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Forensic Engineering
Forensic Engineering Process Failure Expert
Witness
Review of a Design/Build
chemical process purchased by our client that failed to perform. Served as
testifying expert witness, evaluating chemical process equipment design,
performance and contract requirements on behalf of owner. Conducted
additional process design mathematical modeling, participated in deposition
of opposing Expert as well as CCC Dr. Jeff Perl deposition, led to a
successful, “….very amicable.….” pre-trial settlement for our client.
Expert Witness - Industrial Fatality
Confidential Client - CCC reviewed Refinery accident specifics. Technical
review provided of accident scenario and deposition taken. Result - Case
settled favorably out of court.
Forensic Engineering - Premature Product Failure
Determined the cause of premature corrosion failure seen in certain buried
electrical boxes. This work performed for a national manufacturer of these
products, involved investigation of soil corrosion parameters as well as
electron microscopy of before and after metal box samples. These studies
identified the root cause to be manufacturing defects in the galvanizing
process as well as corrosive soil conditions.
Forensic And Safety Study Of Fatality
Asked to investigate fatality at the time of an alleged chemical incident.
Reviewed training and procedures. Interviewed employees and measured
ventilation flowrates. Determined which potential
scenarios could and could not have occurred and tested them in the lab to
determine if they could have caused the offgassing
of dangerous levels of chemicals. Testing showed that no firm link could be
established connecting the fatality to an alleged chemical incident. Made
recommendations to improve safety through training, procedures, and facility
upgrades.
Forensic Engineering - Industrial Accidents
Investigated major accidents, one involving a chemical burn fatality and a
second resulting in a serious burn injury with disfigurement from a reactor
explosion. The root cause of the accidents was determined, and corrective
actions developed jointly with production facilities. CCC assisted both
facilities in upgrading safety and operating procedures.
Investigation of Premature Failure of Marine Composite Coatings
Investigated root cause of poor performance in various Marine Hull Coatings
for international manufacturer. Lab work included optical and electron
microscopy, FTIR, and GC. Evaluated degree of
polymerization and crosslinking. Reviewed
manufacturing process at three facilities and inspected coating supplier
manufacturing facility. Evaluated hull cores. Reviewed physical and chemical
properties. Developed coupon-testing program. Multiple failure modes and
several probable causes were identified while other causes were ruled out.
Production changes easy to complete were adopted. Trained client staff to
continue this work as part of ongoing quality control.
Medical Diagnostic Equipment Failure
Ongoing
forensic investigation of medical testing equipment to ascertain medical
electronic diagnostic lab equipment failure modes. Coordinate chemical testing and lab
evaluation to identify contamination source and recommend manufacturing
improvements to eliminate causes. Contaminant particle size, composition and
possible sources were identified.
Telecon and written support to our client’s European partner regarding
report findings and CCC manufacturing upgrade recommendations.
Fraud, Waste And Abuse Review
Confidential Client - CCC served as lead technical advisor and reviewer to
evaluate and quantify large-scale fraud in US Government technical contract
work.
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