Industrial Process Equipment | Warren Forensics

Testing As Part of Gas Appliance Incident Investigation

Author Warren Team

April 22, 2019

Equipment and appliances supplied with fuel gases like natural gas, propane and butane are a common and convenient part of most of our lives. Such devices as gas grills and ranges, ovens, furnaces, space heaters and water heaters usually perform without incident. However, when they malfunction the potential for incidents such as fires and explosions, carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and burn injuries may occur. These incidents may be due to design and manufacturing defects in the product, or improper installation or operation of the device.

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

Author Jeffery H. Warren

January 29, 2019

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 the open space above the bottom door on the baler and began to clear cardboard from the bale tie slots in the bottom of the raised platen. Suddenly, and without warning, the steel pin attaching the platen to the raised hydraulic cylinder rod failed. The heavy steel platen fell and crushed his arm which was outstretched over the baler door into the compaction space.

Permit-Required Confined Spaces – What You Need to Know to Safely Enter (and Exit!)

Author Jennifer Morningstar

November 7, 2017

According to the OSHA regulations, a confined space is anyplace that meets the following criteria:

(1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and
(2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit; and
(3) Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. Read More

Chemical Engineers: More than Glorified Plumbers – Really!

Author Jennifer Morningstar

July 18, 2017

As a senior at Virginia Tech, I was told that ChemE’s were little more than glorified plumbers. Looking back, I’m pretty sure it was to keep our geek-egos in check. It was an effective tool! However, as I grew and traveled as a professional, it became an effective descriptor; applying to a larger scale and using a modifier or two for specific applications. So, if you have a loss that falls into one of the categories below, a ChemE could be the expert you need. Read More

Graphitic Corrosion – Difficult to determine before a failure!

Author John Phillips

June 30, 2017

Graphitic corrosion is a process that may happen in equipment made of iron, particularly grey cast iron, but also ductile cast iron. Graphitic corrosion can lead to unexpected catastrophic failure of the affected part because the cast iron can lose its strength without a visible warning such as a change in size, shape, or appearance. Read More