Graham Hearn -
Consultant Engineer

Electrostatic Hazards

Expert Witness

Wolfson Electrostatics' Director Graham Hearn is an established expert in the field of ignition sources, fires and explosions and is registered with the Law Society Directory of Expert Witnesses. The Law Society is the professional body for solicitors in England and Wales and for an individual to be registered as an Expert they must have substantial experience of work on legal cases.

Graham Hearn has been employed on important cases in Europe, USA, Canada and Australia and has courtroom experience. Examples are as follows:

• Factory fire attributed to use of electrostatic spraying equipment.
• Transient electrical shock leading to post traumatic shock disorder.
• Factory fire involving spraying of glass fibre and styrene resin.
• Electrical ignition hazards during unloading of flammable medium from cargo vessel.

The fuel for the fire may be obvious.
Determining the ignition source is another matter.
(photo courtesy of Jamie Thompson)

In addition to the above, Graham Hearn has worked on cases involving fires, electric shocks and burns from faulty electrical wiring, installations & equipment as well as patent disputes & infringements.

As an Expert Witness his specialist areas include the following:

• Static electricity, electrical and electrostatic ignition sources, explosion prevention & protection, assessment of flammable media, gas & vapour ignition, dust explosions, electrostatic ignition of pyrotechnics, classification of materials for fire & explosion hazard, flammability tests and hazardous area classification.
• Electric shock hazards, electrostatic properties of materials, electrical interference, electrostatic damage to semiconductors.
• Electrostatic application of powder & liquid coatings, atomisation, precipitation, electrostatic measurements, antistatic materials & treatments, antistatic packaging.
• Interpretation & application of International Standards & Codes of Practice - BS, CEN, IEC, DIN, NFPA etc.

Laboratory tests on materials are
often required in fire investigations

The extensive Wolfson Electrostatics laboratories and test facilities also provide an important function in many expert witness investigations enabling necessary empirical examinations and tests to be quickly undertaken.

For further information on Expert Witness Services contact Wolfson Electrostatics.