It was a pleasure to host an immersive forensic fun day at our London office, attended by graduates and professionals from leading insurance companies including Ecclesiastical, Hiscox, RSA, Chubb, Brit Insurance, AIG, Intact, and Crawfords. Guests explored the world of forensic investigation through a series of interactive activities that demonstrated how Hawkins experts approach incidents to determine root causes. These sessions provided valuable insight into the science and techniques behind our investigations, highlighting the depth of analysis and expertise that supports insurers in resolving complex claims.
A highlight of the day was a hands-on demonstration of our Hirox RX-100 digital microscope, led by Materials Engineer Caroline O’Keeffe. She used the microscope to examine wiring damage in detail, ultimately revealing evidence of rodent activity. Caroline explained how this high-resolution imaging technology plays a vital role in forensic investigations, enabling our experts to analyse minute surface features, tool marks, and trace evidence that are invisible to the naked eye. The demonstration highlighted the precision and depth of analysis our advanced tools provide, giving guests a real insight into the science behind our investigations.
Gareth Dobinson, Principal Associate and Regional Manager of our London office, delivered a practical demonstration on escapes of water, an area that often presents complex challenges in forensic investigation. Gareth explained how installation practices leave subtle traces behind, clues that help investigators determine whether systems were installed correctly and identify potential failure points. He highlighted how joint markings and other physical evidence can reveal critical insights into workmanship and the root causes of leaks. The session gave guests a first hand look at the methods and expertise used to analyse water-related incidents and prevent future failures.
Fire Investigation expert Helen Rosser led a popular fire investigation exercise. Guests were presented with a realistic reconstruction of a fire-damaged socket setup and tasked with determining the cause of a simulated electrical fire. By examining witness marks representing smoke and charring, and testing plug fuses, participants worked to identify which of five household appliances was responsible. The session offered an insight into how fire investigators analyse physical evidence to reconstruct events and pinpoint the origin of a fire.
Road Traffic Collision Expert Ross Clarke presented insights from our RTC team, while Digital Forensics and Photogrammetry expert Inigo Beckett presented our 3D modelling capabilities for scene reconstruction using virtual reality. They took guests through the role of CCTV analysis in RTC investigations, including methods for recovering and preserving recordings, and techniques to verify authenticity using hash numbers and metadata.
Delegates had the opportunity to create plumbing joints, assess wiring systems, and experience 3D imagery of fire scenes on our VR headset, gaining a fully immersive view of forensic techniques at Hawkins. One guest commented:
“I had such an amazing experience. The staff were so friendly and the activities they planned were very informative and unique. I really enjoyed it. The activities ranged from working with VR headsets to see burnt buildings, being shown microscopes and their uses, a plumbing pipe exercise and investigating a cause of fire with plug sockets.”
Please get in touch if you would like to attend a forensic fun day or if you have an incident for us to investigate.
