Forensic Engineers and Consultants

Category Archive: Case Studies

Jury Claims Swamp Cooler is Not Defective; Interlocked Guards are Not Required

Author

An evaporative cooler, also known as a “swamp cooler”, is an air conditioner that works by evaporating water.   A float valve keeps several inches of water in the bottom of the unit. A pump takes water from the pan to the top of a series of vertical pads made of absorbent materials like wood fibers. The water flows by gravity through the fiber pads. A fan pulls hot air from outside the house through the soaked pads. Water in the pads evaporates, cooling the air and increasing its humidity. The cooled and humidified air is blown back into the house. Evaporative coolers need to be cleaned periodically. Read More

Safety Inspections for Outdoor Decks are Necessary

Author

The North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) recognizes the month of May as Deck Safety Month®. This is the time of the year to get serious and take the necessary steps to safeguard your deck so that it is enjoyable not only for your family, but your friends and any visitors. The NADRA has a deck safety program and they just released a video in an effort to save lives and prevent injuries and to protect your family and friends. Read More

Forensic Examination of Losses that Include Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s)

Author

Many modern machines and processes are controlled by Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s).  PLC’s are essentially computers that have the ability, properly connected and programmed, to interface with the outside world and control the actions of a machine like a robot or conveyor.  The PLC has a processor for processing the user programmed logic, and also has input / output (I/O) wiring provisions for both analog (e.g. temperatures and pressure transducers) and digital (e.g. limit switches and indicator lights) devices.  Read More

Why did he fall off the edge? – Part 2 of series on Fall Through Openings

Author

As an experienced safety consultant, I have investigated many incidents in which a worker falls through an opening.  The majority of these types of fall incidents have occurred at construction sites and most resulted in a serious injury or death. Read More

A Small Water Line Leads to a Large Loss

Author

A large oceanfront house was custom built after two years of planning and construction.  The house had three stories over an elevated foundation.  Shortly after the house was completed, the owners arrived one evening and found water pouring from above when they parked in the garage beneath the living spaces.   Read More

Crane Incident Handbook

Author

Cranes are powerful lifting devices that we see everyday in construction areas, shipping terminals, and industrial sites. They are so common that we often pass by them with little thought. Cranes, however, can easily become involved in incidents that injure people or damage equipment. Read More

Stay in Control: Manipulation of Electrical Controls Can Lead to Fires and Explosions

Author

We have a saying at Warren, “When we go to work on a new case, usually someone else has had a very bad day.” If you are a plant manager at a factory, you know it’s a bad day when you hear the fire alarm or a loud explosion emanating from the back of the plant. Read More

Who Else Owns This Construction Loss Course

Author

When a worker is badly injured on a construction site, adjusters or investigators are often hired to determine pursuit or defense of a subrogation case.  This slideshow gives an overview of several real-world investigations and helps viewers understand some of the issues involved in construction related subrogatable incidents. Read More

Container Handler Fire

Author

Container handlers are mobile, rubber-tired, machines that are used to load and stack standard containers at a variety of shipping terminals.  The machines resemble oversized forklifts but are equipped with shipping container lift spreaders instead of forks.  The machines are often equipped with sophisticated computer systems that inform the operator which container needs to be lifted as well as its destination, whether it is a truck, train, or storage stack. Read More

Where did that hole come from? Part I

Author

As an experienced safety consultant, I have investigated many incidents in my career in which a worker “falls through an opening.”  The majority of these incidents have occurred at construction sites and most of the ones I investigated resulted in a serious injury or death. Read More

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