lost business. A little old lady comes in to buy gas; she doesn’t want to stand there and hold that nozzle,” Campbell said. “We felt there could have been a better decision from the state.” (Source: OC Register)


What is disappointing, is the attitude of the company which manufactured the defective nozzles.
Officials from Vapor Systems Technologies said there is nothing inherently wrong with the nozzle.

Todd Sorrell, spokesman for the company, said the majority of malfunctioning nozzles had surpassed their one-year warranty when the incidents occurred. Indeed, “all gasoline nozzles, or any mechanical device for that matter, will eventually fail for some reason,” wrote Glenn K. Walker, Vapor Systems president, in a letter dated June 21, 2010, to California service stations.

The company says the nozzles were damaged by wear and tear. According to the company, every month there are 2,000 drive-offs or breakaways involving its nozzles at California gas stations. A drive-off is when a customer forgets the nozzle in the gas tank and begins to drive away from the pump. (Source: CaliforniaWatch)

Sources:

08 February 2012

Petrol Station Worker Herman Sihas a Hero


Herman Sihas was a petrol station worker, but he was also a selfless hero.

Shortly after the new year, Herman Sihas, a petrol pump worker in Sarawak, lost his life while trying to save a drowning form 6 student, Kho Ying Qi. It was a rainy January morning in Kuching when monsoon drains and the river swelled with flood waters. School was called off for the day.

Ying Qi's car stalled as she drove in the heavy rain, and she walked to the nearby petrol station to get help. She fell into a monsoon drain, which was heavily flooded. It was then that petrol station worker, who saw the scene, rushed out to her rescue. He jumped into the waters to save Ying Qi, but unfortunately lost his life. Herman's body was found two days later. Ying Qi's body was found more than two weeks later.

Herman Sihas was a Bidayuh Salako. He grew up with his family in Kampung Jangkar, Lundu, and obtained his secondary school education in Peninsular Malaysia. He returned to Sarawak several years ago to start working. His cousin Billy Sujang called him a "humanitarian" and said, "Herman’s brave like that. He jumped into the waters. That’s him. When he could help, he helped anyone, including strangers." Herman converted when he was aged 15 years old, while studying in Kuala Lumpur. He was the only Muslim in his family. The Sarawak State Islamic Council agreed to pay for his funeral. (Source)

In recognition of his sacrifice, Herman was posthumously awarded the First Class Certificate of Merit by the Sarawak St John Ambulance. KeADILan Sarawak has also posthumously awarded the 2012 Citizen's Bravery Award to Herman Sihas.

Sources:

06 February 2012

Petrol Pumps in Miri discovered dispensing less fuel

Recently, it was reported that a petrol kiosk in Miri was discovered to dispense 14% less fuel than stated on its meter. This was discovered by the officers of Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) and Metrology Corporation Malaysia (MCM) Sdn Bhd during a routine check. This is an offence under section 30(1) of the Weights and Measures Act 1972, punishable by fine of up to RM250,000-00 for firms and RM15,000-00 for individuals. The petrol station was closed until calibrations, which take half a day, are completed. Each pump or nozzle calibrated will cost the petrol station owner RM104.60. (Source: Borneo Post Online, 28th January 2012. Short-changed by petrol kiosk. URL: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/01/28/short-changed-by-petrol-kiosk/)

Shortly after that, state MDTCC director Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman was reported saying that MDTCC will conduct surprise checks at all petrol stations, due to the shocking discovery of 19 tampered fuel pumps in Miri. Petrol station owners could be fined up to RM15,000-00 or face imprisonment of up to two (2) years. Apparently 29 petrol stations were checked during the routine check. If a pump is suspected to be tampered, the petrol station can be shut down, its fuel pumps sealed and equipment confiscated until the investigation is completed. The state director urged motorists who suspected that they were getting less petrol from the petrol pump to report to the authorities. (Source: Borneo Post Online, 2nd February 2012. Ministry to conduct surprise checks on all petrol stations. URL: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/02/02/ministry-to-conduct-surprise-checks-on-all-petrol-stations/)

When you come to think about it, 19 tampered petrol pumps found in 29 petrol stations means that there is a 65% chance that the petrol pump has been tampered with. All the more reason for routine checks to be carried out. But then again, as a popular saying goes, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." (Source: Wikipedia. Lies, damned lies, and statistics. URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lies,_damned_lies,_and_statistics)

Metrology Corporation Malaysia (MCM) Sdn Bhd is the government-linked corporation that provides verification services of weighing and measuring instruments used for trade in Malaysia. From its website:
Metrology Corporation Malaysia Sdn Bhd was incorporated with the sole objective of providing the verification and re-verification services for all weighing and all measuring instruments use for trade in Malaysia. The company started operation on the 4th April, 2005. Before that all the weighing and measuring instruments were verified and re-verified by the Metric Unit, Enforcement Division, Ministry of Domestic Trade And Consumer Affairs.

All weighing and measuring instruments use for trade need to be verified first before use and re-verified once every twelve months thereafter as stipulated by the Weight and Measures Act 1972. It is an offence to use weighing or measuring instrument without valid verification or re-verification.

The main objective of the government in privatising the verification and re-verification works is to enable more weighing and measuring instruments be verified and re-verified as well as the services could be provided faster. This will benefit the people as well as the business community and the country. Accurate and correct weighing and measuring is one of the basic tenets of trade, fair to the buyer as well as the seller.
(Source: Metrology Corporation Malaysia official website. About Us. URL: http://www.metrology.com.my/english/mcm-company.htm

A copy of the Weight and Measures Act 1972 can be downloaded here.

Pestalotiopsis microspora - Fungi that eats plastic

Dear all,

You may know that plastic is processed from petroleum, and is commonly cited as an ecological problem due to its non-biodegradability. Interestingly enough, a fungus - Pestalotiopsis microspora - has been discovered in the Amazon forest by a research team from Yale University, that appears to eat plastic in airless landfills. Fast Company, in its Co-Exist blog, writes:

The group of students, part of Yale’s annual Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory with molecular biochemistry professor Scott Strobel, ventured to the jungles of Ecuador. The mission was to allow "students to experience the scientific inquiry process in a comprehensive and creative way." The group searched for plants, and then cultured the microorganisms within the plant tissue. As it turns out, they brought back a fungus new to science with a voracious appetite for a global waste problem: polyurethane.

The common plastic is used for everything from garden hoses to shoes and truck seats. Once it gets into the trash stream, it persists for generations. Anyone alive today is assured that their old garden hoses and other polyurethane trash will still be here to greet his or her great, great grandchildren. Unless something eats it.

The fungi, Pestalotiopsis microspora, is the first anyone has found to survive on a steady diet of polyurethane alone and--even more surprising--do this in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment that is close to the condition at the bottom of a landfill.

(Ref: Fast Company - Co-Exist. Fungi Discovered in the Amazon Will Eat Your Plastic. URL: http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679201/fungi-discovered-in-the-amazon-will-eat-your-plastic Accessed: 06th February 2012.)

Now, if only we can farm this fungi, we can grow enough culture of the  to solve the landfill problems of the world. Let's hope that Malaysia will be one of the countries to look into the matter. For further reading on the story: