by Marc Meadows | Mar 19, 2019 | Blog
Working in oil fields can be a lucrative career, but those jobs can come at a tragic price. The most dangerous place to work in America might be Bakken Oil Field (North Dakota), which has caused at least 74 deaths since the oil boom started there in 2006. Weak...
by Marc Meadows | Feb 19, 2019 | Blog, Forensic Engineering
We like to think that our modern society prevents unnecessary industrial accidents. While we’ve made much progress, we still have a long way to go. Construction sites and manufacturing plants can be dangerous places to work. Heavy machinery, chemicals, and complicated...
by Marc Meadows | Jan 22, 2019 | Blog, Case Study
I’m fascinated by the concept of tolerance in mechanical engineering. Tolerance is the permissible variation between components. In many forensic engineering cases, we see several instances of mechanical failure due to parts that weren’t made to spec. Just how...
by Marc Meadows | Oct 24, 2018 | Blog, Case Study
I love to see what humanity is capable of building. But with heavy machines and structures comes the potential for big accidents. Every safety regulation is written in blood. That’s why any oil rig, factory, or construction site should respect the hallowed words,...
by Marc Meadows | Sep 25, 2018 | Blog, Case Study
In forensic engineering, we look at accidents a little differently than most people. We need to find out how an accident occurred so that we can determine culpability and learn how to prevent a recurrence, since consequences can be grave. How grave? Well, take the...
by Marc Meadows | Aug 21, 2018 | Blog, Forensic Engineering
Many people have a weakness for a good cop or detective show. That’s why there have been more than 1,100 episodes of the Law & Order franchise, Bones got 12 seasons, and Criminal Minds has spawned a couple of spin-off shows after 14 years on the air. As good as...