7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Fork Lifts & Skid Steers
Forklifts, industrial trucks, skid steer loaders, bobcats and other similar material-handling machines are often difficult to maneuver and susceptible to a wide range of accidents. Their nature exposes operators and nearby co-workers to falling loads, crushing hazards and lading dock falls.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Doors & Gates
Doors and gates, whether automated or manual, can pose a serious hazard to users if not designed, manufactured, installed and maintained properly. The different types include automatic doors, overhead garage doors, elevator doors, sliding doors, swinging doors, and automatic gates.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Construction
Construction sites and equipment present many hazards if proper care is not taken. The space in and around a construction site is often filled with potentially dangerous, high-powered equipment capable of delivering high forces.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Computer Simulation
When an understanding of complex motions associated with various accidents is required, computer simulation is an invaluable tool, which allows the modeling and visualization of rollovers and collisions. In addition to vehicle accidents, computer simulation can also be used to create many other systems of masses and contacting surfaces, such as a toppling light pole after it has been struck.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Sports, Gyms & Playgrounds
Recreation, sports, and gym equipment are subjected to large dynamic forces and must be designed to support these loads and protect users from unintentional hazards. Adequate instructions and warnings may be required if their assembly and proper use are not obvious.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Seatbelts
Motor vehicle seatbelt use provides highly effective protection in frontal collisions for impact angles up to 30 degrees off-center (i.e. between 11 and 1 o’clock). All states have laws requiring their use for front seat passengers, as they have been shown to reduce moderate to severe injuries by 50%. They are less effective when your car is hit in the rear or side and sometimes their locking devices malfunction or the anchorage gives way.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Swimming Pools
Though swimming pool accidents are sometimes the result of reckless participant behavior, they can also be caused by inadequate supervision, warnings, structures, or defective pool design. Structures commonly found in or near swimming pools include slides, ladders, diving surfaces and fencing.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Electrical Fires
Electric fires are becoming more common as appliances and electric feeds are used more and more in our daily lives. Like other fires, the root cause of an electric fire is the introduction of heat, oxygen, and fuel.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Products Liability
An end user of a product expects that a given product will not only function as intended, but will be safe from non-obvious hazards. Based upon decades of experience with mishaps during use of common and specialized equipment, thousands of standards have been developed for many consumer products and industrial equipment. Numerous organizations exist, e.g., ANSI, ASTM, SAE, and ASME, that regularly review and update these standards.
7/31/2009· Accident Investigation & Reconstruction
Forensic Engineering Experts: Premises Liability
Places of business, residences, parking and recreational areas contain potential accident sources such as slippery floors and stairs, product displays, automatic doors, ledges, railings, elevators, escalators and other hazardous items. To prevent such items from causing injury to the public, premises owners and their agents have a responsibility to recognize unsafe conditions and exercise reasonable care to maintain or make conditions safe, or warn the public of the risks involved.
by Melvin H. Rudov, PhD, H. Harvey Cohen, PhD CPE
by Jon Burroughs, MD, et al
by Meherwan P. Boyce, PhD, PE
