Overview
This webinar will take a closer look at fire loss from an environmental perspective. We will discuss both wildfire and structural fire claims and discuss the different approaches for each type of loss. We will look at the differences between wildfire and structural fire chemistry and the different forms of combustion by-products produced by each. We will also take an in-depth look at the current analytical methods available to investigators to determine the types and concentrations of combustion-related contaminants found in a building after a fire. Analytical methods will include electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and light microscopy.
We will discuss the pros and cons of each analytical method will be discussed as well as how to interpret the laboratory data. Finally, we will discuss the interpretation of the analytical data and provide a brief discussion of corrective actions that can be used to remove the contaminants. Several case studies will be included in the webinar to better illustrate to the audience how to anticipate the types of contaminants present, develop a sampling plan, interpret analytical data and develop a clean-up plan.
Why you should Attend
While fire damage to buildings is nothing new, some of the tools and evaluation techniques currently available for identifying environmental contaminants are. Many claims include areas where damage may not be visibly smoke damaged. New investigative techniques can help investigators better separate impacted from non-impacted areas.
Attendees of this webinar will be able to better understand and characterize a fire based on the combustion temperature and fuels present to determine the most likely contaminants present in a building. Attendees will have a better understanding of current analytical testing methods for combustion-related contaminates and the advantages and disadvantages of each test.
Attendees will have a better understanding of how to apply laboratory analytical results to develop corrective actions to address combustion by-product contaminants in a building.
This webinar will also briefly discuss some examples of corrective actions that can be utilized to remove combustion-related contamination. We will not deal with cost estimating fire damage or forensic evaluation to determine the source of the fire.
Areas Covered in the Session
- What chemical reactions occur during a fire?
- How do fuel type and temperature determine the types of combustion by-products released?
- What are some of the physical characteristics of smoke and soot?
- What are some of the common combustion by-products released during a fire?
- Why are combustion-related contaminants unwanted in buildings?
- Visual indications of combustion by-products?
- Analytical methods for combustion contaminants
- Available analytical methods for chemical contaminants?
- What does the analytical report tell you?
- Understanding background levels and other combustion sources that may impact testing results
- Discuss some corrective actions that can be taken to remove combustion contaminants
Speakers
Dr. Ryan Kuhn, Ph.D., CIH is the Vice President and Director of Industrial Hygiene Services for Dominion Environmental Consultants, Inc. Dominion Environmental has conducted over 1000 smoke and soot investigations for a wide range of clients. Dr. Kuhn has performed hundreds of smoke and soot investigations in numerous residential and commercial properties across the country. Dr. Kuhn has been retained as an industrial hygiene expert witness in various environmental cases in over 300 court cases nationwide and provided expert testimony in 5 states. In addition to deposition and trial testimony, Dr. Kuhn has also testified in arbitration, mediation and appraisal hearings. Dr. Kuhn has been involved as a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University where he instructed undergraduate courses in Cellular Biology and Genetics. Dr. Kuhn is an intern preceptor for the University of Arizona’s Industrial Hygiene department.
