I don't think this is a good idea...

[metrologist]

It was discovered that the restaurant had turned up the temperature of the coffee dispenser significantly higher than the "normal and recommended" temperature. This was apparently a practice used by some restaurants to create more "coffee aroma" to boost sales.  It was specifically because of the abnormally high (and dangerous) temperature that people attribute to the reason the plaintiff was successful in that legal case.  And the reason for the significant monetary award.

I can't find it now but read a few articles on it again and the facts are getting a bit distorted (several articles I found were recent). Anyway, I read a long while back that the real reason was not the temperature, but the cups. I read that the volume of complaints were more related to cup integrity, just structural. There were documents indicating there was a problem with the glued joint of the bottom of the cup, and that the foam was too thin/flimsy. They key point was during discovery executive memos found about the glue problem and management's callous dismissal based entirely on the rate of people affected and cost analysis of fixing the problem vs just paying out the kind of claims they initially offered ($800). So McD had a documented strategy of how they planned to mitigate this issue. But maybe that article did not have all the right facts either...


I've watched a few of this guys videos and I've seen this one before, did not consider this for electric wires. I do not think a warning here is really necessary, but perhaps some welding videos should have a warning about not soldering circuit boards with a welder.

[Winston]

After all, I believe the OP is a forum member who did not recognize that this was not meant to be applied to electrical wires.

Yes, the first closeup of the single wire looked like it was a solid wire with brown insulation, but on a second look it isn't. That incorrect impression that he was doing this to electrical wire was reinforced by his later twist bundling of several of them, something which is actually the very handy way that I have twisted electrical wires together, but not as tightly as he did.

[timb]

I think she should have won a refund, apology and perhaps medical expenses, not millions of dollars.

She only sued for medical expenses, it was a jury that awarded her millions due to facts that came out during the case (namely that McDonalds had been turning the coffee machines heat well above safe standards and problems with the design of the cup). Turns out, other people had been burnt before her (enough to require minor medical treatment).

So, they knew it was a problem and intentionally ignored it. Keep in mind also that the woman didn't actually get millions of dollars; a judge slashed the jury award down significantly.

Finally, the "CAUTION: HOT" warning was *already* on the cups well before this incident. In fact, it's been on the cups since they switched from styrofoam to paper in the early 90's!

[CatalinaWOW]

OK, that coffee cup case had merit.  Although there is still dispute about what the appropriate and safe temperatures for delivery of coffee are.  Some want it delivered very hot so that it will be drinkable when they reach their destination.  Others have a low tolerance for hot liquids and want to drink it immediately.

Many of the warnings don't.

I love the California one.  This store may contain chemicals known to cause cancer.  Or the related one, also California related, that causes wood to be labeled as containing chemicals known to cause cancer.  Not treated wood, just plain kiln dried timber.  Which has residues of creosote, turpentine and other horrible things.  I am waiting for a sign a the National Parks entrances letting you know that the wonderful smell is caused by volatile hydrocarbons with known carcinogenic properties.  Danger, do not go to Lake Tahoe, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Muir Woods or any of those other dangerous places.

This nonsense is not uniquely from the US.  I will repeat over and over the RFP received once from a European nation for a piece of electronic gear.  Required that it be certified to contain no hazardous materials including Lead, Cadmium, Chromium and COPPER!  I suppose they wanted the whole thing made with silver and gold, along with assurance that there was no Silver Nitrate residue.