Tips And Advice | Warren Forensics

Case Study: Fatality Servicing Unsupported Excavator Boom

April 22, 2019

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 from the base of the cylinder, releasing the hydraulic pressure that held the boom aloft. The boom fell and the bucket struck a nearby superintendent for the general contractor.

Gas Appliance Loss Investigation: Testing

Author John Holecek

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.

Why investigators should have “Scaled Diagrams” of scenes?

Author Al Duncan

March 15, 2019

When it comes to diagramming a crash scene, there are several methods to complete the task. Forensic Mapping, (locating, positioning, and documenting the evidence of a collision scene to scale) is essential to having the answers to the questions “Who, What, Where, When, and Why”. Photographs do a great job showing what the investigators saw post collision; yet they lack scale and the ability to describe pre-collision movement. Having a computer aided diagram (CAD) of the collision scene goes much further than the pictures can; here is why.

A scale diagram gives the full overview of a collision scene from either a 2D or 3D point of view. Being able to see how things lined up, how they came together and how they parted helps explain the events within a crash. When a scene can be viewed from top down or any angle, that helps relay the facts. The investigator, judge, or jury will get Read More

Danger Lurking in the Hot Tub

Author Roger Davis

March 15, 2019

Several dangers involving the use of a hot tub (spa) may readily come to mind, such as the risk of shock or electrocution, or the risk of drowning for unsupervised young children. Not so readily apparent is the effect of overheating the human body, or “hyperthermia”.

Some individuals are more susceptible to the effects of hyperthermia, including the elderly, young children, and those in poor health. The effects of hyperthermia, or overheating of the human body, cause direct responses such as headache, nausea, heat exhaustion, increased cardiac output, lethargy, confusion, heat stroke and unconsciousness. The onset of hyperthermia is defined as being at 99.5° F; if the body temperature reaches 104° F, a life-threatening medical emergency exists. Read More

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.

Not Your Father’s House Fire

Author Jennifer Morningstar

January 28, 2019

Remember the good old days when our homes were built with only lumber, dry-wall, and roofing? Me neither. However, we talk about ‘modern’ construction materials like this is a new phenomenon. The truth is ‘modern’ construction materials started sneaking into homes over fifty years ago. It’s not only construction materials that have changed: a century ago, we furnished our houses with wood, cloth, metal, and glass. Today, it’s plastics, foams, and coatings.

Right Turn Only

Author Al Duncan

January 18, 2019

In my 25 years of investigating collisions and traffic related incidents, one thing I have noticed repeatedly is that right turns are considerably better than lefts. I know it is obvious and sometimes seems a little petty; however, when it comes to the safety of your family, it is a big deal. Since I am currently in the process of teaching my second child how to drive, I am harping on vehicle safety a lot and this is one of the many practices I teach. I have instilled in my children (and my wife has picked up on it as well) that they should always plan out their route and, in doing so, make right turns instead of lefts whenever possible. The “Right Turn Only” practice will make your travels safer.

Are 10 Minutes Worth the Risk?

Author Al Duncan

September 25, 2018

Before retiring as a S.C. State Trooper, and to this day, people routinely ask me, “How fast can I go before I get a speeding ticket?” Let me start by saying one mile per hour over the speed limit can subject you to a speeding ticket. While different officers have different standards, it is easier to talk your way into a ticket than to talk your way out of one. So, much like the number of licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop, the world may never know an exact answer to how fast you can go over the posted limit without a citation. A better question is ‘What is the benefit of exceeding the posted limit?’ Read More

Piecing it Together…Traced Evidence

Author Al Duncan

June 8, 2018

In the field of forensic investigations of traffic collisions, it can be repeated over and over that little things matter. It’s the details that align the facts to describe the event and answer the questions about the crash. Sometimes those details are simple, and they are often overlooked. The damage sustained by a vehicle involved in an accident tells a reconstructionist a lot. Your collision reconstruction could benefit from mapping the damage profiles of the involved vehicle(s) to assist in answering questions about the incident. Read More

Figure 1: A typical Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) Receptacle.

Testing…testing… Is this thing on?

Author Tom Kelly

April 9, 2018

Many people just take for granted that something is just going to work, and in many cases assume that it will work forever. One such device that does not get enough attention is the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). Simply put, a GFCI is a protective device that compares the current flowing on the hot and neutral wires of the circuit and will “trip” to disconnect power to the circuit if a small imbalance of current is detected. The imbalance of current is an indication of a dangerous alternate path for the current to flow from a damaged line cord or a fault inside an appliance and constitutes a shock hazard to a person. Read More