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1. 1 Gerald W Mills The Case for Better Grounding Feb 7 2003 available at www allteccorp com services articles grounding case 0203 html last visited Nov 28 2005 2 Hardy v BrittTech Corp 378 N W 2d 307 308 09 lowa Ct App 1985 3 The appeals court ultimately remanded ruling that the jury award was influenced by passion and prejudice because the award the jury gave to the estate was less than the award it gave to the family 4 Lovell v Earl Grissmer Co 422 S o 2d 7344 La Ct App 1982 5 Though manufactured by BritTech the DirtBuster was labeled and marketed as the product of Earl Grissmer Co Inc 6 Lovell 422 So 2d 7344 7350 7 4455 W 2d 362 Mo 1969 8 Lance Inc v Ramanauskas 731 So 2d 1204 Ala 1999 9 Cannon v Cavalier Corp 5725 2d 299 La Ct App 1990 10 Id at 305 Other courts have recognized that safety rules About the Authors established by for instance the NEC and the American National Standards Institute ANSI are guidelines only and not definitive on issues of liability See e g Bowles v Litton Indus Inc 518 So 2d 1070 La Ct App 1987 and Getty Petroleum Mktg Inc v Capital Terminal Co 391 F 3d 312 1st Cir 2004 11 Bouverette v Westinghouse Elec Corp 628 N W 2d 86 Mich Ct App 200l 12 See e g Pesterfields v Sunbeam Corp No 3 00CV104 2005WL 1076293 E D Tenn May 6 2005 13 Porterv Eckert 465 F 2d 1307 1308 5rh C2. Cannon s wife filed a wrongful death action against the manufacturer of the vending machine the municipality that owned the shop where the machine was located on the basis of premises liability the shop s operator and Eagle the manufacturer of the adapter The plaintiff settled with all the defendants except Eagle and proceeded to trial against it alleging that it had failed to provide adequate warning and that the adapter had outlived its intended purpose to bridge the gap between older buildings with two pronged outlets and newer three pronged products and appliances The plaintiff contended that although the use of two pronged outlets is decreasing the sale of adapters is increasing showing that consumers are misusing the device and that the adapter is unreasonably dangerous because the risk outweighs its utility A jury found in favor of Eagle On appeal the court upheld the conclusion that the adapter was not unreasonably dangerous per se but reversed on the adequacy of the adapter s warning The court noted that manufacturers have a duty to warn against the dangers of product misuse and that there was no dispute that improper use of the adapter without adequate grounding was one of the factors contributing to Cannon s death Although the adapter complied with Underwriters Laboratories Inc warnings the court found that these requirements were merely guidelines and not definitive on the issue of the adequacy of warnings
3. 10 The warning consisted of tiny lettering on the Part of the adapter to be plugged in This the court held was clearly inadequate Further the court noted that the warning which stated CAUTION connect tab to grounded screw did not convey the significant risk of electrocution if the device was not properly grounded ee Page 13 Circuitry Defects Another cause of electrocution is faulty circuitry either in equipment such as a circuit breaker panel or in the circuits designed into a product Such a defect caused the electrocution death of David Bouverette a journeyman electrician while he worked on the control panel of an industrial welding machine 1 Electricians rely on circuit breakers to shut off power by breaking the circuit simultaneously when the breaker handle is in the off position In this case the circuit breaker in the control panel of the welding machine did not do so when used with an external linkage handle which allows electricians to turn off circuits without opening a circuit box enclosure The result was continuous power even though indicator lights suggested that the power was off Bouverette s wife filed a wrongful death and products liability action against the manufacturers of the machine control panel and circuit breaker alleging negligent design and manufacture failure to warn and breach of implied warranty of fitness The plaintiff proceeded to trial against Westinghouse the manufacturer of the
4. City Hall 20399 Douglas Crescent Langley BC V3A 4B3 Phone 604 514 2883 Fax 604 530 3853 www city langley bc ca SECRETARY Terry Zweng Vancouver Fire Department 900 Heatley Avenue Vancouver BC V6A 3S7 Phone 604 665 6075 Fax 604 665 6076 Cell 604 603 2435 Home 604 541 9088 Email pathfinder telus net TREASURER Eric Laity ICBC Retired 5781 Kitchener Street Burnaby BC V5B 2J3 Home 604 298 7411 E mail ejlaity shaw ca PAST PRESIDENT Brian Hollingworth ING Western Union Insurance 400 2955 Virtual Way Vancouver BC V5M 4X6 Phone 604 882 3680 Fax 604 882 3682 Home 604 882 3688 E mail brian hollingworth ingwesternunion com DIRECTOR Gordon Gill Richmond Fire Department 6960 Gilbert Road Richmond BC V7C 3V4 Phone 604 303 2707 Fax 604 278 0547 Home 604 274 6042 E mail ggill city richmond bc ca DIRECTOR Jim Gallant RCMP Regional Forensic Laboratory 5201 Heather Street Vancouver BC V5Z 3L7 Phone 604 264 3431 Fax 604 264 3499 E mail jim gallant rcmp grc gc ca DIRECTOR Gene Krecsy ICBC SIU 4399 Wayburne Dr Burnaby BC V5G 3X7 Phone 604 439 4913 Fax 604 438 7549 E mail gene krecsy icbc com DIRECTOR Ken Holmberg Forensic Investigations PO Box 75449 White Rock BC V4B 5L5 Phone 604 535 6056 Fax 604 542 6037 Cel 604 787 0963 Email ken_holmberg telus net DIRECTOR Richard Rawlings S J I Fire Investigator DIRECTOR Da
5. a three year cycle intended to produce a new edition in 2007 If it continues on schedule NFPA 921 will probably enter another active cycle in early 2005 If you would like to make a proposal for a change or an addition to NFPA 921 you must provide a written proposal on NFPA s Form for Proposals on or before the proposal closing date currently expected to be in late May 2005 The exact deadline will be published on the NFPA s on website Also watch for notices in the IAAI Fire and Arson Investigator magazine Mark your calendar for early 2005 to watch for the proposal closing date NFPA 1033 is on a five year cycle so the next scheduled edition is presently scheduled for 2008 As with NFPA 921 the deadlines for public proposals and comments will be posted on the NFPA website Also monitor your IAAI publications for notices of deadlines respecting NFPA 1033 Note that you do not have to be an NFPA member to make proposals for change to either document or formal comments on the proposals of the technical committees or others 9 Where can a person obtain a copy of NFPA 921 NFPA 1033 or the User s Manual for NFPA 921 NFPA 92 1 Guide to Fire and Explosion Investigations 2004 edition is available from the NFPA for US 46 25 non NFPA members or US 41 63 NFPA members in book or PDF format T he Users Manual for NFPA 921 is US 74 95 non NFPA members or US 67 46 NFPA members in book format only NFPA 1033 Professional Qualifications fo
6. circuit breakers after settling with the other defendants The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff on the claims of breach of implied and express warranty but found in favor of Westinghouse on the negligence claim The jury also determined that Bouverette was 30 percent at fault The appeals court upheld the verdict noting that there was ample evidence to establish a prima facie claim of breach of implied warranty based on failure to warn Trial testimony showed that the circuit breaker manual contained other warnings but it did not warn of the problem with the external linkage handle There was no warning on the breaker itself The appeals court reasoned that the jury could have found a breach of implied warranty because it was foreseeable that the breaker would be used with an outside linkage even though the breaker handle could be placed in the off position while electricity still flowed In addition to causing electrocution faulty circuitry may also start fires such as those caused by electric blankets designed manufactured and distributed by Sunbeam Some contained a design defect in their safety circuit which resulted in fires that injured and even killed consumers 2 In the 1980s Sunbeam began using fire protection circuitry containing flammable wire insulation which ran throughout the blanket In combination with the defective circuitry the wire insulation becomes dangerous fuel for fires The fact that these products are primari
7. eventually accepted If the pattern holds true for digital photography it will also be accepted In general the courts will accept technology if it is sufficiently established to have gained general acceptance in the field to which it belongs With the proliferation of digital photography and as it continues to replace film technology digital photographs have been and will continue to be accepted in the courtroom What about the other issues surrounding digital photographs Surprisingly digital photographs are not cheaper provided you actually print out the photographs The primary advantage is that you can be selective of which photographs you choose to print When you print digital photographs the costs are very similar to film photography when you consider the cost of the paper and inkjet cartridges What tends to more commonly happen is that people don t print out their photographs This can lead to storage issues of the raw digital images In general people do not regularly backup their computer hard disks As a consequence one crash or a nasty virus and all the photographs are gone Finally if you spend 1000 on a film camera today you will have a pretty good film camera for the next five to ten years If you spend a similar amount of money on a digital camera you will get a pretty good camera today but it will be ancient technology in five years time because of the rapid development of technology just look at those 1 megapixel cameras from fi
8. the mid 1990s IAAI members wanted more information about NFPA 921 and NFPA 1033 n response to this demand the following article was written and published in the Fire amp Arson Investigator in 1996 As new people enter the fire investigations field there is a continued need to review the basics of NFPA 921 amp NFPA 1033 and the relevance of these two documents to fire investigators The following article has been revised and republished to for the benefit of IAAI members who want basic information about NFPA92l and NFPA 1033 and for those in need of a refresher 1 2 Introduction The field of fire investigations has been experiencing a time of unprecedented change and evolution that has continued for more than a decade One of the change agents is the development of internationally recognized standards and guides for fire investigators Two such documents have been developed through the codes and standards development process of the National Fire Protection Association NFPA As it is important for you as an IAAI member to keep apprized of such documents and to become involved in their creation and ongoing development this bulletin has been prepared to introduce two important documents and to explain how you can have input into their future editions 3 What is the NFPA The NFPA is a non profit association of over 75 000 individuals worldwide and more that 80 national trade and professional organizations Its stated mission is to reduce t
9. 4823353_1 wpd Page 1 INFORMER BRITISH COLUMBIA CHAPTER 15 NEWSLETTER 1200 925 WEST GEORGIA STREET VANCOUVER BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA V6C 3L2 TEL 604 682 7474 FAX 604 682 1283 VOLUME 38 ISSUE NO 39 MARCH 2006 Calendar of Events A A 1 BC CHAPTER 15 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING amp CONFERENCE BACK TO BASICS March 27th 30th 2006 Forster s Convention Center Kamloops British Columbia Cost 400 00 IAAI Members 425 00 Non Members See pages 20 21 for further information and registration details or contact Brian Hollingworth brian hollingworth ingcanada com Inside this Issue IAAI Chapter 15 2006 Executive Members 2 Welcome New Members 3 Associate Membership 3 Ken Snell Retires 3 Hands Across the Border February 2006 4 Feature Article Ask the Scientist5 Feature Article The Shocking Truth About Electrical Products 6 4823353 _1 wpd Page 2 Feature Article Seen on Scene 12 Feature Article The Basics of NFPA 921 amp NFPA 1003 for IAAI Members 14 Feature Article Engineer s Corner 18 AGM Details and Registration Form 20 21 Application for Membership 23 4823353 _1 wpd Page 3 A A I Chapter 15 2006 Executive Members CO as TO PRESIDENT Ken Snell SJ Fire Investigations E Mail invesigationsi shaw ca 1St VICE PRESIDENT Myles Anderson Victoria Fire Department 2d VICE PRESIDENT Mike Bourdon Fire Prevention Officer Langley City Fire Rescue Services c o
10. Even if you choose not to submit a proposal for changing NFPA 921 or NFPA 1033 nor to comment on someone else s proposal you can download free of charge the technical committee reports called the Report on Proposals and the Report on Comments These reports publish in detail the proposed changes to each document the actions of each technical committee and the public comments respecting the proposals and the committees proposed actions These Reports are available on the NFPA website free of charge to anyone interested IAAI members are encouraged to explore the NFPA website Have a look at the Repots on Proposals and on Comments for other NFPA documents that are currently in a cycle of change to better see how the process works 6 Relationship between IAAI and NFPA There is a close working relationship between the IAAI and the NFPA that is apparent in many ways The overall policy of the IAAI is one of coordination and cooperation with the NFPA IAAI stands in full support of the NFPA Standards Making System Many of the IAAI fire investigation training programs are based on NFPA 921 or include segments relating to that guide Further the IAAI s Certified Fire Investigator performance qualifications rely on NFPA 1033 The IAAI CFI certification is accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications known as the Pro Board 9 The Pro Board is governed by a Board of Directors which consists of one mem
11. also allows the camera to meter through the light and focus more easily The only adjustment necessary is with the white balance Since the LED s cast a blue color hue on the object adjusting the white balance allows for a more natural color when the image is captured The adjustability of the lamps also provides the opportunity to adjust the light so that shadows are where you want them or make them nonexistent Additionally the location of lights on the barrel of the lens also allows the close proximity of the camera to the object as enjoyed before As an added bonus the lights efficiency allows form any hours of consistent use to lighten up the dark room of a structure fire as you walk through it Photo without Banded Flashing As a reminder if you would like to share any ideas you use in the field to assist you in your investigations please feel free to send an email with your idea and any photos that you can provide A brief explanation of the idea is all that is needed and we can fill in the rest Please include all the information so that we may give credit where credit is due Robert K Toths IAAI CFI firecop comcast net Photo with Banded Flashing Page 16 This Article originally appeared in the October 2005 issue of Fire amp Arson Investigator Page 17 FEATURE ARTICLE The Basics of NFPA 921 amp NFPA 1033 for IAAI Members by Terry Dawn Hewitt IAAI Fire Investigators Standards Committee 1 Foreword In
12. an Society for Testing and Materials ASTM and although the name of the organization has changed its function has not ASTM International is a not for profit voluntary standards development organization ASTM members who represent a wide area of specialists develop standards through the consensus process ASTM Committee E30 on the Forensic Sciences relies upon the subcommittee E30 01 Criminalistics for the development of standards related to the analysis of fire debris for the presence of ignitable liquid residues and many other types of physical evidence The standards are developed and maintained by experts in the field representing both public and private Page 6 Page 7 laboratory personnel There are several ASTM methods that may be of interest to the fire investigator Standards and Guides related to the analysis of fire debris may be divided into two general categories 1 methods for extracting debris separating the ignitable liquid residue from the debris so that it is in a form suitable for instrumental analysis and 2 methods for instrumental analysis and data interpretation Additional standards also exist that address other related forensic laboratory procedures such as documentation and evidence storage In addition the Scientific Working Group for Fire and Explosives SWGFEX is in the process of developing additional standards for submission to ASTM The standards under development include a sta
13. ber from each of five organizations that are leaders in the fire service Both the IAAI and the NFPA have seats on the Board 10 The Pro Board issues accreditations to those agencies that test candidates for professional qualifications to approved standards For fire investigators the approved standard is the NFPA 1033 standard It is because the IAAI CFI program is accredited by the Pro Board that it is a certifying agent operating under the Pro Board and therefore investigators who attain their IAAI CFI designation can be assured that they are properly certified to the NFPA 1033 standard IAAI also features prominently in NFPA Technical Committees A large percentage of the members of the NFPA Technical Committee on Fire Investigator Professional Qualifications and the NFPA Technical Committee on Fire Investigations are members of the IAAI Your Fire Investigations Standards Committee FISC enjoys membership from past and present members of the technical NFPA committees responsible for both NFPA 1033 and NFPA 921 and thereby remains on the cutting edge of developments in these two documents The IAAI also has official representatives on each of these technical committees who are responsible to make regular reports to the IAAI Board of Directors keeping the IAAI leadership apprized of the status of these documents For many years the IAAI has had a NFPA Liaison Mr Steve Austin of State Farm Insurance who assists in coordinating the related activi
14. ciples or scientific research NFPA 921 encompasses a vast array of topics ranging from the interpretation of burn and blast patterns to interview techniques and from safety considerations for the investigator to laboratory testing For those familiar with the Page 18 Page 19 previous 2001 edition of NFPA 921 amendments added in the 2004 edition include a new chapter on Analyzing the Incident for Cause and Responsibility a rewrite of the Legal Considerations chapter and revisions to the chapter on Recording the Scene 5 NFPA Standards Making Process NFPA 921 and NFPA 1033 were created through the NFPA Standards Making System designed to develop full consensus codes and standards which are built on a foundation of maximum participation and substantial agreement by a broad variety of interests Both of these documents were created through a process that provides notice to the public at key points in the development of the documents through which public proposals and public comment from members of the fire investigation community and those in other related disciplines were invited and considered 8 In future years both NFPA 1033 and NFPA 921 will be subjected to a regular cycle of review and amendment through the NFPA Standards Making System This will help to keep them current and maintain their relevance and usefulness to fire investigators as well as those in related fields It is expected that NFPA 921 will be ente
15. curred while the unit was being assembled Failure to insulate electrical components led to severe hand and wrist injuries for John Troszynski who was playing catch in his backyard one summer day with his seven year old son 16 The ball struck the already cracked glass covering on their home s utility meter box The glass broke and fell into the box Troszynski s 16 year old daughter began to retrieve the glass when her father stopped her not wanting her to be cut Instead Troszynski reached into the box himself His hand came in contact with uninsulated live wires and he was unable to Page 14 remove his hand because the current contracted his muscles so that he was unable to release his grip After directing his children not to touch him for fear they would be electrocuted he freed himself by placing his foot on an adjacent wall and pushing backward Troszynski sustained severe injuries to his hand and wrist that required nine operations He brought a products liability suit against the electric utility company that owned the defective meter box The plaintiff s expert testified that this accident could have easily been averted through printed warnings stating that there were live wires within the box insulation of the wires or a slight modification in the structure of the box According to the evidence the wires could have been insulated by a phenolic barrier a type of insulation costing less than a dime or by simple inexpensi
16. d Concentration of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Steam Distillation E1386 00 Standard Practice for Separation and Concentration of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Solvent Extraction E1388 00 Standard Practice for Sampling of Headspace Vapors from Fire Debris Samples E1412 00 Standard Practice for Separation of Ignitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Passive Headspace Concentration With Activated Charcoal E1413 001 Standard Practice for Separation and Concentration of lgnitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Dynamic Headspace Concentration E2154 01 Standard Practice for Separation and Concentration of lgnitable Liquid Residues from Fire Debris Samples by Passive Headspace Concentration with Solid Phase Microextraction SPME Standards Relating to Instrumental Analysis E1387 01 Standard Test Method for lgnitable Liquid Residues in Extracts from Fire Debris Samples by Gas Chromatography E1618 01 Standard Test Method for lgnitable Liquid Residues in Extracts from Fire Debris Samples by Gas Chromatography Mass In its section on physical evidence NFPA 921 references ASTM standards for the analysis of fire debris What is ASTM and where did these methods come from The term ASTM standards refers to specific standards that have been published by ASTM International ASTM International was originally known as the Americ
17. e area had been tested for proper grounding e Lance s failure to comply with its own corporate safety manual which required the installer to verify that outlets into which machines are plugged are properly grounded Further testimony revealed that Lance had done nothing after Shawn s death to ensure that its employees were aware of the warnings and grounding instructions in its safety manual The adequacy of warnings was the critical issue in the case of Michael Cannon a repair technician electrocuted by an ungrounded soda vending machine Because the machine s power cord was too short to reach an outlet an extension cord was used with an adapter This allowed the three pronged plug on the vending machine cord to be plugged into the two pronged extension cord But the extension cord was attached to the adaptor in a way that its polarity was lost Further the adapter had a metal tab designed to be connected to the grounded center screw of a two pronged wall outlet but when the adapter is used with an extension cord there is no way to ground the connection because the adaptor is too far away from the outlet This dangerous setup left the vending machine ungrounded When Cannon was called to work on it he moved the machine away from the wall and brushed against an adjoining candy machine that was grounded He was electrocuted when the electricity from the ungrounded machine passed through his body to the electrical ground on the candy machine
18. er 11 2004 3 National Fire Protection Association NFPA 1033 Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator 2003 ed Quincy MA National Fire Protection Association 2003 para 1 2 4 National Fire Protection Association NFPA 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigators ed Quincy MA National Fire Protection Association 2003 section 1 2 5 NFPA 921 2004 ed section 1 3 6 Ibid p 1 7 National Fire Protection Association Codes and Standards for a Safer World Quincy MA National Fire Protection Association 2002 p 15 Available for download in PDF format from NFPA website 8 Ibid pp 6 11 9 Additional information about the Pro Board may be obtained by accessing the Pro Board website at www theoroboard org 10 National Board on Fire Service Qualifications Accreditation Handbook rev Dec 2001 p 5 Available for download at the Pro Board website www theproboard org This Article originally appeared in the January 2005 edition of Fire amp Arson Investigator FEATURE ARTICLE The Engineer s Corner Mark C Hughes P Eng Principal Sintra Engineering a Forensic Engineering firm Digital photography has rapidly advanced over the years So much so that film photography is in danger of going the way of the horse and buggy There are good and bad things about digital photographs and their implications must be carefully considered before investing a lot of money in new equipment thought
19. espondence to ___ Home Address Business Address Payment Enclosed Cheque Money Order ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP Associate Membership Any representative of an agency government industry or occupation that is involved in some phase of fire investigation arson suppression insurance adjusting or the administration of justice shall be eligible for Chapter Membership as a Subscribing Associate Persons employed in the insurance industry legal profession police service or those whose occupation is aligned with the above are eligible for membership All applications are subject to review and the discretion of the Membership Committee Personal Qualifications Prior to voting upon each application the Membership Committee shall give due considerations to the following among other qualifications it deems applicable to wit 1 the personal character and reputation of the applicant 2 the nature character and reputation of the applicant s business 3 the character and reputation of the applicant s employer and associates and 4 the general nature if he she has been a member or is presently a member or becomes a member of a subversive organization or of any organization whose objectives and operations are inconsistent with the purposes of the Association
20. etter images This is a brief story on how a wonderful option on my camera was improved with a little ingenuity For almost one year my field camera was a Sony DSC F828 Out of all of the features that prompted me to purchase it the macro function was not even on the radar However quickly learned that in macro mode could place the camera within 2 3 cm of an object and capture the image For most photographers lighting for macro photography is not an issue However in a fire scene wanting to take a close up photo of an electrical receptacle or a match found on the floor may not afford you the best lighting With the built in flash or an auxiliary flash attached to the camera its location casts a shadow over the object you are trying to capture when you are within 2 3 cm Holding a flash or a high intensity LED off to the side may also create shadows that you do not wish to have in the image Lastly in darkened settings finding the proper exposure shutter speed etc may not be possible in the automatic or program mode It can be time consuming and let s face it may be beyond the ability and patience of the user to find the proper settings To solve this dilemma went in search for a ring light that could be attached to the camera and illuminate the item wished to document The ring light would also allow the camera to meter through the light so could see the image in the viewfinder or the LCD before captured it What found was n
21. examination documenting the scene evidence collection and preservation interviewing and interrogation post incident investigations and presentations It is an important standard for anyone in the profession of fire investigations The second document NFPA 921 2004 edition is best described by its title It is a Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations The NFPA Technical Committee on Fire Investigations has overseen its development The stated purpose of NFPA 921 is to establish guidelines and recommendations for the safe and systematic investigation or analysis of fire and explosion incidents 4 It is intended to provide a systematic working framework or outline by which effective fire and explosion investigation and origin and cause analysis can be accomplished The following excerpt from the introduction to NFPA 921 describes its origin and development and the technical committee s overall goal NFPA 921 was developed by the Technical Committee on Fire Investigations to assist in improving the fire investigation process and the quality of information on fires resulting from the investigative process The guide is intended for use by both public sector employees who have statutory responsibility for fire investigation and private sector persons conducting investigations for insurance companies or litigation purposes The goal of the committee is to provide guidance to investigators that is based on accepted scientific prin
22. g and elevating the connection were obvious remedies even to a casual consumer and that the lack of specific reference to these remedies did not make the warning inadequate The court observed that it is common knowledge that electricity and water are dangerous in combination and that water readily conducts electricity Consumer knowledge was also a key factor in Keener v Dayton Electric Manufacturing Co but the court reached a different conclusion about liability 7 In that case Harold Keener s friend Joy Hollan had a sump pump installed in her basement The pump quit working After several days of rain Hollan discovered that her basement was flooded and called Keener for help With the pump plugged into an electrical outlet standing ankle deep in water with no rubber gloves or rubber boots Keener leaned over and lifted the pump from the sump As the pump cleared the floor Keener was electrocuted His wife brought a wrongful death action based on strict liability against the pump s manufacturer The plaintiff alleged that the product was defective because it was not equipped with a groundwire or an overload protector which would have prevented her husband s death Although the defendant argued that Keener was contributorily negligent the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff The appeals court upheld the judgment holding that lifting the pump out of the water was a reasonably anticipated use of the product The difference bet
23. g files through SJ Investigations at 604 929 9329 or investigations shaw ca Ken has enjoyed working fire scenes continuously for over 26 years and has determined that the time has come to lay down his shovel Ken says that the people he has been blessed with working for and against have made the years challenging and interesting We wish Ken all the best and a long and happy retirement HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER UPDATE PRESIDENTIAL CITATION WHEREAS the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ARSON INVESTIGATORS INC is an 8 000 member professional association comprised of Fire Service Law Enforcement and Private Sector persons engaged in the control of arson and kindred crimes and WHEREAS the Goals and Objectives of the IAAI include encouraging high professional standards of conduct and WHEREAS the IAAI is dedicated to improving the professional development of fire and explosion investigators and WHEREAS IAAI Past President Dan Lemieux BC Canada and Washington Chapter Past President Gerry Anderson recognized the advantages of information exchange and networking among fellow professionals and WHEREAS these gentlemen envisioned a Hands Across the Border coalition of fire investigator professionals and WHEREAS Hands Across the Border continues to be a highly successful initiative and WHEREAS this 30 Anniversary dinner is a testament to the past present and future leadership of the British Columbia and Washin
24. gton Chapters of the IAAI and THEREFORE this Presidential Citation is being presented to the current Presidents of the BC and Washington Chapters by IAAI President R Kirk Hankins on behalf of the officers directors and members of the International Association of Arson Investigators Inc for exemplifying the goals and objectives of the association and promoting International cooperation between their respective countries February 10 2006 Page 4 Page 5 The 30th Anniversary Hands Across the Border meeting was held on February 10 2006 Approximately 65 attended the meeting session and another 60 attended the dinner for special guests Past IAAI President Dan Lemiuex and Past Washington State Chapter IAAI President Jerry Anderson co founders of Hands Across the Border Also in attendance were IAAI President Kirk Hankins and 2nd Vice President Eileen Stauss At the dinner a Presidential Citation was presented by Mr Hankins in acknowledgment of the Hands Across the Border initiative ASK THE SCIENTIST Ask the Scientist is a new feature in the IAAI Journal Fire amp Arson Investigator provided by the IAAI Forensic Science Committee Your questions are invited Please submit to Ask the Scientist c o The Fire amp Arson Investigator ASTM Standards related to the analysis of fire debris Standards relating to extraction of evidence sample preparation E1385 00 Standard Practice for Separation an
25. he worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the qualify of life by providing and advocating scientifically based consensus codes and standards research training and education 2 A large part of NFPA s activities involve the development publication and dissemination of timely standards codes guides and recommended practices that are aimed at fire protection and life safety These documents are developed through a structured standards making process that is reviewed and approved by the American National Standards Institute ANSI This process incorporates requirements of due process that ensures a broad based public review and opportunity for input from any interested person within a field that is potentially affected by these documents The original development and later revisions of each code standard or other such document is overseen by an NFPA technical committee composed of individuals who serve on a voluntary basis The committee members are considered experts within their field and committees are structured to represent a balance of those interests affected by each particular code standard guide or recommended practice that NFPA produces There are over 300 such documents currently in publication More information about the NFPA can be found on the NFPA website http www nfpa org Click on the About NFPA link from the home page for general information about the NFPA For more information about the NFPA s standards devel
26. ir 7972 14 The Jones Act 46 app U S C A 688 1982 governs the liability of vessel operators and marine employers for the work related injury or death of an employee 15 After the verdict was entered the trial court granted the ship owner s motion to dismiss the negligence claim against him 1 6 Troszynski v Commonwealth Edison Co 356 N E 2d 926 927 28 Ill App ct 1976 Carrie R Frank is a partner in the Arvada Colorado firm of Gilbert Frank Ollanik amp Komyatte Anne M Rhodes is an associate with the firm This article originally appeared in the January 2006 edition of Trial Journal of the Trial Lawyers of America FEATURE ARTICLE Seen on Scene Robert K Toth IAAI CFP Be Page 15 As the technology improves in digital photography and more and more investigators are making the switch the options available on cameras are quite impressive Though we may not see the need for some of these options immediately once we begin to use them you can become quite dependent and wonder how you ever got along without it in the first place I for instance cannot see a future purchase of digital camera equipment that does not offer voice annotation Through four generations of cameras and three different manufacturers voice annotation has been on all of my cameras and has become quite handy on many occasions As your experience and comfort level with the camera improves it should also generate ideas on how to capture b
27. led to react to complaints before Shawn s death that both machines were shocking users 482 Page 11 14vqod Page 12 Evidence showed that Montgomery Coca Cola was aware that a user was shocked before Shawn s death at another vending machine in the same motel that the Coke machine was touching the Lance snack machine at the time of the accident that the grounding prong of the Coke machine had been removed from its plug and that Montgomery knew its machines in many locations had shocked customers at least once a year The plaintiff settled with the motel and Montgomery before trial The case went to trial against Lance and a jury awarded damages to the plaintiffs The company appealed alleging that the plaintiffs failed to produce substantial evidence that lance owed Shawn a duty of care and that the evidence was insufficient to support submission of the case to the jury to determine punitive damages The appeals court upheld the verdict on the duty o f care issue noting that Lance in its contract with the motel assumed a duty to keep its vending machine safe On the question of punitive damages the court found ample evidence of wanton misconduct including e Lance employees lack of knowledge concerning electrical safety and grounding even after Shawn s death e Lance s failure to provide repairs personnel with a 5 tester that would show whether an outlet was properly grounded e the fact that none of Lance s 225 machines in th
28. les of water accumulated around his feet The connection between the two cords rested in a puddle and unbeknownst to Lovell the outlet he was using was not grounded The combination of the wet cord connection and ungrounded outlet shocked Lovell and caused fatal cardiac arrest Lovell s widow brought a wrongful death action based on products liability against the manufacturers distributors and lessor of the Dirt Buster alleging negligence and strict liability In particular she argued that the 12 foot power cord was too short requiring use of an extension cord that warnings were inadequate because they did not explicitly direct consumers to elevate or tape any connection between the power cord and an extension cord and that it was foreseeable that consumers would plug the product into ungrounded outlets as many household outlets are ungrounded A jury returned a defense verdict concluding that the product was not unreasonably dangerous and that Lovell had assumed the risk of electrocution The appeals court upheld the verdict finding that the use of an extension cord was not inherently dangerous and became so only when Lovell plugged it into an ungrounded receptacle and allowed the connection to lie in a puddle of water The court held that the safety warning on the machine which instructed users to waterproof the connection between the power cord and extension cord and to always use a grounded receptacle was sufficient It found that tapin
29. ly used while consumers are asleep only compounds the dangers of this type of electrical defect Sunbeam stopped making these blankets in April 2000 but many are probably still being used Insulation Defects The most important function of electrical insulation is to prevent the flow of current between adjacent conductors including people Improperly insulated electrical components in an air conditioning unit killed John Porte a seaman working on the vessel Miss Laura owned by J Presper Eckert 13 The unit manufactured by Marine Development Corp MDC and installed by Lauderdale Cruisair Inc contained defective insulation in its sealed compressor which caused the unit s exterior to become electrically charged Furthermore Lauderdale Cruisair failed to attach a connecting wire to the main ground of the Miss Laura during installation leaving the unit ungrounded Because of these defects Porter was electrocuted when he came in contact with the air conditioning unit Porter s wife filed a Jones Act14 action based on the unseaworthiness of the vessel negligence and breach of warranty in the manufacture and installation of the defective air conditioning unit The jury found in her favor against all defendants 15 MDC appealed and the appeals court upheld the verdict It relied on testimony by the plaintiff s expert that there was damage on the interior of the unit but no damage to the exterior which suggested an internal defect that oc
30. ndard for the overall approach to the analysis of fire debris and a standard focusing on quality control issues relevant to fire debris ASTM documents provide details on how to apply the various techniques that are available to fire debris analysts The standard practices that describe the various extraction or sample preparation methods provide detailed explanations of how to use a technique the quality control measures that should be incorporated and the limitations and advantages of the technique Similarly the standard methods for the instrumental analysis provide guidance for instrument specifications appropriate quality control measures and limitations of the techniques These methods also present a system for classifying ignitable liquids based upon their chemical compositions and boiling point ranges Another important feature of these standards is their emphasis on correct procedures for data analysis and descriptions of criteria for the classification of an unknown ignitable liquid residue In many ways the pertinent ASTM standards serve the same role for fire debris analysts that the NFPA 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations serves for cause and origin investigators It provides a framework for the process and provides a measure of validity when the recognized procedures are used The development of ASTM standards follows a process similar to that of the NFPA standards it is a consensus process and input fr
31. of Flashpoint Fire Investigation Association of Alberta Newsletter Fire Pro INVESTIGATIONS spbrian Fire Explosion Origin and Ca rown Terry Zweng Erin Ferguson Dave Wood amp associates inc 75 Years in the Fire Service 25 Years of Fire Investigation Experience Toll Free Court Qualified Experts In Fire Explosion Investigation 1 800 813 8822 1590 Lancastor St White Rock HC V4B 3H4 k ears Tet 604 542 1021 Fax 604 542 1031 fire nroditelve net Fire Scene Examinations Expert Opinion Reports Expert Testimony Brian Brown Fi CIP CFEL CFE CFI CCFLC Fire Witness Interviews Gel 604 818 9050 Fire Scene Re Creations FIRE ORIGIN amp C Scientific E Phone 604 888 2009 Cel 604 818 9050 in n C and ye Available 7 Days a Week 24 Hours a Day Page 22 Page 23 SEMINAR DETAILS IAAI CHAPTER 15 ANNUAL TRAINING SEMINAR AND AGM IAAI BC Chapter 15 is pleased to announce the 2005 Annual General Meeting and Training Seminar March 27 28 29 and 30 2006 Topic Fire Investigation Back to Basics Target Audience Fire Police amp Insurance industry personnel dealing with fire investigations Cost 400 00 IAAI Members 425 00 Non Members Content Basic Methodology Fire Science Fire Patterns Origin amp Cause Safety Police Role Insurance Role Evidence Collection amp Analysis Electrical Causes Explosion Vehicle Fires Major Scene Management Live Burns H
32. om all interested 17wpd Page 8 and knowledgeable parties is encouraged to ensure that the standards reflect good scientific practice like NFPA ASTM encourages periodic review and revision of all published practices methods or standards More information on ASTM International and information on how to purchase individual standards can be obtained from their website www astm org This article originally appeared in the January 2005 Edition of Fire amp Arson Investigator FEATURE ARTICLE The Shocking Truth About Electrical Products By Carrie R Frank and Anne M Rhodes A 14 year old boy is excited about starting his freshman year in his new high school To celebrate his parents give him money to buy a soft drink something they rarely have at home But an ungrounded vending machine in the school cafeteria uses the boy as a conduit for electric current shocking him and burning his arm An elderly woman buys an electric blanket to stay warm at night As she sleeps flammable insulation on the wires that distribute heat through the blanket begins to smolder The woman s smoke alarm wakes her sparing her serious injury A man stands in his swimming pool cleaning it with a power washer when the machine falls into the water He is electrocuted A relatively inexpensive ground fault circuit interrupter would have cut the current but was not included on the product in part to save the manufacturer money Sadly cases like these are no
33. opment process about the technical committees and the regulations that govern the development of codes and standards click on the Codes and Standards link on the NFPA home page and then click on the NFPA Directory link listed under resources 4 Introduction to NFPA 921 and NFPA 1033 The NFPA has published two documents that are of particular importance to everyone involved in the field of fire investigation The first document NFPA 1033 2003 edition is the Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator Prepared by the NFPA Technical Committee on Fire Investigator Professional Linpsay KENNEY Barristers amp Solicitors www lkiaw ca FIRE LITIGATION GROUP Offering legal services for fire related claims for over 25 Years FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Richard B Lindsay Q C PENG John J Kim LL B LL M Shelley A Brann B Comm LL B 18th Floor 401 West Georgia Street Vancouver BC V6B5Al TEL 604 687 1323 FAX 604 687 2347 Email Address mfoiilidaw ca Qualifications NFPA 1033 is a standard that identifies the professional level of performance required for fire investigators by recognizing the minimum job performance requirements necessary for a person to perform as a fire investigator whether they are in the public or the private sector 3 NFPA 1033 details the requisite knowledge and skills for a variety of duties the investigators are required to perform The topics addressed include scene
34. ost Speaker Mr Bruce Cousins Guest Presenters Ms Kitty Coppin Mobile Lung Testing Sgt Jim Gallant RCMP Sgt Dean Meikle RCMP Bryan Callowhill BCIT Forensic Chemistry Dave Bilkey Lawyer Richard van Leeuwen Electrical Engineer Venue Forsters Convention Centre 1250 Rogers Way off Exit 368 Hwy 1 Kamloops BC Hotels Best Western 1250 Rogers Way 250 828 6698 79 single amp twin Hampton Inn 1245 Rogers Way 250 571 7897 65 single 75 double Comfort Inn 1810 Rogers Place 250 372 0987 65 single 70 double See over for registration form REGISTRATION FORM Please register me for attendance at the IAAI BC Chapter 15 Seminar on March 27 30 2006 Please photocopy and return with registration fee to Registrar ING Insurance 400 2955 Virtual Way Vancouver BC V5M 4X6 Attention Brian Hollingworth Enclose cheque payable to IAAI B C Chapter 15 Cost 400 00 1 A A I Members 425 00 Non members Name Organization Address Position City Prov Postal Int l Membership Telephone Email B C Chapter 15 Insurance Council Credit Required PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS EVENT Brian Hollingworth ING Insurance Company of Canada Tel 604 882 3680 Fax 604 882 3682 Email brian hollingworth ingcanada com Page 24 4823353 _1 wpd Page 25 4823353 1 wpd Page 26 APPLICATION FOR CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP International Association of Arson Investigator
35. ot very encouraging There were no ring lights that would attach to the larger lens of my particular camera There were ring flashes that did attach but created vignetting around the photo Vignetting is where the edges of the image or photo are covered darkened under exposed or looks as though the picture was taken looking through a knothole in a fence Additionally the ring flashes that attached to my camera did not talk to my particular camera and was forced to manually set the exposure for the photo something was not prepared to endure My solution was found in a camping store My search led me to a display of headlamps specifically the high intensity LED s that campers hikers bikers ultra marathoners and spelunkers wear on their heads found a three bulb LED headlamp where the batteries were directly connected to the light assembly not a battery pack connected by a wire that attached at the back of the harness The headlamps were also on a hinge so that the wearer could adjust the beam up and down purchased 4 of these head lamps removed them from the elastic headbands and attached them all to one singular headband which created a bracelet of sorts of 4 high intensify LED lights Because they are all attached on one elastic band allowed me to place it around the lens of my camera away from the edges of the lens and adjust the light accordingly to get a close up photo without shadows or vignetting With the light source on it
36. r Fire Investigator 2003 edition is also available from the NFPA for US 24 50 non NFPA members or US 22 05 NFPA members in either book or PDF format Call toll free 1 800 344 3555 in the United States or 617 700 3000 elsewhere to order You can also place orders on the website at www NFPA org 10 Further Information on Codes and Standards It is the mandate of the IAAI s Fire Investigations Standards Committee FISC to keep you informed about codes standards and other documents important to you as an IAAI member Watch the FISC Bulletin Board in future editions of the Fire amp Arson Investigator for more information on these topics Page 20 Page 21 Endnotes 1 This article was originally written by Terry Dawn Hewitt in March 1996 and revised in October 2004 for the FISC Bulletin Board The Author would like to thank those who reviewed this article and provided their valuable input to its revision Mr Kirk Hawkins IAAI First Vice President Mr Frank Florence NFPA Staff Liaison to NFPA921 and NFPA 1033 Mr Jerry Redden Director Bomb and Arson Division for Tennessee and FISC Chair Mr George Wended CFI Investigator EFI Global and FISC member Mr Peter Mansi Assistant Divisional Officer London Fire Brigade and FISC member and Mr Ross Brogan JP Grad Cert Fire Investigating CFI Operational Commander NSW Fire Brigades and FISC member 2 Found on the NFPA website www NFPA org under the About NFPA link Octob
37. ring an active cycle early in 2005 and it is expected that another new edition will be forthcoming in late 2007 The expressed intention of the NFPA 921 Technical Committee is to improve the Guide in future editions and task groups are currently working on revisions to the chapters on Motor Vehicle Fires and Management of Major Investigations NFPA 1033 is in a five year cycle and a new edition is expected in 2008 Deadlines for members of the public to submit proposals for amendments changes deletions or additions to either NFPA 1033 or NFPA 921 will be posted on the NFPA website Also watch the IAAI Fire amp Arson Investigator for notice of the deadlines If you would like to learn more about the NFPA process and how you can participate the NFPA has a booklet available entitled Codes and Standards for a Safer World which has been developed to help you better understand how the NFPA develops standards codes and other documents and to encourage your participation Download this 10 page booklet in by going to the NFPA website homepage http www NFPA org then click on the Codes and Standards link then click on the link Download the Codes and Standards for a Safer World Booklet If you wish to participate in the development of these documents you must follow the procedures used by the NFPA and outlined in this booklet The procedures are quite easy and the forms are all available under the Codes and Standards link on the NFPA website
38. rnings are often the strongest in electrical product defect litigation Water hazards Because water and electricity are widely known to be a lethal combination common sense suggests that a product designed for use with or around water should have safety features that minimize electrocution risks Surprisingly many such products including power washers contain electrical defects that subject consumers to a high risk of electrocution when using the product in a foreseeable manner One of these an industrial power washer manufactured by BrittTech Corp electrocuted Duane Hardy because of a short circuit in the product s transformer The enclosed base portion of the washer contained a motor and a transformer that converted the 220 volts on which the machine operated into a safer 24 volts carried to switches in the washer s spray handle The plaintiff s expert testified at trial that pressure from tape outside a terminal protector allowed the protector to contact low voltage wiring causing the short He said that there was inadequate insulation in the product and that for a small cost the handle could have been grounded and the switches made safer by enclosing them These precautions would have prevented Hardy s oe Page 9 death the expert testified even in the event of a short in the transformer The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff but BrittTech moved for judgment arguing that the plaintiff failed to establish that the power wa
39. rren Berg CNS Insurance DIRECTOR Bill Bunt Vancouver PD Retired SJI Fire Investigator E mail bill_bunt novuscom net DIRECTOR Daryl Driemel Retired c o Saanich Fire Department 1094 Gosper Crescent Victoria BC V9A 4J3 Phone 250 383 1628 Fax 250 475 5505 E mail dwdriemel shaw ca DIRECTOR Arnold Archer Royal Sun Alliance Insurance 700 580 Hornby Street Vancouver BC V6C 3B6 Phone 604 684 8111 Fax 604 662 3599 E mail aarcher royalsunalliance ca Home 604 852 0252 E mail archer0365 shaw ca DIRECTOR Jeff Bush West Vancouver Fire Department 760 16th Street West Vancouver BC V7V 3S1 Phone 604 925 7370 DIRECTOR Paul Mahill Surrey Fire Service 8676 132 Street Surrey BC Phone 604 543 6766 DIRECTOR LEGAL COUNSEL Richard B Lindsay c o Lindsay Kenney 1800 401 W Georgia Street Vancouver BC V6B 5A1 Phone 604 687 1323 Fax 604 687 2347 E mail rilin lklaw ca EDITOR DIRECTOR Paul A McDonnell c o Singleton Urquhart 1200 925 W Georgia St Vancouver BC V6C 3L2 Phone 604 682 7474 Fax 604 682 1283 E mail pm singleton com Welcome New Members Attention Members The Informer is interested in receiving articles from you for future editions regarding for example statistics local news personnel movement Please contact the Editor for Ken will no longer be licenced or under contract to do on scene fire investigation work but will be available to work on existin
40. s British Columbia Chapter 15 c o Singleton Urquhart LLP 1200 925 West Georgia Street Vancouver BC V6C 3L2 I hereby make application for Subscribing Associate Membership in the B C Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators I agree that I will adhere to the Code of Ethics prescribed by the International and abide by the Objects and Aims of the Association I am enclosing 25 00 cdn with this application which includes annual dues and initiation fee I understand and agree that as a Subscribing Associate Member Chapter Associate I will be granted full privileges of the Chapter and be entitled to participate in all Chapter activities functions seminars and events I will receive all Chapter mailings bulletins and newsletters I will not have voting rights in International elections receive International magazines or have my name printed in the Annual Roster All the information given by me is warranted to be true PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE Applicant s Full Name Employer s Name Job Title Length of Time in Position Business Address Postal Code Home Address Postal Code State your reasons for membership ie Education information training Qualifications for membership see below References Name Occupation 1 2 Recommended by Chapter Member in good standing Member s Signature Applicant s Signature Mail Corr
41. sher was unreasonably dangerous at the time of sale and that it had reached Hardy without substantial change in its condition He bought it from his brother The company noted that at some point Hardy had taken the handle apart to repair a loose wire and evidence showed that he did not always use the cover enclosing the motor and transformer On the basis of this evidence the trial court granted BrittTech s motion but the appeals court reversed saying the plaintiff s claim was predicated on a defect in the transformer Even though the trial court determined that Hardy had made changes to the product the appeals court noted experts for both the plaintiff and defendant testified that those changes would not have affected the function of the transformer Because the combination of water and electricity is considered an obvious danger contributory or comparative negligence issues may arise concerning the conductor the injured person This is well illustrated in the case of Lawrence Lovell Jr who died after receiving an electric shock from the Blue Lustre Dirt Buster he rented to clean the exterior of his home 4 The Dirt Buster like the power washer that killed Duane Hardy was manufactured by BrittTech Because its power cord was only 12 feet long Lovell used an extension cord which he Plugged into a three pronged outlet inside his house and ran through an open window Lovell then removed his shoes and socks and as he sprayed his house pudd
42. t unique Electrical products kill and injure hundreds of people every year Indeed electricity can be as dangerous at 35 volts as it is at 10 000 volts The insulating qualities of human skin usually begin breaking down at 35 volts Thereafter it takes very little current in the body to be fatal 1 Because most products and household appliances operate on voltages up to 250 volts they can become deadly if they have design or manufacturing defects or are labeled with inadequate warnings Common problems include failure to include safety features in products used near water failure to design products with proper grounding devices defective circuitry and inadequate electrical insulation In fact injuries like those described above could have been prevented if the corporations that manufactured the products heeded basic design guidelines and incorporated appropriate safety devices as specified in the National Electrical Code NEC Used by state and local inspectors to determine if a product or property complies with safety requirements the NEC provides the most current and complete requirements guidelines and practices to ensure the safety of individuals and property from the dangers of electricity Claims most often associated with electrical product defects include strict liability negligence breach of warranty and premises liability Because of the inherent danger associated with electricity claims regarding failure to warn or inadequacy of wa
43. ties of the IAAI and the NFPA Steve Austin was also the long time chairperson of the NFPA 1033 Technical Committee and is the IAAI representative on the Board of Directors of the Pro Board where he holds the position of Vice Chair Finally the IAAI has actively participated in initiatives to help its members understand both NFPA 921 and 1033 Dozens of seminars produced by the IAAI help to educate its members and others about these two documents Most recently the IAAI was instrumental in coauthoring the User s Manual for NFPA 921 2003 ed 7 V hat is the Position of the IAAI respecting NFPA 921 amp NFPA 1033 The Board of the IAAI has previously stated that it recognizes NFPA 921 as a guide to assist investigators in the field of fire and arson investigation The IAAI recognizes the guide can be used as a reference to assist the fire investigator in the field of fire and arson investigation and it is included along with other reference material for the purposes of the IAAI Certified Fire Investigator CFI program With respect to NFPA 1033 the IAAI Board has recognized the minimum qualifications for fire investigators from the NFPA 1033 standard which aje reflected in the IAAI Certified Fire Investigator CFI test The CFI test questions are validated to the job performance requirements of this NFPA 1033 standard 8 How can members of the IAAI participate in the ongoing development of NFPA 921 and NFPA 1033 NFPA 921 is currently on
44. ve rubber Appealing the jury verdict for the plaintiff the utility company argued that when he reached into the box Troszynski was not using it for its intended purpose or in a foreseeable manner therefore he assumed the risk of injury The appeals court upheld the verdict finding evidence that the meter box was in an unreasonably dangerous condition at the time of the plaintiff s injuries The court also held that it was foreseeable that a member of the public would be injured if live uninsulated wires were left in such an accessible location without adequate warnings Although the court noted that the hazards of electricity are common knowledge it found that the meter box was not an electrical product that the average person would consider an obvious danger It had no warnings and it was reasonable for the plaintiff ro have assumed that any electrical wires contained in it would be properly insulated Most people understand the dangers of coming into contact with live electricity but most do not know that common household products can expose them to this type of danger Therefore manufacturers must design and make electrical products with proper grounding systems insulation and circuitry and provide adequate warnings of the electrocution risk Installers and commercial owners of such products also have a duty to ensure that their products are properly grounded and safe When these duties are breached the results can be deadly Notes
45. ve years ago When deciding on a digital camera there are a few important things to consider As all the technology is very small and difficult to repair make sure the brand you select has a good reputation and check reviews for the particular model you are interested in When selecting a model try to get the highest resolution you can afford as it will determine the longevity of your equipment Optical zoom uses lenses whereas digital zoom just makes the pictures fuzzier so worry more about your optical rather than digital zoom Finally a major issue for digital cameras is the speed at which they take photographs so make sure you are comfortable with how fast your new camera can take pictures The main advantages of digital photographs are that you can see if they turned out right away and you can be selective of which photographs you choose to print In addition copying and e mailing digital images cannot be much easier especially when compared with film photographs Newer computer programs for desktop computers allow for the easy insertion and integration of digital photographs into documents Digital is a technology that is rapidly gaining widespread acceptance and is an exciting new trend Fire investigators who choose to make use of this new technology can use it to their advantage provided they are aware of the some of the potential drawbacks Good luck with your photographs This Article originally appeared in the March 2005 edition
46. ween this holding and the result in Lowell is what the ordinary consumer is charged with knowing In this case the issue was whether Keener knew the product lacked important safety features knowledge consumers are not reasonably expected to possess Lowell on the other hand involved the type of common knowledge expected of consumers 1gvpd Page 10 Failure to ground defects Electricity always seeks the most conductive path back to its source or to the earth Grounding adds protection against electrical shock by providing a safe path for electricity to move from a defective product outlet fixture or appliance into the earth rather than through a person Without proper grounding otherwise mundane objects can become deadly The Ramanauskas family found this out when their 10 year old son Shawn died after being electrocuted while attempting to buy a snack from an ungrounded vending machine The machine owned by Lance Inc was located in the lobby of a Holiday Inn motel 8 The family brought a products liability suit against Lance Holiday Inn and Montgomery Coca Cola Bottling Co which owed the soft drink vending machine adjacent to and in contract with the snack vending machine The premises liability claim against the motel centered on two facts first that the motel handyman hardwired the outlet into which the machines were both plugged with reversed polarity and without proper grounding and second that the hotel management had fai
47. would share some comments and my own personal opinions on the subject For fire investigators the issues surrounding digital photography while significant a relatively straightforward Will my photographs be accepted in court Is it more economical to use digital cameras or film cameras What kind of technology should invest in What are the advantages disadvantages of digital photography think you might find some of the answers surprising would start out by saying that currently still use film photography for work but do have a couple of digital cameras and even have camera on my phone it takes really crappy pictures The reason still use film photography for investigations is entirely pragmatic Film photography still has higher resolution than the best digital cameras film camera technology is very well established stable already have the camera equipment and the negatives provide a robust long term storage medium The first question posed was whether or not digital photographs will be accepted by the courts If we look to past history for any indication the answer is probably yes At the beginning of the last century the admissibility of a new technology photographs was an issue The concern at the time was whether the images would prejudice the judicial system Eventually black and white photography was accepted within the court system A similar hurdle was faced with the advent of colour photographs Again they were
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