Nick Hepher is a highly experienced cement process engineer, with specialist knowledge for milling, pyro-processes, particle and separation technologies. With over 40 years' experience on the 'front line', Nick's 'hands on' approach has involved him in all aspects of the business, including process design, sales, contract execution, spares and services. He has been responsible for the engineering aspects of projects, both 'turn-key' and 'supply-only', and involved in sales and project management for both...

Mechanical engineering • Mechanical failure • Product failure • Pneumatic engineering • Hydraulic engineering • Automotive engineering • Personal protective equipment • Classic vehicles • Accident investigation: agriculture; agricultural machinery and vehicles; construction sites; mechanical; factories; falls, trips and slips; footpaths, pavements, pedestrian; forklift trucks; HGVs; industry; ladders; leisure industry and sports; lifting equipment; lifting; machinery; manufacturing industry; occupational; plant engineering;...

Accident investigation: agriculture; agricultural machinery and vehicles; construction sites; mechanical; factories; falls, trips and slips; footpaths, pavements, pedestrian; forklift trucks; HGVs; industry; ladders; leisure industry and sports; lifting equipment; lifting; machinery; manufacturing industry; occupational; plant engineering; play areas and playgrounds; scaffolding; warehousing industry; welding; woodworking industry Mechanical design • Mechanical appliances • Mechanical engineering, including project...

Electrical engineering • CE & PUWER conformity • Project management • Control systems • Machinery safety • Functional safety • Electrical inspection & testing • Electrical fire • Product recall • Insurance claims • Electrical installation disputes • Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificate

Health & safety • Mechanical engineering design • Investigation of industrial accidents, personal injuries & fatalities • Occupational diseases (asbestos, noise, hand-arm vibration) • Investigations of fire & explosions • Investigation of defective engineering design & plant mal-performance • Risk assessments • PPE • Safe systems of work • Legionnaires disease

Mechanical engineering • Electrical engineering • Agricultural engineering • Electromechanical engineering • Process and machinery • Electrical fires • Plumbing • Electrical systems

We accept instructions from prosecutors, appellants, defendants and claimants in criminal and civil work on most health and safety topics. Our expertise extends to manufacturing and service industries, construction, commercial, offices, education, entertainment, local government, health services, retail, fairgrounds, public works, airports, Crown services and utilities. Topics include: • Work at height • Systems of work • Safety documentation • Risk assessment • Guarding of machinery • Works transport • Lifting operations •...

Mechanical engineering machinery & components • Engines, transmissions, turbines, compressors, pumps • Gears, chains, bearings, brakes, clutches, couplings • Lubrication methods & systems • Friction & wear • Industries: rail, automotive, power, process, food, manufacturing, alternative energy (wind), marine, aviation, mining, oil & gas, chemical Additional e-mail: [email protected]

Technical: • Petroleum products, including treatment design & development • Energy conservation & management • Environment • Oil & gas processing • Pipelines • Metal cutting • Metal forming • Mineral oil extraction • Gas supply & control • Pharmaceutical products • Process plant • Pressure vessels • Food & drink processing machinery • Chemical industry machinery • Welding • Functional: • Consultancy services • Process engineering & contracting • Quality control • Assurance & inspection ISO 9001/2 • Project management • Purchasing & procurement • Contracting •...

Rotating equipment • Packaged equipment • Machinery damage assessments • Mechanical and piping systems • MEP, oil, gas, power, petrochemical and energy transition • Pipelines • Wind turbine generators • Gearboxes • Pumps • Compressors • Diesel generators • Gas turbines • Air coolers • Heat exchangers • Heaters • HVAC • Pressure vessels • Valves • Lifting equipment • Asset integrity • LNG • LPG • Offshore • Cost estimates • Accident investigation • Root cause analysis • Contract management • Tendering • Procurement

The forensic investigation of failed mechanical parts and machinery from general industrial/manufacturing, electrical power generation/transmission, petrochemical, automotive, water and construction industries • Collapse of cranes and large structures • Detailed experience of metal casting, reciprocating engines, gas turbines and other rotating machinery • Investigation of escapes of water/oil in domestic and commercial environments • Investigation of fractured glazing

30 years working in power generation • Industrial plant • Project development and operations Experienced with major coal, oil and gas-fired power plants • Renewable energy • Wind turbines • Solar farms • Biomass • Electrical networks • Repair and maintenance facilities • Rotating machinery • Diesel engine generators • Gas-fired engines • Boilers • Transformers • Gas and steam turbines • Steam systems • Compressors • Pumps • Heat exchangers • Fuel preparation and storage • Materials handling • Investigations and root cause analysis • Drafting reports

Personal injury & fatal accidents, including: • Falling, tripping & slipping accidents • Workplace hazards • Machinery hazards • Manual handling, lifting & repetitive strain injury • Industry hazards • Cranes, lifts & forklift truck accidents • Domestic hazards • Commercial premises hazards & accidents • Sports & leisure accidents & hazards • Fairground & playground accidents • Musculoskeletal injury & diseases • Industrial products, including: • Defective equipment • Equipment failures • Product liability disputes • Product defects & injuries •...

Compliance of machinery to legal requirements (e.g. Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations) and associated designated standards and the Machinery Directive (EU) • Functional safety of machinery • Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), e.g. guarding of machinery • Safety of electrical and control systems for machinery

Expertise: • Safety • Accident investigation • Health & Safety at Work Act & Regulations • Personal injury • Fires • Explosions • Risk assessment • Safety management • Occupational accidents • Product safety • Dangerous goods • Falls • Mechanical or structural failure • Machinery Sectors: • Industrial • Construction • Mechanical • Electrical • Manufacturing • Factories • Oil • Gas • Offshore • Chemicals • Pipelines • Railways • Public transport • Ports & docks • Food • Retail • Leisure

Escapes of water, oil and gas • Mechanical engineering • Building fires • Explosions • Vehicle, plant and machinery fires • White goods appliance fires • Composites • Glass and ceramics • Plastics and polymers • Manual handling

Occupational safety & health representation • Accident/incident investigation • Risk assessment & analysis • Management systems • Safe work systems • Human factors • Engineering failures • Compliance • Due diligence • Expert witness • COVID 19 risk assessment, audit & compliance checking • Review of systematic failures and consequences investigation.

Criminal and civil investigator and expert witness for accidents, asbestos, construction, universities and much more. • 10 years as HSE Inspector (undertaking prosecutions) • 13 years at Newcastle University - Head of Safety • Freelance since 2012 Multiple award winner from 2015 to 2023 • Lawyer Monthly Expert Witness awards annually since 2017 • Lawyer International - Legal 100 awards annually since 2018 and many more, see http://safety4hed.co.uk/awards/ Reports normally available in 3 weeks.