Expert Details
Confined Space Entry Fatality Investigations, Occupational and Industrial Hygiene
ID: 727778
Canada
* Lead Investigator for both a Regulatory Authority and industry in a number of confined space fatalities.
* Audited confined space programs in Canada, the UK and the United States.
* Organizer of round-tables and seminars on the topic of Confined Space Entry at a number of conferences, including the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition,
Expert is a major contributing author for several publications on Confined Space Entry. He is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Registered Occupational Hygienist (ROH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP). and earned a Master's degree in Occupational Health and Safety from the University of Southern California.
Expert earned a Master's of Occupational Health, majoring in Industrial Hygiene, from the University of Southern California. He is a Certified Industrial Hygienist (ABIH) and Certified Safety Professional (BCSP). He has extensive experience in the field of Industrial Hygiene and has testified in court as an Expert Witness on industrial hygiene matters. He has been employed as Senior Industrial Hygienist in both Government service and Industry. As HSE Director, he managed the Health, Safety and Environment programs at a large Canadian University. He has international experience in the Oil & Gas sector and has developed industrial hygiene programs in the Middle East and Africa for large oil and gas companies.
Expert was the major contributing author of the WorksafeBC Publication "Breathe Safer" and has developed many Respiratory Protection Programs for government and industry.
Author of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and SDS for several international oil and gas companies. Developed training programs for implementation of GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals).
Provided expert witness testimony at a Coroner's Inquest into multiple deaths which occurred in a confined space at a mine site. Provided advice to the Mines Department on updating and revising their regulations relating to working in confined spaces. Provided expert witness testimony for in a court case in Atlanta, Georgia relating to a fatality in a confined space. Testified on the material safety data sheet for the chemical coating being used in the confined space, the procedures being used, and the regulatory requirements. A settlement was successfully reached in favor of my client.Provided expert witness testimony in a lawsuit in Minnesota relating to a fatality in a confined space at a farming operation. A settlement was successfully reached in favor of my client.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1974 | Degree: BS | Subject: Biology | Institution: University of Sasksatchewan |
| Year: 1990 | Degree: MS | Subject: Occupational Health & Safety | Institution: University of Southern California (Los Angeles) |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2019 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Senior Industrial Hygienist | Department: Industrial Hygiene |
Responsibilities:Provide senior level occupational health & safety consulting and instructional services to ConocoPhillips Canada, University of Calgary, Government of Canada, Government of Guyana and others. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2008 to 2011 | Employer: University of Calgary | Title: Director | Department: Environment Health and Safety |
Responsibilities:Responsible for the development and implementation of the environment, health and safety management system. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2005 to 2008 | Employer: Talisman Energy Inc. | Title: Corporate Safety and Industrial Hygiene Specialist | Department: Environment and Safety Division |
Responsibilities:Expert was responsible for developing the confined space entry safety program, in addition to other responsibilities for the industrial hygiene and safety program. Developing standard practices for H2S, Asbestos, respiratory protection and related programs. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1990 to 2005 | Employer: Workers Compensation Board of BC | Title: Manager, Occupational Disease Prevention | Department: Prevention Division |
Responsibilities:Responsible for directing the work of 60 field industrial hygienists tasked with ensuring regulatory compliance in British Columbia workplaces, and monitoring exposures. Serving as a subject matter expert for various industrial hygiene related publications, including confined space, asbestos, respiratory protection, etc. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2011 to 2013 | Employer: Marathon Oil | Title: Senior Safety Specialist | Department: Health & Safety |
Responsibilities:Manage the industrial hygiene program, including confined space program, for a large LNG (liquefied natural gas) plant in West Africa (Equatorial Guinea) |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2014 to 2017 | Employer: Conoco Phillips | Title: Senior Industrial Hygienist | Department: Health, Safety & Environment |
Responsibilities:Manage the industrial hygiene program for all Canadian operations, and provide guidance and support for the Corporate IH program in Houston. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2017 to 2019 | Employer: Cuso International | Title: Consultant | Department: Health & Safety |
Responsibilities:Sessional Instructor for Industrial Hygiene courses at a large Canadian University. Providing volunteer consulting on Health & Safety programs to the Ministry of Education in a South American country. |
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Government Experience
| Years | Agency | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2007 to Present | Agency: Coroner's Service | Role: Expert Witness | Description: Provide expert witness at a Coroner's Inquest into a multiple fatality in a confined space. |
| Years: 2006 to Present | Agency: Workers Compensation Board of BC | Role: Expert Witness | Description: Provide expert witness at a trial in Atlanta, Georgia relating to a confined space fatality. |
| Years: 1990 to 2005 | Agency: Workers Compensaton Board of BC | Role: Senior Occupational Hygienist | Description: Review and revise occupational exposure limits in the Regulation; direct the field activities of 60 field industrial hygienists and technicians, Lead Investigator for fatalities involving confined space work, explosions and chemical exposures, develop guidelines, practices and publications on asbestos, confined spaces, respiratory protection, etc. |
| Years: 2016 to 2017 | Agency: Governmetn of Alberta - OHS Dept. | Role: Expert Witness | Description: Subpoenaed as an expert witness on a confined space matter for court |
International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2007 to 2007 | Country / Region: United Kingdom (Scotland) | Summary: Represented the Corporate Safety Department in the investigation of a fatality inside a confined space on an offshore oil and gas facility. |
| Years: 2008 to 2008 | Country / Region: Malaysia | Summary: Audited and reviewed the confined space program for offshore installations in Malaysia for an oil and gas company, as part of a larger process safety audit. |
| Years: 2008 to 2008 | Country / Region: Norway | Summary: Audited and reviewed the confined space program for offshore installations in Norway, as part of a larger process safety audit. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| American Industrial Hygiene Association; Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists; American Academy of Industrial Hygiene |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| CIH (Certified Industrial Hygienist); ROH (Registered Occupational Hygienist); CSP (Certified Safety Professional) |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| Treasurer, American Industrial Hygiene Foundation; President, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene; Director, American Industrial Hygiene Association; Director and Treasurer, Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| Expert is the major contributing author of several publications on confined space entry programs and respiratory protection programs. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Testified at trial as a Court recognized expert witness on the subject of confined space safety in the death of three workers in a confined space (vessel) at a pulp mill. Testified as a Court recognized expert witness at a Coroner's inquest into the deaths of three workers in a confined space (underground sump) at a mine site. The Coroner's Jury made over 100 recommendations, some of which lead to a major updating of the Mine Occupational Safety regulations. Lead investigator for an oil and gas company into the death of one of their workers in a confined space on a platform in the North Sea (Scotland). 2005 testified as an expert witness on confined space at a trial in Atlanta, Georgia of a chemical manufacturing company that had provided inaccurate information on a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for one of their products used in a confined space. While using the product a worker was killed when there was an explosion in the confined space. The jury awarded over one million dollars to the family of the deceased. 2017 provided expert witness consulting to a legal firm representing the family of an individual who died as a result of a confined space fatality on a farm. The case was successfully resolved. 2017 provided expert witness consulting to the Government of Alberta in the case of a worker severely injured by burns to his body in a welding accident inside a confined space. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| The Industrial Hygienist as Expert Witness, American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce) 2018 (attended). Presenter, AIHce, 2018 Philadelphia AIHce Roundtable Organizer and Presenter on Confined Space Safety - Montreal, May 2013; AIHce Roundtable Organizer on Confined Space Safety, Toronto June 2009; University of British Columbia - Preventing Catastrophes in Confined Spaces, May 2010; Presenter on Confined Space Safety at Professional Conference of Industrial Hygienists (PCIH) - Vancouver 2009; Canadian Society of Safety Engineers, Confined Space Safety, Calgary, AB 2006 |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| Have dealt extensively with vendors/suppliers of confined space air monitoring equipment, ventilation and rescue equipment. |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| Experience in the upstream oil and gas industry, LNG, and offshore installations in the U.S., Canada, UK, Malaysia and Norway. |