This can still be reduced to a profit motive, actually.
Liability sounds all scary, but for a corporation it’s only scary because of the cost.
Hard disagree.
A malfunctioning device during open heart surgery means a high risk including potential death to the patient.
Liability = responsible for someone’s death.
The consequence would be a potential settlement with their family, negative publicity and whatever might negatively affect the financial bottom line, granted. But believe it or not, we actually care about patients surviving.
I don’t doubt that. I worry about the guiding principle for those who have the power to make the final decision being profit, and the human issue for them merely a benefit.
But, otherwise, I do think I understand if not agree entirely with what you said. Thank you guys, again, for a better understanding that it’s not as simple as it looks on the surface. I won’t argue against that, it’s clearly true.
I can agree with both points but I understand OP’s points too.
I work with high pressure hydraulic systems and our gauges that we use for testing and operational checks have to be calibrated to within a very small margin per the manufacturer, if it’s unable to be calibrated to within that margin or if it’s been recalibrated X amount of times we have to toss it and replace it (they’re expensive btw…). To the lay man, a difference of 50psi might seem inconsequential and a stupid reason to throw it out but for someone like me who is standing next to something that’s already pressurized to its “proof pressure” which is usually multiple times higher than it’s operating pressure, that 50psi is the difference between me going home that evening or me getting impaled by an accumulator that blows apart and pins me to the wall.
For an example more akin to what OP is talking about, see the Therac-25 radiotherapy machine, where improper use, training and maintenance led to several otherwise preventable deaths.
I’m no expert, but I’ve been around hydraulic equipment enough to not underestimate your argument.
I guess I still find fault in the corporate attitude of leaving this not well addressed. Known valid concerns about the long term safety if their equipment… it’s hard for me to not want more from the company in regards to finding a better solution.
Thank you, though, I do think I better understand the controversial nature of this whole story.
It’s understandable in the end. I do feel the same way sometimes about our equipment we have to throw out even if I do so begrudgingly
corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 1 year ago
America is the most litigious region on the planet.
You sure you’re carefully assessing the risk?