Failure analysis is defined as the logical, systematic examination of a component, system or circumstance, to identify and analyze the probability, causes and consequences of potential and real failures.
More simply stated Failure Analysis is The Science of How and Why.
Accidents happen … usually as a result of complex interactions and unanticipated circumstances. Afterwards, substantial financial, legal and emotional costs and obligations depend on answers to the inevitable, critical questions: What happened? Why? Who is responsible?
Answering such questions often involves expertise in various areas or disciplines including:
The engineers and fire scientists of McDowell Owens Engineering have been answering these questions for more than 25 years. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, we analyze equipment and structural failures. We reconstruct the scenes of fires, explosions and vehicular accidents. We identify culpable parties, point out mitigating factors and uncover human error. From what may seem like baffling complexity to non-engineers, our investigators produce the facts.
