Chemistry Chemical Engineer Fire Explosion Investigator Expert Witness

Expert Witness No. 114

New York

Certifications

FACFE Fellow: American College of Forensic Examiners

CChem, FRSC Chartered Chemist and Fellow Royal Society of Chemistry (London)

FAIC Fellow American Institute of Chemists

CPC, CchE Certified Professional Chemist

Certified Professional Chemical Engineer – National Certification Commission in Chemistry and
Chemical Engineering

CFEI Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator (Advanced Training)
National Certification Board, National Association of Fire Investigators

DABFE Diplomate American Board of Forensic Examiners

DABFET Diplomate American Board of Forensic Engineering and Technology

Professional Summary

Expert 114 has over 35 years of industrial and academic of experience in the field of chemistry and chemical engineering.  He has consulted with hundreds of corporations involved in the development, optimization, technical marketing and quality control of new and existing consumer and industrial products.  Expert 114 is experienced in personal injury, product liability and intellectual property cases.  These include, but are not limited to consumer and household products, industrial products and processes.  He has worked with numerous law firms and insurance companies in both plaintiff and defense cases.  His background includes accident reconstruction, strategic planning, hazardous chemicals, toxic exposures, chemical burns, and uncovering safer alternatives.  Expert 114 also has advanced training as a nationally certified fire and explosion investigator and is skilled at determining the origin and cause of fires and explosions relating to flammable liquids, gases and clothing fires.  He is also experienced in product liability issues relative to safety in design, formulation, packaging and handling, warnings and instructions and labels.

Expert 114 has been involved in over 400 forensic litigation cases as well as intellectual property litigation matters.  He has taken training in courtroom procedures.

His Professional Certifications include being a nationally certified Professional Chemist and Professional Chemical Engineer.  He is also a Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners and a Board Certified Forensic Examiner.  Expert 114 is a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Engineering and Technology and a nationally certified fire and explosion investigator.  He is a past Executive Advisor to the American Board of Forensic Engineering and Technology.

As an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry for 15 years, Expert 114 trained the senior firefighters of New York City and surrounding cities in a course he designed on Fire Chemistry, Hazardous Chemicals and Fire Extinguishing Methods.

In so far as his experience in the science and technology of fires and explosions, Expert 114 is a member of the Fire Science & Technology Educators Section of the National Fire Protection Association.  He is also a voting member of the AATCC Research Committee RA 109 on Flammability Technology.  He has taken ASTM Training Courses in the Flammability of General Wearing Apparel and Regulatory Compliance for Flammability of Children’s Sleepwear.

Expert 114 has taken training at the National Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation Training Program and the National Seminar on Fire Analysis Litigation.  He has also taken Advanced Training in the Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation Science and Technology Program co-sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association and the National Association of Fire Investigators (2005).

His background includes review and analysis of Codes and Standards including those of ASTM, ANSI, OSHA and UL.

Expert 114 is a past Vice President of the Association of Consulting Chemists and Chemical Engineers and on its Executive Board of Directors.  He is a member of several Standards-Making Committees of the American Society of Testing Materials.  These include: halogenated organic solvents, fire- extinguishing agents, fire standards, industrial chemicals, and hazard potential of chemicals.  He also serves on several ASTM committees including: forensic sciences, occupational health and safety, consumer products, hazardous substances, protective clothing, textiles and industrial chemicals.  He has extensive experience in the preparation and analysis of Material Safety Data Sheets as well as the filing of Regulatory Applications for the Environmental Protection Agency.

Litigation Support Experience

Expert 114’s technical product litigation experience includes, but is not limited to:

Product Liability, Chemical Technology, Accident Reconstruction, Fires & Explosions, Hazardous Chemicals, Household and Industrial Products, Safety in Design & Formulation, Safer Alternatives and Safety in Packaging and Handling. Chemical Burns and Toxic Exposures, Warnings, Labels, Flammable Fabrics, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering: Product and Process Issues. OSHA Regulations, Codes and Standards, Intellectual Property Management, including patent analysis and infringement as well as trade secret issues

Education

1966 M.S. Chemical Engineering Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. Developed color toners for three- dimensional Xerox process under grant from Naval Weapons Test Laboratory.

1964 B.S. Chemical Engineering Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn

1979 John Zink Burner School burner design, combustion in fired heaters; flare design and operation, furnace operation

1995 Fundamentals of Textiles, Clemson University 

1998 Flammability of General Wearing Apparel, ASTM, NYC

2001 Regulatory Compliance for Flammability of Children’s Sleepwear, ASTM, NYC

2001 National Fire, Arson & Explosion Investigation Training Program, Sarasota, FL

2001 National Seminar on Fire Analysis Litigation, Sarasota, FL

2004 Skin Care Science for the Cosmetic Chemist, Fairleigh Dickenson University

2004 Expert Testimony in Litigation, Law Seminars International Training in Courtroom procedures

2005 National Advanced Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation Science and Technology Program

Professional Experience

1992-Present President, Private Consulting Firm East Norwich, N.Y 
Work includes, but is not limited to, the application of fundamental polymer and surface chemistry principles to a wide variety of market development and technological issues associated with the Specialty Chemicals and Allied Industries.  Conducts corporate training in mind map technology, runs brainstorming sessions, does customized technology and market research, technology transfer and technical writing.  Serves as expert witness in chemistry and chemical engineering technology and their application to consumer and industrial products relative to product development, safety and intellectual property issues.

1979-1992 Development Scientist Union Carbide Corporation Boundbrook, N.J
Provided technical support and problem solving for POLYOX Water Soluble Resin poly (ethylene oxide).

Managed a one-year safety program for 60 scientists and engineers.  Trained 24 instructors who ran monthly safety awareness seminars on handling hazardous chemicals and equipment.  Responsible for site laboratory facility safety issues

Prepared Material Safety Data Sheets and technical literature describing chemical products and hazards, Set up a computer-generated MSDS for product formulations containing multiple hazardous chemical components.  Consultant on “Rapid Water” fire extinguishing system used by New York City Fire Department.
Responsible for chemical and equipment safety aspects of laboratory facilities including review of Material Safety Data Sheets

Responsible for safety protection in loud noise, taconite dust environments at temperatures from –30 degrees F.  Set up and supervised thermoplastic polymer processing laboratory and insured safe operation.

Developed poly (acrylamide) and poly (ethylene oxide) flocculants and coagulants for the separation of suspended particulates in process wastes associated with industrial wastewater treatment. Conducted extensive field and lab trial development programs for coagulants and flocculants in phosphate mining waste reclamation and coal wastes. Developed taconite ore binders for use in iron ore pelletizing processes.

1973-1979 Project Scientist Union Carbide Corporation, Tarrytown, N.Y.
Conducted research on fuel combustion and developed additives for increasing fuel combustion efficiency, Consulted on effect of silicone surfactants as flame-retardants for polyurethane foam.

1966-1973 Research Engineer Union Carbide Corporation, Tonawanda, N.Y. Tarrytown, N.Y
Developed aqueous film-forming fire-fighting foam widely used by military and civilians for airplane crash fires.  Conducted applied research in silicone surface-active agents

Academic Experience

1970-84 Adjunct Professor, Chemistry Dept. Westchester Community College, Valhalla, N.Y.
Designed and taught Chemical Hazard and Toxicology course, Instructed senior professional firefighters of New York City and surrounding cities in hazardous chemical technology of flammable, toxic and explosive chemicals.  Taught physics and chemistry of modern fire extinguishing methods including: AF-3 aqueous film forming foam, low and high expansion foam Halon and dry powder agents.

1984 Course Director, Center for Professional Advancement, East Brunswick, N.J.
Designed, Organized, Managed and Taught 3-day course in “Scientific Fire Fighting”.

Professional Associations

American Association of Textile Chemists & Colorists

American Board of Forensic Engineering & Technology, Executive Advisor

American Chemical Society

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

American College of Forensic Examiners

ACS Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry

American Industrial Hygiene Association / Member Noise Committee

American Institute of Chemists, Former Director

American Society of Safety Engineers

Assoc. of Consulting Chemists/Chemical Engineers: Executive Director, Past V.P.

National Association of Fire Investigators

National Fire Protection Association: Member, Fire Science & Technology Educators Section
Former member Fire Fighting Foam Subcommittee (Standards -making body)

Société de Chimie Industrielle, American Section

Society of Cosmetic Chemists

American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) Committees

D-1     Paint & Related Coatings, Materials & Applications
D-3     Gaseous Fuels
D-12   Soaps & other Detergents
D-13   Textiles
D-14   Adhesives

American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) Committees

D-26   Halogenated Organic Solvent & Fire Extinguishing Agents    
E-5     Fire Standards
E-15   Industrial Chemicals         
E-27   Hazard Potential of Chemicals
E-30   Forensic Sciences
E-34   Occupational Health & Safety
E-35   Pesticides
E-48   Biotechnology
E-51   Environmental Risk Management
F-15   Consumer Products
F-20   Hazardous Substances & Oil Spill Response
F-23   Protective Clothing

Awards and Acknowledgments

1996-2002 Who's Who in East

1996 Who's Who in Finance and Industry

1996, 1997 International Who's Who of Professionals

1996-2006 Who's Who in Science and Engineering

1996-present Who's Who in America

1996 American Institute of Chemists Professional Directory

1998 Dictionary of International Biography Cambridge, England

1999 Honored Member - Strathmore's Who's Who

1999 Outstanding People of the 20th Century, International Biographic Center, Cambridge, England

News Media Interviews & Quotes

Available upon request

Publications

Available upon request

Presentations

Available upon request

Patents

Available upon request