Stephen Walsh S.A Walsh

I entered the profession as a 5 years indentured Domestic and Commercial Plumbing, Drainage, Water, Gas, Oil, Public Health Engineering, Building Services Engineering indentured student apprentice during August 1964 and qualified as an Engineer in 1969. I continued my academic and practical training to complete my professional qualification when I was awarded my Council of Engineering Institutions (CEI) Chartered Engineer (CEng.) status in 1983. I became an Expert Witness in 1984. I became registered CORGI gas engineer (now Gas Safe Register) in 1998 in compliance with the then new Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (Health and Safety Executive register of competent persons).

I studied MSc Occupational Safety and Health at Greenwich University and after graduating became Chartered Occupational Safety and Health Practitioner in 2000. During 1989 I re-qualified by examination my electrical NEI CEI qualifications for Domestic and Testing Electrical Installations.

Since 1984 to the present date I have produced Expert Reports and attended Court to give oral evidence. I have been instructed as an Expert Witness in The Royal Courts of Justice, Technology and Construction Courts together with regional County Courts. I have also attended The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales (known as the Old Bailey) for gross negligence and manslaughter cases and attended regional Crown Courts for Health and Safety Executive, Gas Providers and Police prosecutions. I have attended High Court in England and Wales; Scotland; Northern Ireland; Channel Islands and Isle of Man all with their own judicial systems.

Previous expert experience includes;
• Building Services Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing [MEP])
• Plumbing and Heating Engineering
• Assisting to resolve Customer and Contractor contract, provision of services and financial payments disputes.
• Investigating Domestic and Commercial Underfloor Heating systems for lack of performance..
• Investigating leaks from water, waste, soil and/or heating systems causing property damage and personal injury.
• Investigating water pipe failures and flooding together with other MEP alleged failures in high specification and profile London and other locations in UK domestic and commercial properties for special clients.
• Investigating Commercial Kitchens to resolve blocked drains with cooking oils and fats. Assisting in Tenant and Landlord disputes for drain responsibility and waste fats and oils retentions and treatment before entering the drains. Checking dirty washing practices and appropriate equipment.
• Investigating defective Planned Preventative Maintenance to Building Services in commercial, domestic and industrial properties.
• Personal injury due to scalding from hot water in bath, shower, sink, bidet and basin, and burns from hot unprotected radiator and hot surfaces. Excess hot under floor heating system resulting in personal injury to feet and other parts in contact with the floor.
• Investigations of Personal Injuries to the Disabled due to installer using incorrect installed/maintained sanitary fittings.
• Investigating freezing of piped systems inside buildings and assessing the thermal protection. Also investigating failed fittings due to freezing.
• Investigating “Water Hammer” and “Hydraulic Surges” in failed piped systems.
• Investigating pumped hydraulic systems in commercial and industrial properties and facilities.
• Investigating installed plumbing components not CE marked and/or not complying with Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999.
• Investigating alleged failures to District Heating Installations.
• Investigating failures to Sanitary Facilities for the Disabled.
• Investigating water fittings patent of products made outside UK .
• Investing Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Systems not providing the service they were intended by Contractors.
• Investigating clean and dry compressed air and gases for 3D printing machines, and other commercial and industrial purposes.
• Occupational Safety and Health
• Gas Safe Registered. LPG and Oil Services and Appliances.
• Domestic and Commercial Boiler Flue failure investigations
• Investigating Appliance spillages from Natural Gas (NG), LPG gas, Oil, burning appliances producing Carbon Monoxide poisoning and fatality. Natural Gas (methane) poisoning for criminal investigations.
• Reconstruction of flue pipe failures. Investigating flue discharges crossing property boundary.
• Gas pipe leaks, Oil pipe and Tank leaks resulting in explosions discharges from appliances in Domestic, Commercial and Industrial property.
• Investigating alleged failures of gas contractors undertaking Annual Gas Planned Maintenance Contracts to gas appliances.
• Assessing and Investigating fires from Oil, LPG and Natural Gas (methane) appliances
• Investigating accidents, personal injury claims and fatalities during the installation of plasticised Gas Mains joined by electrofusion welding technique outside buildings including failure of pipe fittings during pressure testing of gas mains.
• Investigations of fire caused by work undertaken by Gas Safe fitters and plumbers together with fire damage to property and personal injury caused by faulty boilers and maintenance to the gas appliance.
• Assessing Commercial, Domestic and Industrial Oil and Gas piped services for safety and compliance with the Regulations
• Assessing gas flue and combustion air twin pipe systems
• Investigating Carbon Monoxide spillages in Hotels, Public areas, Holiday accommodation both in UK and Overseas.
• Audit, Inspection, Investigations of Commercial gas appliances.
• Instructed as Defendant's Expert in Health and Safety Executive prosecution cases for undertaking Gas work when not competent.
• Experts 'meeting with Gas Safe Register Expert when they have been instructed by the Prosecution in case of the Defendant not being component when undertaking gas work.
• Health and Safety at Work in the workplace inhalation of gas from work process or work related operations and maintenance.
• HSE prosecutions and private litigation cases for employees personal injuries due to work related activities such as working with machines, air compressor hand held devices, opening and closing entrance doors.
• Personal Injuries Investigating slips, trips and manual handing injuries together with falling from ladders, down stairs, scaffolding and working at height.
• Water Engineering and Environment Management (MEP)
• Public Health Engineering investigations; (MEP)
• Underground drainage investigations into surcharging and flooding.
• Rainwater (surface water) into buildings.
• Surface water flooding investigations from adjacent adjoining land and sewers.
• Investigating ground water and surface water into buildings due to incorrect construction, elevated ground water levels and disposal of surface water from managed catchment of housing and/or commercial development or other causes.
• Flood management failures which were designed to protect property.
• Surcharging of sewers into property and collapsing property due to washout.
• Assessment of Commercial, Industrial and Domestic large and small drainage and sewer systems following users' complaints of flooding and emissions of sewer gases causing a nuisance and leading to personal injury by gas inhalation.
• Water leaks from plumbing components and soil and waste water systems causing water damage and flooding to property and finishings, stock in shops and commercial property. Personal injury in flats when ceiling collapsed onto owner/user. Slipping on wet surfaces.
• Investigating alleged sewer gas emissions at farms and process plants.
• Investigating of Domestic and Commercial installations of waste water treatment systems not functioning and flooding.
• Investigating alleged Hydrogen Sulfide gas from treatment systems and septic tanks.
• Supervision and reporting of CCTV investigations into underground piped system failures including grease blockages from kitchens.
• Investigation into water logged fields, run-off from impervious areas and resolution to resolve.
• Investigating centralised drainage plant failures for hotels, commercial industrial and housing estates.
• Customer and Landlord contract disputes of Plumbing, Drainage, Hot and Cold Water systems, Heating, Air Conditioning, and gas goods and services when installations not fit for the purposes intended.
• Investigating fatality at Water Undertaking Pumping station when high pressure mains pipe joint failed.

I accept instructions within the United Kingdom.
I attend the England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man Courts with their own judicial systems and own Building Regulations, Standards.
I have also given evidence at Arbitration, Mediation and Public Hearings.

Expert Witness work;
I accept instructions for;
• Single Joint Expert ( CPR Part 35),
• Party Appointed Expert for the Claimant (CPR Part 35)
• Party Appointed Expert for the Defendant (CPR Part 35)
• Expert for the Prosecution (CrimPR Part 19)
• Expert for the Defendant (CrimPR Part 19).
• I am willing to give initial 15 minutes free telephone consultation without obligation to discuss possible instruction.

I do not accept instructions for;
• Legal Aided paid work unless the solicitors accept my terms and become liable and pay for all expert work including the attending court.
•Family Court

Training

I entered the profession as a 5 year indentured student apprentice Plumbing, Gas and Public Health (Building Services) Engineer during August 1964 and qualified as an Engineer in 1969. I continued my academic training and “hands-on” work development to complete my professional qualification when I was awarded my Chartered Engineer status. I became an Expert Witness during 1984. I have completed the Academy of Experts and EWI training courses for Expert Witness duties and responsibilities. During 2000 as part of my on-going professional development I gained MSc. in Occupational Safety and Health. In 2005 I gained the Cardiff University Accredited Expert Witness by their examination. I continue my professional development.

Expert Training

CUEW (CUBS); Cardiff University Accredited Expert Witness Civil litigation certificate by their CPD courses with Bond Solon Expert Witness courses. E.W.I; CPD courses with EXI Expert Witness courses. Law Society; Registered with the Law Society as a “Checked” Expert Witness. UK Register of Experts; Approved and Registered Expert Witness.

Membership

MSoPHE Member Society of Public Health Engineers. MEWI Founding and Practising Member of the Expert Witness Institute. MSocEW Member of the Society of Expert Witnesses. RoSPA. Member of Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. NEWA National Expert Witness Agency. BSRIA Building Services Research.