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Forensic engineering involves the investigation and the analysis of a system’s components. There is a forensic activity when a system has failed or a crime has been alleged. The relevant system components include the humans and their behavior, technologies (Such as materials, products, structures, processes, procedures, knowledge, and communications as), environmental issues (Such as climate, group dynamics, lighting, sound, culture, and organization issues), the interactions, and the interfaces. Generally, the purpose of a forensic investigation and analysis is to identify and understand the role of the pertinent components. The ultimate goal of the forensic activity is to improve system performance: safety, effectiveness, and efficiency.
Most incidents with undesirable outcomes are subject to forensic investigation by individuals experienced in forensic methods of investigation. At ASI, we use forensic methods coupled with the principles and practices for human factors/ergonomics, systems engineering, industrial engineering, and safety engineering to analyze incidents.
In a perfect world, systems such as products, premises, services, and procedures would be safe, efficient, and effective. Similarly, people would perform the related system activity error free. Unfortunately, neither condition is the case. As a result, people are injured as the result of human error or other system component failures. When this happens, ASI is often retained to investigate, that is, identify and analyze the event for failure causality and injury causation.
ASI has been retained to investigate systems for probable potential incident causes due to oversights or mistakes due to design, manufacture, construction and/or maintenance of a product or premise. These investigations are intended to result in recommendations for modifications of the existing system to reduce the probability of future occurrences.
ASI has also been retained to investigate the role of various system components as they pertain to an alleged crime.
Depending on the event and the circumstances, the investigation generally includes looking at human performance characteristics and the interaction with the other system components: other humans, the technology, the environment, and the interfaces that are intended to facilitate the interactions. The various human performance characteristics can include 1) the physical (anthropometry, kinematics, strength, joint range of motion), 2) physiological (the sensory systems, performance capacity), 3) psychological (decision making, risk identification, assessment, and aversion, perception, expectations, information processing, communications), and 4) biomechanics (injury causation, forces applied to the body, forces applied by the body).
Gary has served as an expert witness in hundreds of litigated matters since he founded ASI. His unique educational and experiential background, combined with his meticulous attention to detail provide ASI's clients with exceptionally high quality reports, qualified expert testimony, and effective technical case management.
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