Trial By Fire: Investigating Faults in Lithium Ion Batteries
Batteries have become ubiquitous in our everyday life, from the vehicles we drive to the personal devices we carry everywhere.
Clara Lloyd Joins Hawkins’ Fire Investigation Team
Clara joins Hawkins’ Fire Investigation team after working in the chemical and nuclear engineering industries.
Investigating The Causes Of Vehicle Fires
An absolute must when avoiding vehicle fires, is for any driver to check that the vehicle is safe to drive. UK Government regulations state that the duties of a motorist include:
Registering the vehicle with the DVLA
Keeping the vehicle’s tax up to date
Obtaining a current MOT certificate
Maintaining the roadworthy condition of a vehicle
Having a minimum third-party insurance that covers use of the vehicle
James Morris Joins Hawkins’ Fire Investigation Team
James joins Hawkins’ Fire Investigation team after working in the petrochemical and biochemical industries.
Thatch Fires and Wood Burning Stoves
Fires involving thatched roofs are normally devastating, resulting in significant emotional distress for homeowners and substantial financial losses for insurers.
Calcium Oxide and its Exothermic Reactions
Some unusual aspects that caused an exothermic reaction, and relate to the use of calcium oxide (also known as quicklime), as an animal-friendly sanitization product.
Fire Safety Design, Construction and Management Challenges
Following the Grenfell Tower fire disaster in 2017, the government commissioned an independent review of Building Regulations and fire safety.
Fires In Heritage Buildings
The British are known worldwide for our love of tradition, which goes hand in hand with our fascination with heritage buildings. Varying enormously in scale, complexity and construction, heritage properties are buildings of special architectural or historic interest; but they were often originally constructed with no consideration of fire.
The Human Side of Investigation
Fire investigation goes beyond science. Investigators interact with people in crisis, using empathy to gather evidence. The job is emotionally demanding, with pressure to solve cases and exposure to tragedy. Mental health is crucial, and investigators need support to cope with the emotional toll.
Fire in a Road Sweeper – The False Economy of a Cheaper Supplier
Hawkins was instructed to investigate the cause of a fire in an electric road sweeper which occurred at a council depot approximately ten minutes after a service engineer had repaired the sweeper.