Congratulations to Scott Raszeja, MS, PE, intPE, CFEI, CID and Angel Darmer for a great presentation at the DRI Product Liability Conference on February 7, 2020. Scott with AEI Corporation (Advanced Engineering Investigations) and Angel with Carr Allison presented on the topic of printed circuit board failures. Their presentation covered the proper investigation of purported losses and the retention and collection of important, relative data needed to develop a strong defense. Nicely done!
Zachary J. Jason and John L. Schumacher will be presenting on February 7th and 8th, respectively, during the 2019 DRI Product Liability Conference being held in Austin, TX. If you haven’t signed up for this excellent conference yet, there is still time! This conference covers all aspects of defending the product manufacturer, from voir dire to closing arguments, with legal writing and depositions in between.
DRI is an organization whose members are made up of defense attorneys and in-house counsel. DRI provides access to resources and tools to help their members provide excellent service to their clients.
John L. Schumacher, Vice President, MChE, PE, CFI, CFPS, will be presenting as part of the Fire Science and Litigation Session. Mr. Schumacher’s presentation is titled, “Boy, That Escalated Quickly! A Fast-Spreading Fire in an Apartment Building.”
Zach J. Jason, Principal, PE, CFI, CFEI, will be presenting as part of the Young Lawyers Breakout session. Mr. Jason’s presentation will discuss strategies for getting the most out of your expert witnesses, from investigation through trial.
Gasoline begins producing vapors at temperatures well below freezing. On a balmy summer day, gasoline in a fuel tank setting in the sun can reach temperatures within its boiling range. Gasoline temperatures can be further elevated by engine and exhaust heat. If the fuel tank venting is not sufficient, the vapors produced by these elevated temperatures can build pressure inside the gas tank. If the fuel tank is opened under these conditions, liquid gasoline can suddenly be released from the tank. This violent ejection of gasoline is referred to as “gasoline geysering” and the results can be catastrophic. Gasoline can spray onto the equipment operator, the equipment, and surrounding area. If the gasoline gets ignited, property damage, serious injuries, and death can occur.
Over the past several years, the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana has surged. This footage demonstrates the types of explosions that may be experienced in the process of extracting hash oil using butane. Typically, most accidents do not occur in the professional extraction laboratories, but rather in homes, garages, hotels, cars, and anywhere else a user might attempt the extraction process.
Here along the Colorado Front Range, we are no strangers to the wide range of unique and even bizarre, organized summertime outdoor activities like bike rides, run-walks, and even zombie-crawls. One of the latest trends in charity or fun runs is the use of colored powders to dust and color the participants as a way to celebrate their progress along the course of the race or success at the finish. Powdered materials like wheat flour, confectioners’ sugar, coffee creamer, and corn starch are all flammable as mixtures of “dust” in air. This is the same phenomenon that is responsible for grain silo explosions that some readers may have heard about. This video provides a demonstration of the flammability potential.
This video is of a news segment shot by Denver 7 News. In it, AEI simulates a gas grill fire on a patio and possible extension into a dwelling through the overhead eve. In this scenario, the grill catches fire due to a simulated defective seal on a propane cylinder. The news piece contains additional important safety reminders related to grilling, and features AEI engineer, Dennis Shelp.
AEI Corporation (Advanced Engineering Investigations) Senior Consultant, Charles B. (Charlie) Sullivan has been asked to present at all three of the 2019 National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors (NAFED) conferences.
The first of the series will be held in Las Vegas this week, and Mr. Sullivan will be presenting on the topic of commercial kitchen cooking operations and post-fire investigation. NAFED is an association for companies who sell, distribute and service fire equipment. Charles B. (Charlie) Sullivan is an expert in the layout/design, installation, inspection, testing, maintenance, repair and operation of fire suppression systems and their components. Learn more about AEI and Charles Sullivan at www.AEIengineers.com.
2019 Conferences are being held, March 7-8 in Las Vegas, NV, April 11-12 in Atlantic City, NJ, and May 9-10 in New Orleans, LA.
Charles B. Sullivan, ASCR2, CKH2, and Senior Consultant at AEI Corporation, recently gained the distinction of providing expert witness testimony experience at the International Chamber of Commerce – International Arbitration Court in London, England. Mr. Sullivan adds this international experience to his impressive list as an expert witness for cases in the United States.
Mr. Sullivan is an expert in the layout/design, installation, inspection, testing, maintenance, repair and operation of fire suppression systems and their components. He is also knowledgeable about fire alarm systems, plumbing systems, backflow prevention devices, and fire extinguishers. You can reach Mr. Sullivan at Charles@AEIengineers.com, or by calling (303) 756-2900.
AEI Corporation congratulates Charles Brown, IAAI-FIT, for the successful completion of the Propane Education and Research Council’s (PERC) course, “Basic Principles & Practices of Propane.” This is one of several courses Mr. Brown is completing to obtain PERC’s Certified Employee Training Program designation (CETP). The designation is a natural fit with his 20 years of experience working in the propane industry, and current work in forensic engineering.
Mr. Jason is an original member of AEI Corporation, and has been a practicing forensic engineer with the firm since it was founded in 2005.
Mr. Jason is a licensed mechanical engineer and a certified fire and explosion investigator (CFI & CFEI), with more than 13 years of consulting experience providing forensic engineering services throughout the country, as well as internationally. With a primary focus in fire origin and cause determination, explosion investigations, and various other combustion incidents and thermal sciences, Mr. Jason has represented clients ranging from small privately held corporations to Fortune 500 companies in complex matters involving burns, severe injuries, and fatality accidents. He specializes in the failure analysis of gas-fired appliances, plumbing components, HVAC systems, explosives, fireworks, and pyrotechnic systems.
“Zach is a very talented forensic engineer, who always puts his clients first. He is extremely detail oriented, and delivers quality work,” said AEI Corporation President, Jay Freeman. “We are confident he will continue to be an asset to our clients and to AEI’s success.”
Mr. Jason earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Denver in 2005. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas, and is a Board Certified Forensic Engineer through the National Academy of Forensic Engineers.
