Forensic Engineers and Consultants

Jeff Warren

Jeff Warren

Jeffery H. Warren

Ph.D., P.E., CSP Phone: 803.732.6600 Cell: 803.413.0202 vCard LinkedIn Download CV

Expertise

  • Machine Design & Safeguarding
  • Machinery & Equipment Analysis
  • Products Liability
  • Risk Assessment
Biography

Dr. Jeff Warren is Chief Engineer and CEO of The Warren Group. A licensed professional engineer in multiple states, he holds a BSME from UNC Charlotte as well as MS and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech — all with machine design emphasis.

A former research engineer for DuPont at the Savannah River Laboratory, Jeff designed, patented and built an incinerator to burn radioactive waste. Later, Jeff was chief machine designer and owner of Warren Engineering Company, Inc., which designed and built special machinery for manufacturing automation. He combined his passion for keeping people safe with his knowledge of mechanical engineering, machine design, risk assessment and safety to pursue a career in forensic engineering.

He is a Certified Safety Professional and has investigated more than 2000 claims involving machinery, equipment and products since 1987. He’s also testified in several hundred depositions and more than 85 trials in state and federal court. He has successfully passed Daubert challenges. Jeff was on the committee that authored ANSI B11.TR3-2000 entitled, “Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction – A Guide to Estimate, Evaluate and Reduce Risks Associated with Machine Tools.”

Jeff regularly investigates personal injury and wrongful death product liability claims as well as property damage claims involving machinery and equipment in both manufacturing and construction workplaces for both the plaintiff and the defense. Jeff can talk to a jury. He has a way of making complicated mechanical engineering, machine design, risk assessment and safety concepts understandable to the ordinary person. He is a court-qualified expert in mechanical engineering, machine design, risk assessment and safety.

Qualifications
B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
Licensed Professional Engineer
Certified Safety Professional
Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator
Certified Fire Investigation Instructor
ANSI B11.TR3-2000 Committee Member
Research Engineer at Savannah River Laboratory
Designer of Special Machinery for Manufacturing Automation
Publications
Settling Complex Claims with the Involvement Matrix

Use of an Involvement Matrix helps identify and clarify roles in complex multiple party claims

CASE STUDY: Can an Interlocked Guard take the Place of LockOut/TagOut?

Can an Interlocked Guard take the Place of LockOutTagOut Yes, if the Requirements of the Minor Servicing Exception are Met

To Analyze Who Else Owns This Loss

Noteworthy tips to consider when investigating any incident to determine responsible parties.

Low Temperature Ignition of Wood

Co-Authored with Jerry Tindal, P.E. Wood fires can ignite well below the commonly recognized ignition temperature. Our latest white paper challenges court rulings regarding pyrolysis and explains how continued data collection will help investigators properly address future litigation.

Analysis of a Double Fatality Fire Allegedly Caused by a Portable Electric Heater

A portable electric heater was ultimately proven not to cause a tragic fire in which two children perished. The analysis performed shows the importance of conducting a thorough investigation and is a prime example of how utilizing the current scientific methodology is vital to getting to the bottom of a complex fire loss.

Don’t Let Your Child Be Injured

Some recliner chairs have a defective design that can cause death or serious injury to children due to an entrapment.

Investigation Saves Money on Tank Explosion Claim

Use of a “Responsibility Matrix” helps sort out a claim involving an explosion of a fuel oil tank being cut and welded on by a contractor

Documents You May Want to Ask for When Working a Machinery & Equipment Claim

Proper collection of documents is necessary to an efficient and organized process for working machinery and equipment claims.

Who Else Owns This Fire Loss?

A thorough analysis and asking proper questions assist in determining the other parties that may be partially or wholly responsible for a loss.

Wind & Water Investigation Tips

When it comes to wind and/or water damage claims, you can never have enough documentation. Here are a few tips to follow when recording and collecting specific data relative to the storm.

Recent Posts

Conveyor Backstops: Sometimes One Isn’t Enough, Part 2

This is the second in a two-part blog series about conveying equipment that severely injured a worker at a mine. In case you missed it, click here to read Part 1 where I describe the incident and the mining equipment. In this part, I will discuss my engineering analysis of the incident and the machinery […]

Conveyor Backstops: Sometimes One Isn’t Enough, Part 1

This is the first of a two-part blog series describing an incident involving conveying machinery that seriously injured a miner. Part 1 describes the machinery and the incident. In Part 2 I will summarize my engineering analysis of the incident and share the conclusions I reached. A loaded, inclined conveyor belt may contain hazardous levels […]

Staying Connected on the Loop: Two by Two’s Mobile Internet Setup

After completing the sit-stand workstation in the guest stateroom of our 47’ Nova Scotia pilothouse trawler, Two by Two, that I reported in a previous blog, I found I needed an internet connection with reasonable speed and reliability.  While almost every marina will give you a password for their WiFi, the quality of most marina […]

Working on the Waves While Working the Waves…

The rumors of my pending retirement have been greatly exaggerated….. Ever since I heard about The Great Loop I have wanted to cruise it (www.greatloop.org).  To successfully complete the Loop, one needs to have 3 things: adequate equipment, adequate time, and adequate health. I had the first and third.  To secure the second, I had […]

Unguarded Shear Point on Force Tester Amputates Worker’s Finger

A worker was injured while testing gas springs similar to the type that hold the hatchback of an SUV open. The hazard that injured the worker was an unguarded shear point. The tester contained a mounting plate that was raised and lowered by a pneumatic cylinder. The pneumatic cylinder lowered the mounting plate while the […]

Case Study: Fatality Servicing Unsupported Excavator Boom

A mini-excavator at a job site developed a leak at a hydraulic fitting at the base of the cylinder that raises and lowers the boom. A subcontractor foreman at the site raised the boom to search for the leak. The foreman found and attempted to tighten the leaking fitting. When he did, the fitting separated […]

Defective Vertical Baler Causes Serious Crush Injury to Operator’s Arm

I recently worked on an interesting case involving a box baler. An employee of a butcher shop put some empty cardboard boxes in a vertical box baler and pushed the control switch to compact the boxes. After the 30 by 60 inch platen weighing 851 pounds returned to its raised position, the employee reached into […]

Children Will Fall At Playgrounds. What Shall We Do To Protect Them? A Multipart Blog Series – Part II: A Brief Summary of Playground Safety Standards

Welcome to the second part in our multipart blog series examining a young boy’s fall and injury at a public playground. If you missed the first part in this series, click www.warrenforensics.com/2017/10/11/children-will-fall-at-playgrounds-what-shall-we-do-to-protect-them-a-multipart-blog-series-part-i/ to read it. In this post, we will highlight some resources that designers of public playgrounds can use to help ensure their designs […]

Warren Announces the Retirement of Dan Olson

With both pleasure and regret, Warren announces the retirement of Dan Olson. Dan has been a consulting engineer at Warren since its founding 20 years ago and has been a leader in the development of Warren and its culture from the onset.

Dr. Jeff Warren is Chief Engineer and CEO of The Warren Group. A licensed professional engineer in multiple states, he holds a BSME from UNC Charlotte as well as MS and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech — all with machine design emphasis.

A former research engineer for DuPont at the Savannah River Laboratory, Jeff designed, patented and built an incinerator to burn radioactive waste. Later, Jeff was chief machine designer and owner of Warren Engineering Company, Inc., which designed and built special machinery for manufacturing automation. He combined his passion for keeping people safe with his knowledge of mechanical engineering, machine design, risk assessment and safety to pursue a career in forensic engineering.

He is a Certified Safety Professional and has investigated more than 2000 claims involving machinery, equipment and products since 1987. He’s also testified in several hundred depositions and more than 85 trials in state and federal court. He has successfully passed Daubert challenges. Jeff was on the committee that authored ANSI B11.TR3-2000 entitled, “Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction – A Guide to Estimate, Evaluate and Reduce Risks Associated with Machine Tools.”

Jeff regularly investigates personal injury and wrongful death product liability claims as well as property damage claims involving machinery and equipment in both manufacturing and construction workplaces for both the plaintiff and the defense. Jeff can talk to a jury. He has a way of making complicated mechanical engineering, machine design, risk assessment and safety concepts understandable to the ordinary person. He is a court-qualified expert in mechanical engineering, machine design, risk assessment and safety.

B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
Licensed Professional Engineer
Certified Safety Professional
Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator
Certified Fire Investigation Instructor
ANSI B11.TR3-2000 Committee Member
Research Engineer at Savannah River Laboratory
Designer of Special Machinery for Manufacturing Automation
Settling Complex Claims with the Involvement Matrix

Use of an Involvement Matrix helps identify and clarify roles in complex multiple party claims

CASE STUDY: Can an Interlocked Guard take the Place of LockOut/TagOut?

Can an Interlocked Guard take the Place of LockOutTagOut Yes, if the Requirements of the Minor Servicing Exception are Met

To Analyze Who Else Owns This Loss

Noteworthy tips to consider when investigating any incident to determine responsible parties.

Low Temperature Ignition of Wood

Co-Authored with Jerry Tindal, P.E. Wood fires can ignite well below the commonly recognized ignition temperature. Our latest white paper challenges court rulings regarding pyrolysis and explains how continued data collection will help investigators properly address future litigation.

Analysis of a Double Fatality Fire Allegedly Caused by a Portable Electric Heater

A portable electric heater was ultimately proven not to cause a tragic fire in which two children perished. The analysis performed shows the importance of conducting a thorough investigation and is a prime example of how utilizing the current scientific methodology is vital to getting to the bottom of a complex fire loss.

Don’t Let Your Child Be Injured

Some recliner chairs have a defective design that can cause death or serious injury to children due to an entrapment.

Investigation Saves Money on Tank Explosion Claim

Use of a “Responsibility Matrix” helps sort out a claim involving an explosion of a fuel oil tank being cut and welded on by a contractor

Documents You May Want to Ask for When Working a Machinery & Equipment Claim

Proper collection of documents is necessary to an efficient and organized process for working machinery and equipment claims.

Who Else Owns This Fire Loss?

A thorough analysis and asking proper questions assist in determining the other parties that may be partially or wholly responsible for a loss.

Wind & Water Investigation Tips

When it comes to wind and/or water damage claims, you can never have enough documentation. Here are a few tips to follow when recording and collecting specific data relative to the storm.

Conveyor Backstops: Sometimes One Isn’t Enough, Part 2

This is the second in a two-part blog series about conveying equipment that severely injured a worker at a mine. In case you missed it, click here to read Part 1 where I describe the incident and the mining equipment. In this part, I will discuss my engineering analysis of the incident and the machinery […]

Conveyor Backstops: Sometimes One Isn’t Enough, Part 1

This is the first of a two-part blog series describing an incident involving conveying machinery that seriously injured a miner. Part 1 describes the machinery and the incident. In Part 2 I will summarize my engineering analysis of the incident and share the conclusions I reached. A loaded, inclined conveyor belt may contain hazardous levels […]

Staying Connected on the Loop: Two by Two’s Mobile Internet Setup

After completing the sit-stand workstation in the guest stateroom of our 47’ Nova Scotia pilothouse trawler, Two by Two, that I reported in a previous blog, I found I needed an internet connection with reasonable speed and reliability.  While almost every marina will give you a password for their WiFi, the quality of most marina […]

Working on the Waves While Working the Waves…

The rumors of my pending retirement have been greatly exaggerated….. Ever since I heard about The Great Loop I have wanted to cruise it (www.greatloop.org).  To successfully complete the Loop, one needs to have 3 things: adequate equipment, adequate time, and adequate health. I had the first and third.  To secure the second, I had […]

Unguarded Shear Point on Force Tester Amputates Worker’s Finger

A worker was injured while testing gas springs similar to the type that hold the hatchback of an SUV open. The hazard that injured the worker was an unguarded shear point. The tester contained a mounting plate that was raised and lowered by a pneumatic cylinder. The pneumatic cylinder lowered the mounting plate while the […]

Case Study: Fatality Servicing Unsupported Excavator Boom

A mini-excavator at a job site developed a leak at a hydraulic fitting at the base of the cylinder that raises and lowers the boom. A subcontractor foreman at the site raised the boom to search for the leak. The foreman found and attempted to tighten the leaking fitting. When he did, the fitting separated […]

Defective Vertical Baler Causes Serious Crush Injury to Operator’s Arm

I recently worked on an interesting case involving a box baler. An employee of a butcher shop put some empty cardboard boxes in a vertical box baler and pushed the control switch to compact the boxes. After the 30 by 60 inch platen weighing 851 pounds returned to its raised position, the employee reached into […]

Children Will Fall At Playgrounds. What Shall We Do To Protect Them? A Multipart Blog Series – Part II: A Brief Summary of Playground Safety Standards

Welcome to the second part in our multipart blog series examining a young boy’s fall and injury at a public playground. If you missed the first part in this series, click www.warrenforensics.com/2017/10/11/children-will-fall-at-playgrounds-what-shall-we-do-to-protect-them-a-multipart-blog-series-part-i/ to read it. In this post, we will highlight some resources that designers of public playgrounds can use to help ensure their designs […]

Warren Announces the Retirement of Dan Olson

With both pleasure and regret, Warren announces the retirement of Dan Olson. Dan has been a consulting engineer at Warren since its founding 20 years ago and has been a leader in the development of Warren and its culture from the onset.

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