Forensic Engineers and Consultants

Archive: Commercial

Machine Guarding Resources

So, you find yourself with a machine hazard that you need to guard.  Where do your turn for guidance regarding guards?  Several resources are available for the person who is tasked with providing machine guarding.

The United States government provides resources in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).  These can be found at www.ecfr.gov.  Title 29 of the CFR, section 1910 covers “General Industry” regulations.  1910 Subpart O, covers Machinery and Machine Guarding.  Definitions are covered in 1910.211 and it is wise to understand how terms are defined. For instance, in 1910.211(a)(1), Point of operations is defined by the regulation as “that point at which cutting, shaping, boring, or forming is accomplished on the stock.” Read More

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Don’t Get Burned With Your Gas Grill!

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If there is one thing Americans can agree upon, it is the enjoyment that comes from an outdoor barbeque.  Whether a summertime cookout or a fall BBQ to watch a football game, we all love the fun and fellowship that comes from sharing a meal that was prepared outdoors on a grill or smoker.  In fact, 64% of Americans own a grill or smoker.  The great majority of these are LP fueled gas grills with comparatively few natural gas fired grills.  These products can be enjoyed safely when designed, installed, and used in a proper manner.  However, given the grill’s use of flammable fuel gas and high temperatures, the potential exists for things to go wrong and result in burn injuries or uncontained fires that spread to the surroundings. Read More

Safety Hazards in Waterjet Cutting

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Waterjet cutting machines (often simply called ‘waterjets’ in the industry) are essentially platforms that use ultra-high pressure water to manufacture cut parts with accuracy as high as .001 inch. They can cut materials ranging from glass and stone to steel and even plastics. Such machines can cost under $1.00 per minute to run, even including labor. Waterjets are some of the most versatile cutting tools available today. They produce virtually no heat-affected zone. They also use CNC (computer numerically controlled) programs, which allow continuously variable speeds for different edge conditions and cut quality. The waterjet dissipates heat, and the jet stream minimizes harmful chemical vaporization from cut materials. Small and mid-sized companies throughout the U.S. depend on these powerful tools to manage all sorts of custom two-dimensional cuts.

But waterjets present unique hazards to the manufacturing environment. The following challenges require special attention: Read More

Machinery Directive VS Machinery Regulation – A Notable Change

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In 2023, the new European Machinery Regulation was published which replaces the 2006 Machinery Directive.  The 2023 Machinery Regulation is slated to be entered into force and application on January 20, 2027.  A number of changes and/or clarifications are included in this new Machinery Regulation, not the least of which is the definition for “substantial modification.” Read More

Pollen Can Cause More Than Allergies

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Slip and falls occur when there is an unexpected loss of traction between a person’s foot and the walking surface, causing them to lose balance and fall.  This type of injury is common and can occur in any setting where people walk, including homes, workplaces, and public areas. Slips can result in serious injuries, particularly for older adults.

The human gait cycle consists of four phases: the Read More

WARREN Welcomes Mechanical Engineer Brian Tenace, M.S.M.E., P.E.

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Brian’s Areas of Expertise Include:

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The Potential Leak in Your Kitchen Cabinet – Flexible Supply Connectors

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One of the more innovative products to emerge on the plumbing scene in the past 20 years or so (in my opinion) is the flexible supply connector.  A lot of people have seen but probably not paid much attention to them under their sink or perhaps from the toilet supply valve to the toilet tank.  Most have Read More

Binocular and Monocular Cues in Depth Perception

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Depth perception is an essential aspect of interacting with and navigating the world for people. Depth perception is the ability to perceive the world in three dimensions (3D). It allows people to judge how far away objects are, how they relate spatially to one another, and how they can successfully interact with them. Depth perception is a critical aspect of vision that enables activities like Read More

New Year, New HVAC Refrigerant

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As we ring in the new year 2025, a significant change is coming for several heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems that are currently used in both residential and commercial applications.  The 2020 American Innovation & Manufacturing (AIM) Act is bipartisan legislation that was signed into law.  The AIM legislation empowers the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce the production and consumption of hydroflourocarbons HFCs by 85 percent by the year 2035. Read More

Materials in HVAC Plenums

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What materials are suitable for installation in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) plenums?  Let’s first define a plenum.  The 2021 edition of the International Mechanical Code (IMC), a subset of the International Building Code (IBC), defines a plenum as “an enclosed portion of a building structure, other than the occupied space being conditioned, that is designed to allow air movement, and thereby serve as a part of an air distribution system.” Read More

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