Introduction: While erecting a scaffold at a power plant, a scaffolder made a tragic mistake when he opened the electrical panel door protecting energized high-voltage equipment. We identified the applicable electrical generation regulations, industry standards, responsibilities of independent contractors, and individual human factors to determine the incident’s cause and responsibilities. Our expert report of opinions was used to negotiate a settlement.

A fatal warehouse material-handling accident became the subject of a dispute over hazard recognition, forklift practices, contractual responsibilities, and whether preventable load-stability failures caused a worker’s death. Baker & O’Brien conducted an independent causal analysis, reviewing video evidence, witness testimony, OSHA forklift standards, and contractual relationships to determine technical cause and responsibility. Our expert report clarified key failures in risk controls and load handling, enabling the parties to resolve the dispute before trial without further litigation.

A chemical terminal fire ignited when a circulation pump leaked during the blending of butane into naphtha, leading to a multi-day incident and a dispute over emergency response costs. Baker & O'Brien reviewed the preventive maintenance procedures, incident preparation and planning, emergency response procedures, emergency drills, and pre-incident contracts with third-party responders. We presented our opinions about the reasonableness of the response costs in an expert report and testified in a deposition before the matter was settled in mediation.