Air Conditioning - Boilers - Chillers - Heating and Refrigeration.

Our team of experts (Doc Mitchell & Larry Dunn P.E) at A - B - C - H and R hold more licenses, certifications and degrees in fields directly related to all phases of Air Conditioning, Asbestos, HVAC, Boilers, Refrigeration, Pressure Piping and Mechanical Engineering than any other team of HVAC and Refrigeration experts in the United States, Canada & South America.

In addition to their outstanding combined credentials they have over 70 years experience in all phases of Asbestos, Air Conditioning, Boiler, Chillers, Heating and Refrigeration systems. This includes trouble shooting, installation, service, repair, rebuilding, factory warranty service and design from the smallest of laboratory equipment to the largest systems in the world.

A - B - C - H and R has a fully equipped laboratory for testing and dissection of any type of equipment, as well as a large high security storage warehouse for the safe and secure storage of evidence.

A - B - C - H and R also has a fully stocked tool trailer to allow us to bring everything that is needed to perform on-site testing and dissection.

Bison is a multi-disciplined engineering firm specializing in failure analysis, forensic engineering and fire sciences with a team of P.E.'s who have performed thousands of forensic assignments including in excess of 1,000 fuel gas investigations.

Legal professionals turn to Bison to scientifically conduct investigations to determine the cause of destructive events. Forensic Engineers provide expert testimony and consultation. Investigations include explosions, fires, carbon monoxide incidents, electrical fires and failures, structural failures, mechanical failures, accident reconstruction, specialized testing, and courtroom presentations:

Fuel Gas Incidents: Fire and Explosion Causation; Propane Explosions, Natural Gas Explosion, Gas Delivery Systems; Carbon Monoxide Testing and Evaluation, Production and Migration Investigations; Plant & Pipeline, Piping Evaluation; Operational Analysis; Appliance Evaluation; Code Compliance; Soil Gas Migration; Vapor Dispersion

Fire Investigation and Explosion Analysis: Cause and Origin, Scene Documentation; Collection of Evidence; Certified Fire Investigator

Electrical Engineering: Electrically Related Fires, Electrical Service and Wiring Failures, Production Facility Service and Controls for Chemical, Petroleum, and Distribution Facilities, Electrical Contacts, Electrocutions; Lightning Strikes

Mechanical Engineering: Equipment Design and Operation; High-Pressure Oilfield Equipment; Pump Design and Operation; HVAC Systems; High and Low-Pressure Seals; Plastic Part Design and Manufacture, Industrial Equipment

Accident Reconstruction: Accident Sequence Reconstruction; Speed, Time and Distance Calculations; Crush Damage; Braking; Steering and Mechanical Analysis, including Tires; Electrical System / Electronic Failures; Mechanical and Fuel Systems; Airbag and Seatbelt Fatalities/Injuries; Staged Vehicle Impact

Failure Analysis: Industrial Equipment, Vehicle Impacts, Airbags and Seat Belts; Elevator Failures; Helmet and other Protective Equipment Failures; Infant Crib Design Inadequacies; Carbon Monoxide Investigations, Crane Failures, etc.

Metallurgical Engineering: Metal Fatigue of Gas Compressor Components; Electrical Contact Evaluations; Cracking of Structural Plastics; Chemical Analysis; Corrosion & Stress Evaluation and Analysis; SEM Analysis; Electron/Optical Microscopy; X-ray Examination

Bison's clients argue their cases with confidence, secure in the knowledge that their claims are based on unbiased, scientific data.

The CECON Group, Inc.

Consulting in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials, Nanotechnology, Mechanical Engineering, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Related Science and Engineering Fields. Technical Experts with Experience in Patent Litigation, Products Liability and Personal Injury.

Our inside technical professionals will help you find the expert you need, either from CECON's network of over 1200 science, engineering, and technical business experts in 19 countries, or by doing a custom search. We will help you find the best consultant for your project. Advantages are:

Quick response, and no fee until the expert is working for you

Inside technical staff is able to understand the nuances of your project and effectively screen experts for your case.

Skilled at quickly assembling multidisciplinary technical expert teams.

26 years of experience serving the legal community and industry.

Litigation Experts For:

Products liability, patents and trade secrets, chemical and fire hazards, OSHA, EPA, FDA compliance, labeling, fitness for use, failure analysis, evidence evaluation, forensic investigation, insurance claims, damage valuation, IP valuation.

What CECON Consultants Do:

CECON consultants have decades of experience in industry, federal agencies and academia. CECON's strength is in finding the right consultant for your exact need from a world class network of technical experts. If the expert is not a CECON Consultant, we will use our external network to find the expert that meets your specifications.

Areas of Expertise:

Agriculture Bio Technology Ceramic / Glass Chemical Analysis Chemical Engineering Chemistry Composites Controlled Release Electrical Electronic Energy Engineering Environment Failure Analysis FDA Compliance Fermentation Fertilizer Fibers / Films / Coatings Food / Beverage Food Engineering Geo Science Hazardous Materials

Herbicides Insurance Legal: Expert Testimony Legal: Patents Manufacturing Materials Engineering Material Safety Medical Device Medicinal Chemistry Metals / Metallurgy Nanotechnology Particle Size Pesticides Pharmaceutical Physics / Optics / Magnetics Polymers / Plastics Regulatory Compliance Safety / Risk Assessment Sensors Toxicity

Dexter Varnell is a Registered Professional Engineer who serves as an expert witness and arbitrator in Construction Related Disputes. Mr. Varnell prepares probable cause of damage reports for insurance companies and building condition surveys.

Mr. Varnell Performs Engineering Evaluations and Writes Reports on:

• Foundation - Failures, Drainage and Grading, Walls, Slabs, Porches, Patios, Decks, Driveways, Sidewalks
• Structural - Cracks, Integrity, Windows and Doors, Ceilings, Walls, Floors, Insulation and Ventilation, Electrical, Heating and Air-Conditioning System, Plumbing
• Roofing - Defects, Fascia Soffits and Eaves, Gutters and Downspouts
• Other Types of Building Defects - Landscaping, Fences and Exterior Walls, Smoke Alarms, Carports and Garages, Ceiling Fans, Bathrooms, Kitchen and Utility Connections, Attic, Basement, Chimney

His Services Include:

• Performing Drainage
• Waterproofing
• Roof Consultation
• Structural Design for Residential Renovation Projects

Donan Engineering Co., Inc., a family owned company founded in 1947, provides full-service Forensic Engineering and Fire Investigation Services. For over 60 years, Donan Engineering has been providing unbiased answers to their client’s complicated questions. Their team of licensed and experienced forensic experts provides investigative services in the fields of engineering investigations, fire and explosion origin & cause, roofing investigations, and component testing. The diversity of their multidisciplinary staff allows them to provide not only a complete service, but a complete service whose conclusions can be successfully and completely supported.

Donan Engineering has become a richly diverse, industry leader with over 190 employees operating from 36 offices in 19 states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Throughout their growth, Donan Engineering has maintained their commitment to providing exceptional customer service, unparalleled quality, unmatched integrity, and timely reporting. Most importantly, they pride ourselves on delivering their clients quality services at an affordable price.

Services Include:

Engineering Investigations
Bridges Foundations and Basements Geotechnical / Sink Holes Lightning Low and High Voltage Mechanical Systems Retaining Walls	Steel Construction Trusses Vehicle Mechanical Studies Vibrations: Earthquakes and Blastings Water Infiltration / Mold Wood Frame Construction
Fire / Explosion Origin and Cause Commercial Fires Equipment Fires Vehicle / Residential Fires	Roofing Investigations Commercial Residential - Asphalt Shingle Residential - Slate, Tile, Etc.
Heavy Trucks Motorcycles	Passenger Vehicles

John Batey is a Professional Engineer with more than 30 years of experience related to Combustion Equipment Design, Testing and Performance Evaluation. He started and headed the combustion equipment research and development program at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This program focused on testing and evaluating residential and commercial oil and gas heating equipment.

As a consulting engineer, he completed many successful projects related to residential, commercial and industrial burner operation, adjustment, and efficiency improvement. He has supplied consulting services to many law firms, insurance companies, oilheat marketers and associations, oil and gas equipment manufacturers. He has served as Technical Director of the Oilheat Manufacturers Association (OMA) for the past ten years.

Areas of Expertise:

Carbon Monoxide injuries and deaths from oil and gas combustion equipment

Smoke and Soot Damage from Oil and Propane Equipment

Fuel Oil Leaks

Fires Related to Heating Equipment

Burn Injuries from Combustion Heating Equipment

Ray Helmer is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama and Ohio. He is available to perform Expert Witness Services in all 50 states.

At present, Mr. Helmer enjoys working in depth on Water & Wastewater cases such as: water supplies, toxic contamination, industrial pollution, water intrusion, and flooding.

Areas of Expertise:

Civil, Structural and Forensic engineering

Highway engineering, roadways, sight distance

Concrete and Asphalt Pavements

Highway / Street lighting

Traffic engineering, signals, signs, striping

Traffic noise studies

Accidents – automobile, train, motorcycle, pedestrian

Traffic accident testimony involving city / County / State DOTS

Hydraulics, hydrology, drainage, flooding

Sanitary engineering, sewers, overflows

Water treatment, distribution, pumping

Water disinfection byproducts (DBPs)

Wastewater treatment plants, lift stations

Soil expansion, contraction, settlement

Foundation failure, structural damage

Plumbing, leaks, water intrusion

Airports, FAA standards, runways, taxi ways, ramps

Bridges, buildings, corrosion, concrete cracking

Construction defects, fraud, accidents, delays, estimates

John is an industry leader in Building Systems Engineering including, Security, Building Automation Systems, Fire Alarm Systems, Intelligent Building Concepts and Commissioining. He has worked on some of the most prestigious facilities in the world including the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Russia, India and Southeast Asia.

Security Expertise:

Access Control

CCTV Surveillance

Emergency Communications

Operations

Risk Assessments

Building Automation Expertise:

Energy Management

HVAC Controls

Operations

MEP Commissioning

Other Systems Expertise:

Fire Alarm

Telecommunication

Intelligent Buildings

Jason R. Babcock, PhD - Chemistry and Materials Consulting

Dr. Babcock has formal training in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and materials property analysis. He has specialized throughout his career in the role that materials contribute to the limitations and failures of products and systems. He has substantial experience in a variety of materials, corrosion, measurement instrumentation, materials testing, materials processing and processing equipment, chemistry, R&D practices, and project management. Dr. Babcock has a broad General Chemistry knowledge that is invaluable to understanding the interaction of materials on a molecular level. He has extensive experience designing and building experimental apparatus and performing analytical testing of a wide variety of materials, interpreting the results, and providing detailed reports summarizing the findings. He can provide practical and comprehensive testing that is independent and unbiased. He has practical experience performing a broad range of tests to determine the strength, physical, chemical, and wear properties of metals, ceramics, composites, and plastics. Dr. Babcock is the author of over forty technical papers and holds five patents. View Curriculum Vitae.

Richard J. M. Bidwell, PE - Chemical, Industrial Incident Investigator

Ric Bidwell is a Licensed Professional Chemical Engineer that brings to ITC Expert Services nearly 30 years of multidisciplinary engineering experience. He has fully utilized his diverse hands-on experience in the national and international investigations of fires and explosions involving residential, commercial, chemical industrial facilities and heavy equipment. He has also been responsible for failure analysis and incident investigations relating to industrial and chemical processes or process equipment, chemical exposure, industrial accidents and safety.

Mr. Bidwell has nearly two decades of experience in all engineering aspects of chemical processing and industrial plant operations, including design, maintenance, safety and bulk material handling and transportation. Clients have included major petroleum and chemical producers, fuel gas companies and suppliers, the United States Chemical Hazard and Safety Board (CSB) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Mr. Bidwell Specializes in:

Fire and Explosion Investigation Natural Gas, LP and Propane Systems Chemical and Industrial Processes Industrial Incident Investigations Chemical Release and Exposure Bulk Material Transportation Incident Investigation

Plumbing, Piping and Pumping Systems Combustion & Heating Equipment Industrial and Commercial Safety Industrial and Heavy Equipment HVAC and Refrigeration Equipment

View Curriculum Vitae.

Kevin Pedersen, CFI, CFEI - Director, Fire Investigations

Mr. Pedersen, an investigator for over sixteen years, has extensive training in fire and explosion investigation techniques and experience in many forensic disciplines. He is certified in fire, explosion and arson investigation, holding both CFI (Certified Fire Investigator) and CFEI (Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator) certifications from the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) and the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI), respectively. He is an Illinois licensed Private Detective, a Wisconsin licensed Private Detective, and a trained and accomplished evidence photographer. He has worked on investigations for both civil and criminal cases involving industrial accidents, traffic accidents and fires involving injuries, fatalities and property damage. He has also worked on criminal investigations involving surveillance, assault and battery, and homicides occurring during shootings, cases of arson, and bombings. Mr. Pedersen spent five years as a major crimes investigator for the City of Chicago Police Department in their Bomb and Arson Unit where he investigated over 1,000 incidents involving many major crimes. His experience includes incidents and explosions involving natural gas and propane, as well as residential and industrial fires, and fires in machinery and appliances. View Curriculum Vitae.

John B. Giacoma provides consulting and evaluation services for Plumbing, Mechanical and HVAC related projects. He has over 40 years of field experience as a tradesman Plumber and Contractor.

Mr. Giacoma has installed, supervised, managed, consulted and designed Mechanical, Plumbing and HVAC projects for Residential, Commercial and Industrial sites. He works with attorneys representing both Plaintiff and Defense.

Expertise:

Construction Defects

Personal Liability Claims

Asbestos Exposure

Construction Claims

Cost Estimating