Crashworthiness: The Science of Collision Protection
Vehicle crashworthiness is the concept of protecting the occupants in the event of a collision. This covers all aspects of safety, from the vehicle’s ability to deform and absorb energy whilst maintaining the integrity of its occupant compartment, to the restraint systems used to help manage occupant movements.
Birmingham Series – Harvesting Hazards
A review of the common causes of agricultural machinery fires during the harvesting season and how to reduce the likelihood of occurrence.
Birmingham Series – The Law Commission Report On Automated Vehicles
An overview of the important factors contained within the Law Commission Report on Automated Vehicles when reconstructing a collision from an expert’s perspective.
Birmingham Series – Large Goods Vehicle Rollovers: Factors Affecting Stability
An overview of the factors affecting vehicle stability which can result in rollovers of Large Goods Vehicles, and the investigation of such incidents.
Glasgow Series – The need for speed: Estimating speed in collision investigations
Gavin will discuss methods in which an expert might estimate vehicle speeds, including a discussion on their reliability and limitations.
Hawkins Webinars: The Glasgow Series
To kick off Hawkins’ educational content for 2023, our Glasgow Office has created a series of webinars covering engineering, fire investigation, and road traffic collision topics. Read a summary of each webinar and register below. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Over-Fired Air (OFA) In Industrial Boilers Presented by Dr Paul Moody 19th January 2023 at 9:30am GMT This webinar will discuss how pollution control technology can cause a loss of steam and/or power generation. Crane Safety: Not Just Torquing Nuts! A Review of the Carol Anne Crane Collapse Presented by John Holland 2nd February 2023 at 9:30am GMT This webinar will review a fatal crane accident on the Carol Anne workboat in 2015 including: The mechanics of the incident The complexity of crane mounting The benefits of investigating at an early stage BLEVEs: The Hidden Danger of Back Boilers Presented by Dr Tom Peat 16th February 2023 at 9:30am GMT This webinar will show the risks associated with domestic back boilers, and how environmental factors and incorrect decommissioning can result in catastrophic damage to property. MEWPs on Construction Sites: A Lower Risk Option Presented by Jon Watkins 2nd March 2023 at 9:30am GMT This webinar will look at the types of Mobile […]
Chris Botham
Chris began his engineering career in 1978 as an apprentice welding and fabrication engineer at National Oilwell, working on projects for the oil and chemical industries. After completing his apprenticeship Chris began work as a welding and fabrication engineer at Fairey Engineering in Manchester, where he worked on projects for the Nuclear Industry and the Ministry of Defence. In the mid 1980s Chris worked for Cunnington & Cooper as a Design Engineer after gaining a Higher National Diploma in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. After completing a lecturer’s qualification and Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chris became a lecturer in Engineering subjects at Stockport College of Technology. Chris completed his Masters Degree in 1996 and began work as a Senior Structural Analyst at the National Nuclear Corporation on projects for the Nuclear Industry and the Ministry of Defence involving finite element analysis and engineering design. Chris brought his wealth of experience to Hawkins in 1999 where he trained in Forensic Engineering and now predominantly investigates incidents and failures involving machinery, product design and manufacture, and personal injury. Chris also carries out investigations into the causes of floods, failures of civil engineering structures and composite materials. These investigations have ranged from small […]
Stuart Whitehead
Stuart began his engineering career at Gee and Company in Birmingham where he was responsible for the design and project management of effluent treatment and chemical dosing equipment for water utility companies and general process industries. In 1996 Stuart moved into the machine tool industry working for British Federal in Dudley. He was initially involved in the test and commissioning of specialist resistance welding equipment for automotive manufacturers. He subsequently broadened his knowledge of automation and welding processes through his involvement in projects using industrial robots. In 1998 Stuart joined the industrial products division of the Japanese corporation Panasonic. Following a placement at their Technical Centre and factory in Osaka, Stuart was responsible for undertaking MIG/MAG welding process studies to confirm project viability and the subsequent sale and implementation of Panasonic robotic welding installations and dedicated machines for Tier One automotive suppliers in the UK. Since joining Hawkins in 2003 he has carried out forensic investigations involving road traffic accidents and their reconstruction, mechanical failures of components of vehicles involved in accidents and fires in vehicles and domestic premises. Due to the large number of cases involving lorries and other heavy vehicles that he is involved with, Stuart trained and […]
James Wade
James graduated from the University of Leeds in 2006 with a MEng degree in Automotive Engineering. Whilst at University he developed a bench top reactor to simulate oil degradation in internal combustion engines and was also an integral part of the University’s Formula Student Engine team, where he designed the fuel, electric and cooling systems for the 2005/6 car. After graduating, he accepted a role as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate working between the University of Sheffield and JCB Earthmovers Ltd. Here, he participated in a research project focussing on optimising the arrangement of pin joint and component materials. The aim of the project was to reduce the dependency on grease whilst improving service life. He developed designs for a test rig which could test a variety of loading conditions and joint arrangements. James then worked as a self-employed subcontractor for a Kent based Kit Car manufacturer where he carried out a variety of roles including design, fabrication, servicing, modification and repair of a broad variety of both road and race cars. In 2010 James set up his own Automotive Engineering practice specialising in the maintenance and modification of classic BMW cars, as well as sourcing parts. James joined […]
Robert Taylor
Robert is an Associate based in our Birmingham office who specialises in the forensic investigation of road traffic collisions, vehicle and mechanical failures, and personal injury claims involving vehicle and workshop related incidents. Robert has completed a wide range of investigations and has prepared numerous CPR compliant reports. He is experienced in completing vehicle examinations, collision scene surveys, analysis of CCTV and ‘dashcam’ recordings, download and analysis of Event Data Recorder (EDR) data, and analysis of the damage sustained to vehicles and how that affects roadworthiness. Before joining Hawkins in 2020, Robert held the position of Principal Engineer at Millbrook Proving Ground, having worked there for nearly nine years. He was the Subject Matter Expert for active safety, having worked extensively in the testing, development, and certification of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and Lane Support Systems (LSS). Robert worked on a wide range of vehicles, ranging from hyper-cars and passenger cars to buses, lorries, and military vehicles. He gained extensive knowledge of vehicular systems and dynamic characteristics, having also held an advanced driving permit allowing him to drive vehicles beyond the limit of grip. Robert graduated from the University of Warwick in 2013 […]