Consumer Stool Failure
Metallurgical failure
analysis was requested after a small utility stool
failed resulting in personal injury. The stool
collapsed when it was sat upon. The subject failed
stool had been discarded by the store cleanup crew.
Discarding of the failed stool raised evidence
spoliation issues. Accident reconstruction was
employed and an identical stool was tested to determine
its load handling capability. Although the subject
stool had been discarded, metallurgical examination and
testing of example stools revealed that a rivet failure
was the most likely cause of the stool collapse.
Photograph A: Overall view of example stool used to test
load carrying capacity of accident stool.
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 Dr.
R. Craig Jerner, Ph.D., PE specializes in accident
investigation and metallurgical failure analysis,
with over 30 years experience as a metallurgical
consultant and accident investigator. He has
testified as a metallurgical expert in over 250
depositions and more than 70 court appearances. If you or someone you know should need the services of Dr. Jerner and J.E.I. Metallurgical, please visit our web site at the buttons below, or e-mail Dr. Jerner --- r.c.jerner@metallurgist.com |
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