Fuel Gas and Related Products - 35 Years Hands-On Experience - Investigation, Consulting and Testimony

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Bernzomatic, Fuel Gas and Related Products, Engineer-Director of Product Engineering (1968 - 1991) Nelson Design, Product Design & Litigation Consulting. (1992 - Present) Designed and developed 35 gas-fired and related products with unit distribution in the tens of millions. Detailed hundreds of components; tested dozens of diverse products for end use, function and failure modes; wrote/analyzed dozens of instructions and hundreds of warnings and cautions; and helped formulate national LP Gas camp appliance standards. Managed the product engineering department of a gas, flammable and safety products company for 12 years with direct responsibility for product safety. Performed routine design and testing; supervised daily production line and finished goods audits; solved dozens of manufacturing and safety problems; and realized continual decreases in product liability claims and costs. Investigated more than 200 incidents involving fuel gas (propane, butane, natural gas, MAPP, propylene, acetylene) grills, lighters, torches, lanterns, heaters, stoves, fryers, cylinders, tanks, motor fuel tanks, fork lifts, motor home and RV systems and miscellaneous fuel gas products. Created dozens of investigative and demonstrative tests included flares, flash fires and explosions; developed practical, alternate designs and solutions as necessary; and testified in cases involving fuel gas and related appliances, containers, torches and vehicle systems. EDUCATION AND TRAINING Michigan Technological University, Engineering (1964 - 1966) University of Rochester, BS, Concentration in Physics & Mathematics (1970) Rochester Institute of Technology, Applied Statistics (1978 - 1979) Training includes product use and failure patterns, product safety and warnings, LP Gas safety, combustion testing, carbon monoxide emissions, flammable gas ignition, flame hazards, flameholding, test and inspection methods, fastening and sealing methods, plastic and metal component design, industrial design, drafting, machining, photography and report writing. U.S. PATENTS 3,656,254 Insecticidal Jet Fogger, with R. Schmedes 3,806,038 Burner for Low Pressure LPG Torch 3,843,311 Lantern with Igniter 4,103,829 Oxypropane Torch, with F. Zagara 4,147,272 Pressure Relief Device, with I. Stenner 4,526,532 Self Igniting Torch 4,666,399 Low Pressure Gas Torch Burner 4,954,078 Spark Igniter System AFFILIATIONS System Safety Society National Fire Protection Association American College of Forensic Examiners Board Certified Forensic Examiner, No. 805 Created dozens of investigative and demonstrative tests included flares, flash fires and explosions; developed practical, alternate designs and solutions as necessary; and testified in cases involving fuel gas and related appliances, containers, torches and vehicle systems.

Burn Injuries Carbon Monoxide Injuries Fires Explosions Flames Flammable Combustion Carbon Monoxide Gas Fuel Lp Gas Liquified Petroleum Gas Propane Butane Kerosene Natural Gas Acetylene Oxygen Burns Appliances Grills Stoves Ranges Heaters Lanterns Torches Oxy Acetylene Torches Lighters Disposable Lighters Ignitors Fork Lifts Rvs Recreational Vehicles Motor Homes Cylinders Tanks Fryers Lift Trucks Propane Butane Natural Gas Mapp Propylene Acetylene Grills Lighters Torches Lanterns Heaters Stoves Fryers Cylinders Tanks Motor Fuel Tanks Fork Lifts Motor Home And Rv Systems Miscellaneous Fuel Gas Products

acetylene, appliances, burn injuries, butane, carbon monoxide gas, carbon monoxide injuries, combustion, cylinders, cylinders tanks, disposable lighters, fires explosions, flames flammable, fork lifts, fryers, fuel, grills, heaters, ignitors, kerosene, lanterns, lift trucks, lighters, liquified petroleum gas, lp gas, mapp, miscellaneous fuel gas products, motor fuel tanks, motor home and RV systems, motor homes, natural gas, oxy-acetylene torches, oxygen burns, propane, propylene, ranges, recreational vehicles, rvs, stoves, tanks, torches