Ancaster Office Relocated: 3-3465 North Service Rd. Burlington ON L7N 3G2

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25 years experience
Expertise
  • Compliance Testing
  • Failure Analysis
  • Fire & Explosion Investigation
  • Forensic Engineering
  • Functional Testing
  • Litigation
  • Mechanical Engineeing
  • Product & Equipment Failures
  • Product Safety Testing
Overview

With more than 30 years of professional experience, Vladimir’s career has encompassed a number of industries and roles: Insurance appraiser of commercial and industrial machinery, equipment and buildings; quality, production and design engineer and forensic engineer. Vladimir has completed over 1,500 forensic cases, investigating fires and explosions, product failures and various other types of losses. Vladimir graduated with an Industrial Engineering degree from the University of Toronto. He is an Internationally Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator and serves as a board member and training chair of the Canadian Association of Fire Investigators (CAFI), having served in the past as the national president. Vladimir also assists the Standard Council of Canada (SCC) as a designated expert in their Certifying Body (CB) and Laboratory Accreditation programs. Vladimir is also the author of Chapter 10, “Fire Investigation,” in The Lawyer’s Guide to the Forensic Sciences (Irwin Law, 2016), edited by Caitlin Pakosh. He is also the winner of the 2017 Walter Owen Book Prize recognizing excellent legal writing and outstanding contributions to Canadian law.

Education
University of Toronto Bachelor's Degree of Applied Science (Industrial Engineering) Toronto, ON 1989
Certifications
  • Professional Engineer (P.Eng.)
  • Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI)
  • Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator (CVEI)
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Manager GTA and Forensic Engineer, OCI Group (Formerly Origin and Cause Inc.)
October 2016 – Present

  • Fire and explosion investigations involving structures and vehicles
  • Product failure investigations
  • Risk analysis, cost assessments, preventive maintenance
  • Building, property, and construction failures
  • Electrical and gas appliance design, testing, failure analysis and code compliance
  • Technical expert for SCC’s Certification Body Accreditation Program (CBAP) to ISO/IEC 17065 & CAN-P-1500 for organizations carrying out certification of products to Canadian and International product standards (organizations such as CSA, UL, Intertek)
  • Technical expert for SCC’s Laboratory Accreditation Program to ISO/IEC 17025 for the competence and proficiency of testing laboratories (laboratories including CSA, UL, Intertek)

Practice Lead, Fire Group, -30- Forensic Engineering (Formerly Giffin Koerth Forensic Engineering and Science)
December 2007 – October 2016

  • Fire and explosion investigations involving structures and vehicles
  • Product failure investigations
  • Risk analysis, cost assessments, preventive maintenance
  • Building, property, and construction failures
  • Building and product failure analysis and code compliance
  • Project management of property loss rehabilitations
  • Designated technical expert for the Certifying Bodies and Laboratory Accreditation Program with the Standards Council of Canada (SCC)

Crown Food Service Equipment Ltd.
Toronto, ON
October 2000 – 2007

Manufacturer of commercial food service equipment (OEM manufacturer of steam equipment to Blodgett Oven Co., Vulcan Hart-Hobart, Market Forge Industries and Southbend)

Approvals and Quality Engineer

  • Implemented, designed and approved commercial appliances to CSA electrical and gas codes
  • Conducted failure analysis of gas and electric commercial appliances
  • Wrote and maintained approval files for CSA (electrical and gas) and UL
  • Maintained company ISO9002 Quality System
  • Conducted internal quality audits
  • Liaised with and led external audit of Quality System with QMI
  • Wrote user and service manuals
  • Created complex mechanical drawings in AutoCAD

Production Engineer

  • Improved and created new production systems and procedures
  • Wrote and implemented production testing and verification procedures
  • Improved heavy duty commercial gas and electric cooking equipment through the design and development of new and more efficient burner systems and controls

Loss Prevention Engineering and Research, FM Global (formerly Factory Mutual Engineering Association)
Toronto, ON
October 1989 – 2000

  • Senior appraiser of building, machinery and equipment of diverse global corporations
  • Product/quality auditor for products approved by FMRC as an agency approvals company
  • Manufacturing and product testing auditing and development of quality procedures
  • 51stAnnual Engineering Insurance Conference, Boilers and Machinery, Toronto, September 2024
  • Lithium-Ion Battery Fires, International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) – Ontario Chapter, May 2024
  • “Understanding Your Role in Fire Investigations” |Managing the Scene – Safety/Security/Technical Resources; Understanding the Investigation Process and Reports; Scientific Method; Evidence Collection & Photography; Co-ordinating with Public Authorities; Arc Mapping; Common Fire Causes; Legal Considerations, Ontario Chapter, 2023
  • Vehicle Investigations, International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) – Ontario Chapter, June 2023
  • NFPA-1033 – 2022 – The New Requirements for Fire Investigator Qualifications, On-Line Education Seminar, September 2021
  • Arson for Profit Webinar, IAAI – Ontario Chapter, March 2021
  • “Solving the Unsolvable” | Spontaneous Heating | Chemical Fires | Farm Buildings | Garages and Equipment | Electrical Faults, CAFI – Ontario Chapter, 2019
  • “JUST ADD GAS??” Investigation and Identification of Incendiary Fires, CAFI – Ontario Chapter, 2018
  • Surviving a 1033 Challenge with guest speaker John Lentini, IAAI – Ontario Chapter, 2018
  • Advanced Fire Dynamics, Arc Mapping, and Ventilation, CAFI – Ontario Chapter, 2017
  • Investigations? Get it Right! Don’t get Burned – Fire Dynamics, Effects of Ventilation, CAFI – Ontario Chapter, 2016
  • Hell’s Kitchens – Commercial and Residential Kitchen Fires, Regulations, Hazards and Suppression Systems, CAFI – Ontario Chapter, 2015
  • Fire Loss and Fire Code Litigation – Civil and Criminal Implications, International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI), Ontario Chapter, 2014
  • ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Training as a Technical Assessor for Laboratory Accreditation by Standards Council of Canada, 2013
  • Fire Pattern Recognition/Certification, Public Agency Training Council (PATC), 2012
  • Lightning Basics for Fire Investigations and Expert Evidence Admissibility, CAFI, 2012
  • Effective Communication and Human Relations course, Dale Carnegie, 2011
  • Solid Fuel-Burning Appliance Fire Investigations, Fire Findings, 2009
  • Vehicle Fire, Arson and Explosion Training, NAFI, 2009
  • Residential Electricity for Fire Investigators, Fire Findings, May 2009
  • Investigating Gas and Electrical Appliance Fires, Fire Findings, 2008
  • Certified Fire and Explosions Investigator (CFEI), NAFI, 2008
  • Accredited Senior Appraiser designation (ASA), American Society of Appraisers, 2000
  • QMI ISO 9001: 2000 Fundamentals course
  • Canadian Association of Fire Investigators (CAFI) – 2008 to present
    • Former National President (2016-2018)
    • Current Board Member and Training Chair
    • Currently lead the Webinar Series presentations on fire investigation
    • Led the creation of the Fire Investigator 4 course Professional Learning Certificate promoted by CAFI and for CAFI members
  • Professional Engineers of Ontario, 1991 to present
  • Ontario Society for Professional Engineers
  • National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI), 2008 to present
  • Standards Council of Canada, Technical Assessor / Technical Expert for the Certifying Bodies and Laboratory accreditation program
  • Accredited Senior member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) (former)
  • “3 Most Common Residential Structure Fire Losses”, Presented Webinar on behalf of OCIG, March 2024
  • “Understanding Your Role in Fire Investigations” Seminar | presented on Arc Mapping and Investigation Report Writing, CAFI Ontario Chapter, 2023
  • “Arc Mapping: Down to the Wire”; Presented Webinar on behalf of OCIG, April 2022
  • “Commercial and Complex Property Loss Investigations”, National Tour Webinar on behalf of OCIG, November 2021
  • Hosted multiple on-line webinars for CAFI National Chapter, Topics include: Hording Fires, Marijuana Butane Honey Oil (BHO) Extraction Fire and Explosion Investigations, Investigating Fires at Federal Correctional Institutions in Canada, Update on Electric Vehicle Fires in Canada, Barn Fires, Fire and Life Safety Systems, Interviewing 101, Chemistry of Fire Patterns, Challenges of Investigating in Extreme Cold, Fatal Fires, Fire Dynamics, Wildland Fires, Dust Fires and Explosions, Arc Mapping, Natural Gas and Propane systems and how they are related to fire causes, Introduction to Aircraft Crash Investigation, Mind of an Arsonist, Vehicle Fire Investigation, Dynamics of Slow Ignition Scenarios (Application of cigarettes to various fuels), Marine Fires, Ventilation Effects on Post-flashover Compartment Fires, Interviewing for Fire Investigators & Fire Officers, Using K9s in Fire Investigations, The Critical Role Accelerant Detection Dogs Play in Forensic Investigations, Contextual Bias in Fire Investigations, Forensic Photography for Investigators, 2017-Present
  • “Arc Mapping: Down to the Wire”; Presented Webinar on behalf of OCIG, July 2020
  • “Fire Investigation, Methodologies and Case Studies”, Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officer’s Association (OMFPOA) Chapter Presentation, 2019
  • “Fire Investigation, Utilizing Arc Mapping for Origin Determination”, The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) – Toronto Chapter, 2018
  • “Fire Investigation, Methodologies And Case Studies”, Chesley & Area Fire Department, 2017
  • “Subrogation: Organizational and Claims Management Strategies”, Canadian Defense Lawyers, Toronto, 2015
  • “Equipment Failures & Preventive Measures”, Presented to Aviva Insurance Boiler and Machinery, Equipment and Underwriting Professionals, Toronto, 2015
  • “Fire Investigation: Origin and Cause Determination”, Insurance Institute of Ontario, Markham, 2015
  • “Fire Science and Fire Investigation”, Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), Toronto, 2015
  • “Seminar Series – The Mechanical Room: Training, Case Studies & Claims”, Giffin Koerth, Toronto, 2014
  • “Fire Origin and Cause Investigation, Large Commercial Sites”, Canadian Defense Lawyers, Toronto, 2013
  • “Arson, Incendiary, Facts & Falsities”, ISB – University, ISB Canada, Milton, 2013
  • “Case Studies in Fire Science and Fire Dynamics”, Northbridge Insurance Adjuster Training, 2012
  • “Subrogation – How to Lose Before You Start: Reasons Subrogation Claims Were Lost in the Past and How to Avoid Them”, National Association of Subrogating Professionals (NASP), Toronto, 2011
  • Book: “The Lawyer’s Guide to the Forensic Sciences”, wrote Chapter 10: Fire Investigation, Book Editor: Caitlin Pakosh, Irwin Law, published September 2016; ISBN: 978-1552214121
  • Article: “Arc Mapping – Finding the Forensic Needle in the Haystack”, published in CAFI Journal magazine, and Fire Prevention Officers Association of BC magazine
  • Article: “Undetermined Cause:  What’s That About?”, published in CAFI Journal magazine, and Fire Prevention Officers Association of BC magazine
  • Accepted as an expert witness in civil court in the Province of Ontario

Where to Find Vladimir Chlistovsky

Mississauga

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