BakerRisk scientists and engineers provide technical litigation support through determining what, why, and how an incident occurred. Services include:
Defective Tank Vent Design - An explosion occurred in an atmospheric pressure tank containing a flammable liquid. A newly designed vent system allowed air in-leakage by natural convection, forming a flammable mixture inside the tank in spite of inert gas flow. BakerRisk involvement included on-site forensic support, thermal/hydraulic analysis that identified the design defect, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) structural response modeling of the tank, and scale model demonstration testing of the vent system.
Fertilizer Plant Explosion - An ammonium nitrate neutralizer (explosion yield of 5,000 lb TNT equivalent) accidentally detonated. BakerRisk provided site management and cause analysis following the incident. BakerRisk supported the resulting litigation with expertise in blast effects forensics, incident reconstruction, and modeling the ammonium nitrate thermal runaway chemistry that initiated the event.
Process Safety Management Incident - The unintended mixing of chemicals resulted in a reaction and explosion. BakerRisk provided technical litigation support for the case concerning the development, implementation, and adherence to process safety management (PSM) programs including Management of Change (MOC) and Process Hazards Analysis (PHA). BakerRisk's extensive experience in PSM provided a sound basis on which to provide opinions on the system in question as compared to standard industry practice.
Industrial Factory Fire - A factory in which mechanical tools were assembled suffered a large fire. BakerRisk provided cause and origin investigation team leadership, addressed potential environmental and personnel hazards, documented the scene, managed evidence chain of custody, and coordinated activities of specialty area investigators.
Seal Failure Analysis - A high-pressure swivel joint, called a chiksan, blew out at 8,000 psi during an oil well workover. BakerRisk's Finite Element Analysis revealed that a sudden decrease and increase in pressure when a valve was rapidly opened and closed caused an elastomer seal to dynamically decompress out of its seat, causing an uncontrollable catastrophic leak. In-situ testing of the rubber seal verified the results of the Finite Element Analysis.
Tool Failure Analysis - A pneumatic gun failed and fragmented. BakerRisk provided experimental failure analysis of the accident comparing the use of pressurized oxygen in place of compressed air. High-speed video of the incident re-enactment and fragmentation analysis demonstrated the failure mode in a product liability suit.