Forensic Engineers and Consultants

Tag Archive: forensic engineering

  1. Hidden Dangers at Home 3 Surprising Household Hazards You Shouldn’t Ignore

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    Most folks think that chemical hazards are strictly limited to manufacturing or other industrial sites.  The fact that there are potential chemical hazards in the safe confines of their homes often comes as a surprise.

    A surprising number of residential fires are caused by the spontaneous combustion of stain application materials.  When an oil-based stain is applied to furniture or flooring, the oils react with the oxygen in the air to form very large polymer chains.  The process of the liquid stain turning to solid barrier is called curing (it is not drying via evaporation) and the reaction is oxidation.  This reaction generates heat.  On the floor or chair, the heat dissipates into the room without an issue.  That same oxidation reaction is occurring on the brush, towel, sponge, or rag that was used to apply the stain.  If those materials are piled in a corner or in a trash can, the heat cannot dissipate.  If there is enough product present, enough heat can be generated to (more…)

  2. 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: (more…)

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

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    Brian’s Areas of Expertise Include:

    (more…)

  5. More HVAC Equipment Changes on the Way

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    The United States Department of Energy (DOE) finalized energy efficiency standards for residential gas furnaces in late 2023.  These new standards are slated for implementation in late 2028.  The last time the DOE raised the efficiency rating of gas furnaces was in 2007, when the minimum efficiency for gas fired furnaces was raised from 78% to 80% efficient.

    Let’s look at what efficiency means in this context.  In simple terms, (more…)

  6. 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. (more…)

  7. Safety Distance in Machine Safeguarding

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    Hazard can be defined as a potential source of harm.  Machine safeguarding seeks to protect people from these potential sources of harm.  Often distance from a hazard will play a key role in providing a means of protection.

    One would often think of distance as it relates to the location of a barrier guard from a hazard.  ANSI B11.19, Performance Criteria for Safeguarding, defines safety distance as “the distance a safeguard is installed from a hazard such that individuals are not exposed to a hazard.”  An example from ANSI B11.19 of the recommended distance of a slotted opening in a barrier guard from a hazard is shown (more…)

  8. 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.” (more…)

  9. Understanding Heat Transfer: A Guide for Fire Investigators

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    In the realm of fire investigation, understanding heat transfer is crucial. Heat transfer plays a significant role in how fires start, spread, and ultimately, how they can be analyzed and investigated. There are three primary modes of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. In this article, we’ll delve into each of these modes and explore examples of how fire investigators can apply this knowledge to their work. (more…)

  10. Turkey Fryers- Product Design is Critical to Consumer Safety

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    As the holiday season nears, thoughts turn to wonderful home-cooked meals with family.  Few things in life are more pleasurable than a traditional holiday turkey feast. Yet for an unfortunate few, holiday meal time can turn tragic if a turkey frying accident occurs.   While fried turkeys may be tasty, many fire safety experts feel that the reward is not worth the risk.  (more…)

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