Throughout the last quarter Hawkins was privileged to have the opportunities to attend, sponsor and speak at 30 different industry events across five countries. From civil engineering to power generation, from Glasgow to Singapore, our scientists and engineers have taken part in workshops, discussions, presentations and conferences across a variety of sectors, reflecting growing trends within engineering, insurance, and risk management. We share ten of these events attended by twenty-five members of the Hawkins team across the globe.
CRANE SAFETY CONFERENCE
On 13th September Civil Engineer Richard Giles-Carlsson and Materials Engineer Stephen Brough attended the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) 2022 Crane Safety Conference in London. Richard presented, Forensic Investigations of Incidents Involving Cranes and Lifting Equipment, including case studies and best practice guidance for site owners and equipment operators. The IMechE shared a 60 second interview with Richard, which includes his views on the current challenges within the construction industry and top tips for tackling a new lifting challenge.
ASIA POWER FORUM
On 14th and 15th September, Dr David Rose, Dr Chris Wareham, Simon Batt, and Ben Adams attended the Asia Power Forum in Singapore. Electrical Engineer Ben Adams presented, Introduction to Renewables and The Challenges They Bring, as part of an introductory day of primer sessions on power generation and its associated equipment and insurance claims. Hawkins has sponsored the Asia Power Forum since its inaugural event in 2017 and look forward to attending again next year.
GROUND ENGINEERING – BASEMENTS AND UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES
On 6th October Andrew Reeves, Niralee Casson and Dr Rob Baldock exhibited at the Ground Engineering: Basements & Underground Structures Conference in London. We look forward to returning to further Ground Engineering events in the future for a great source of technical knowledge and innovation in civil engineering.
ONSHORE ENERGY CONFERENCE
On 1st November, four members of Hawkins Power & Energy Team, Ben Adams, Dr Giuseppe Scatigno , Dr Gerald Deshais, and Simon Batt attended the Onshore Energy Conference in London. Simon Batt had the opportunity to present Hydrogen as a Fuel for Gas Turbine Engines complementing the conference’s focus for 2022: “Energy Insurance – Keeping Up with the Industry,”. His talk provided insight into the importance of gas turbines as part of the energy transition, the potential risks and the risk-minimising actions operators can take.
HEAT RECOVERY STEAM GENERATOR USER GROUP
On 2nd & 3rd November, Business Development Manager Graeme Drysdale, and Materials Engineers Dr Nick Wright and Dr Lin Sun attended the IMechE Heat Recovery Steam Generator User Group in Nottingham. Lin Sun presented, Case Studies on Forensic Failures Analyses in HRSG and Auxiliary Systems in the Context of Insurance Claims. Both Lin and Nick specialise in failures involving gas turbines, steam generators, and other heavy plant and machinery associated with power generation.
LONDON BUILD EXPO
On 16th & 17th November six members of our Built Environment Team attended the London Build Expo. Civil Engineers Andrew Reeves and Dr Rob Baldock, Forensic Architects Niralee Casson, Alastair Ferguson and Sam Morley, and Fire Engineer James Clarke enjoyed exhibiting for the first time at the large, bustling event. This event showcases exhibitors from, “across the UK’s entire construction industry” and hosts the world’s largest networking event of Women in Construction.
FLOODEX NATIONAL DRAINAGE SHOW
On 23rd and 24th November, Richard Keightley and Andy Ingle attended the Floodex National Drainage Show in London. Richard is a hydrologist, specialising in flooding, drainage, and water ingress, while Andy is a civil engineer specialising in subsidence, sewers, septic tanks, and ground movement. The event focused on climate change, growing flood risks, and how to mitigate them in the future.
LIQUEFACTION OF BULK CARGO SEMINAR
Also on 23rd and 24th of November, Materials Engineer Dr Sophie Parsons attended the Liquefaction of Bulk Cargoes Seminar in London, hosted by Lloyd’s Maritime Academy. Sophie said of the seminar, “This workshop was excellent, interactive, and informative.” Others present at the seminar included members of Alfred Knights, the world’s top liquefaction testing lab. Sophie also remarked that “liquefaction experts may be a small community, but all of us benefit greatly from refreshing our knowledge.”
THE INSURANCE AND ACTUARIAL SOCIETY OF GLASGOW ANNUAL DINNER
On 25th November Regional Manager of Hawkins’ Glasgow Office, John Holland, attended The Insurance and Actuarial Society of Glasgow annual dinner with members of the Hawkins Glasgow team: Materials Engineer Dr Tom Peat, Mechanical Engineer Darren Cook, Business Development Manager Graeme Drysdale, and Office Manager Lindsey Ramsay. We were delighted to be joined by Iain Franklin (Ince); Lara Frostwick, Mhairi Morrison and April Craine (DAC Beachcroft); and Jenna Green (Kennedys). Graeme Drysdale said the evening was more than well attended—with over 500 people present—and that it featured an interesting talk by Scottish journalist and political commentator Brian Taylor, as well as awards for rising stars and students within the industry.
CRAWFORD MAJOR & COMPLEX LOSS TECHNICAL BRIEFING
On 30th November, Dr Giuseppe Scatigno and David Reid Rowland attended the Crawford Major & Complex Loss Technical Briefing in Basingstoke, where David presented, Trends in Escapes of Water & Recoveries. With over 100 attendees and presentations from EIG, AON and Crawford, Hawkins were honoured to be invited to the event, and look forward to working with Crawford on more major and complex losses in the future.
As 2022 comes to a close, Hawkins would like to thank the organisers of all the events. It’s been a pleasure to attend so many diverse events and meet with old and new faces to discuss the trends and challenges in each of the different industries. As forensic engineers, we strive to keep ourselves up to date with new techniques and expertise that can be used to investigate the full array of incidents, from domestic appliance issues to major power station failures, and everything in between. We look forward to 2023 and learning about emerging trends and technologies as the landscape continues to evolve.
