Product Failure Testing & Analysis Expert Witness
Gilmore Engineers provides product failure testing and product failure analysis for consumer and industrial products across Australia. Our forensic mechanical engineers assess products for compliance with Australian Standards and Workplace Safety Requirements, delivering independent expert reports and court testimony for product liability matters.
Last updated: August 2026 | Reviewed by: Matt Gray
Mechanical Forensic Engineers for Products
Australia Wide Service
Public Liability has become a significant issue in Australia. Our forensic mechanical engineers can provide expert product failure testing and product failure analysis. This testing and analysis is for consumer or industrial products for compliance with Australian Standards, and Workplace Safety Requirements.
For over 30 years, Gilmore Engineers has been a leader in the investigation and analysis of a variety of different types of incidents. During this time Gilmore Engineers has provided over 1,500 reports to lawyers, members of the legal profession and loss adjusters for matters before District, Supreme and Federal Courts.
Gilmore Engineers will examine the available evidence and give you an initial engineering assessment in the form of a verbal opinion. If necessary, this opinion can be provided in the form of a comprehensive report for the Court. Our experts will then follow through by presenting their evidence to the Court in person on your behalf if required.
Gilmore Engineers is a mechanical engineering consultancy firm in Brisbane with experience in product liability.
Contact us for product failure analysis and testing and Australian standard testing.
- Pool heating system
- Industrial steam boiler
- Furniture failures
- Angle grinder
- Drills and drill presses
- Ladder failures
- Kitchen appliances
- Curling iron
Is Product Failure Testing & Analysis Right for Your Case?
| Best for | Not ideal for |
|---|---|
|
Legal claims involving injury, damage, or loss caused by a defective product Cases requiring testing or analysis of a product’s failure mode Assessing whether a product met Australian Standards or Workplace Safety Requirements |
Product design or compliance review before a product goes to market — see our mechanical engineering consulting service instead General product recall or regulatory advice unrelated to technical failure |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does product failure testing involve?
Product failure testing involves physically examining and, where relevant, testing a failed product to determine how and why it failed, resulting in a written expert report.
2. What does product failure analysis involve?
Product failure analysis involves reviewing the evidence, design, and failure mode of a product to determine whether it complied with Australian Standards and Workplace Safety Requirements, and whether the failure was due to a defect, misuse, or another cause.
3. What types of products do you test and analyse?
We test and analyse a wide range of consumer and industrial products, including furniture, appliances, ladders, power tools, and heating systems.
4. Will the engineer give evidence in Court?
Yes, if required. Our experts present their findings to the Court in person and respond to questions from the judge and barristers for both parties.
5. Do you work outside Brisbane?
Yes. We provide product failure testing and analysis Australia-wide, including Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast, and Queensland mining regions.
Product Liability Case Studies
Burst Under Sink Boiler
An unpressurised boiler had been installed under the sink at a shop. Over a weekend, the boiler burst and flooded the shop cause damage to the majority of the stock. Our engineer inspected the boiler and its’ installation. It was determined that the boiler had not been correctly installed, causing it to fail.
Umbrella Failure
Blender Lid Removal Forces
A user of a popular heated blender claimed that the lid locking mechanism was defective and that the lid could be removed easily when in use. Our engineer inspected the appliance and performed tests to measure the forces required to remove the lid when locked in place.
Crocodile Pool Heating System
The heating system for the main crocodile pools at an iconic Australian Zoo was icing up in winter providing inadequate heat with the pools. After inspecting the heating systems and pools, our engineers performed calculations to identify the required capacity of heating systems for the pools to ensure they operated correctly during winter.
Ginger Factory Steam Generator Efficiency
Gilmore Engineers reviewed the efficiency of two steam generators used at a Ginger Factory. Gilmore Engineers installed temporary monitoring systems, including ultrasonic flow meters, thermocouples, pressure gauges, flue gas analysers, and data loggers on the steam generators and throughout the factory. Data recorded over three days and two nights was then collated into a report to enable optimisation of the plant and a reduction in fuel costs.
Ladder Failure and Fall
When the rung of a ladder he was descending gave way, a man lost his balance and fell sustaining injuries. Our engineer inspected the ladder and identified that the rung which gave way was missing a swagged end cap. It was determined that a manufacturing defect was the most likely caused the failure.
Angle grinder fatality
A fatality occurred after an angle grinder safety cover was removed, and a larger cutting disc installed. Our engineer inspected the angle grinder and provided advice on improving user safety by prohibiting its use with the safety cover removed.
Chair Failure and Injury
A person was leaning back on a plastic chair at Hervey Bay Airport, Queensland when the chair backrest broke off, causing him to hit the wall behind him. Gilmore Engineers were requested to determine how and why the chair failed and to answer several technical questions posed by the instructing solicitors.
Wine Bottle Explosion
As a person removed the cork from a wine bottle, it exploded, causing injuries to their hand. Gilmore Engineers was requested to determine why the bottle exploded. Our engineers inspected the remains of the bottle and performed tests to determine the failure mode of the wine bottle.