FILED: GREENE COUNTY CLERK 12/16/2022 03:34 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 17
`
`INDEX NO. EF2018-8
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/21/2022
`
`EXHIBIT A
`
`EF2018-8
`12/16/2022 03:34:45 PM
`
`I
`Narilyn Farrell, County Clerk
`
`Clerk: LAR
`
`Exhibit
`
`A
`
`1 of 4
`
`

`

`FILED: GREENE COUNTY CLERK 12/16/2022 03:34 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 17
`
`INDEX NO. EF2018-8
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/21/2022
`
`Roger
`
`N. Wright,
`
`LLC
`
`CONSULTING& TECHNICALSERVICE
`METALLURGY& METALSPROCESSING
`RNWINC.COM
`
`600 STATE STREET
`LAWRENCEVILLE,IL 62439-3000
`PHONE:618-943-1029
`E-MAIL:wrightinc@earthlink.net
`
`April
`
`13, 2020
`
`Remarks
`
`Regarding
`
`Alfeld
`
`vs. Apex
`
`Tool
`
`Group,
`
`LLC,
`
`et
`
`al.
`
`In Supreme
`Plaintiffs
`
`involving
`manufactured
`memorandum
`
`State of New York,
`Court,
`Apex
`Tool
`against
`Group,
`sustained
`an eye injury
`by Apex
`Tool Group
`to summarize
`technical
`
`Thomas
`of Greene,
`County
`LLC and Home Depot
`USA,
`Alfeld
`while
`by Thomas
`using
`by Home
`Depot.
`and
`sold
`of
`this
`incident.
`aspects
`
`Alfeld
`
`and Bethany
`Inc., Defendants
`purchased
`a newly
`is the purpose
`of
`
`are
`Alfeld
`in a matter
`tool
`this
`
`It
`
`The
`name
`labelled
`
`clipper
`
`tool
`
`CRESCENT,
`as a "wire
`
`employed
`as part
`
`cutter",
`
`Alfeld
`by Mr.
`of a two-tool
`and the other
`
`sold
`is commonly
`the tool
`set, with
`tool
`labelled
`being
`
`under
`by Home
`Depot,
`litigation
`in this
`involved
`as a "mini
`plier".
`
`the brand
`
`being
`
`a professional
`Thomas
`carpenter,
`Alfeld,
`of a stair
`from a wood
`component
`assembly,
`hit him in the eye,
`in substantial
`
`resulting
`
`was
`
`attempting
`one of
`when
`injury.
`
`off
`to clip
`the blades
`
`a steel
`of
`the
`
`nail
`pin
`clippers
`
`protruding
`broke
`
`off
`
`and
`
`used
`been
`
`by Thomas
`obvious
`
`was
`Alfeld
`to a professional
`
`cutter
`The wire
`have
`should
`this
`to take
`failed
`safety measures,
`including
`rudimentary
`as follows.
`can be summarized
`for
`these
`criticisms
`
`entirely
`with
`
`for
`
`inappropriate
`his background.
`to wear
`failure
`
`this
`
`specific
`
`Moreover,
`glasses.
`safety
`
`operation,
`Alfeld
`Mr.
`Major
`
`and
`
`bases
`
`flush
`
`cut wire
`
`cutter"
`
`by Mr.
`copper
`
`"low
`soft
`
`profile
`electrical
`is required
`or
`robustness
`is a high
`
`a) The
`cutting
`condition
`strength
`and there
`litigation.
`
`risk
`
`designed
`was
`used
`Alfeld
`(This
`or aluminum.
`annealed
`wire,
`generally
`On the other
`electrical
`for maximum
`conductivity.)
`cutter
`of hard
`is inadequate
`for
`the cutting
`of
`this
`and related
`of
`tool
`injuries
`the type
`fractures
`of
`
`for
`
`soft,
`hand,
`steel
`pin
`involved
`
`use in
`annealed
`the
`
`nails,
`with
`
`this
`
`i) To quantify
`for
`necessary
`Fmax =
`the wire
`
`this
`point,
`the shearing
`D2
`(UTS)
`(0.55)
`ultimate
`tensile
`
`the maximum
`that
`it can be noted
`can be estimated
`of
`round
`wire,
`, with D being
`the wire
`diameter
`strength
`in pounds
`per
`square
`
`in pounds,
`force
`the formula
`with
`and UTS being
`in inches,
`inch.
`
`Fmax ,
`
`in the
`conductor,
`per
`square
`inch
`force
`
`shearing
`
`soft,
`a
`and
`of about
`
`18
`
`considering
`condition,
`of 0.032
`
`ii) So,
`annealed
`diameter
`pounds.
`
`a typical
`with
`
`inches,
`
`20 AWG copper
`electrical
`a UTS value
`of 32,000
`pounds
`one
`can estimate
`a maximum
`
`2 of 4
`
`

`

`FILED: GREENE COUNTY CLERK 12/16/2022 03:34 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 17
`
`INDEX NO. EF2018-8
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/21/2022
`
`Electrical
`iii)
`UTS value
`to an even
`
`conductor
`13,000
`of
`lower
`
`(softer)
`
`aluminum
`per
`pounds
`estimated
`
`wire may
`square
`inch
`maximum
`
`in a similar
`be cited
`fashion,
`0.032
`and
`a diameter
`inches,
`leading
`7 pounds.
`of about
`force
`
`with
`
`shearing
`
`a
`
`iv) And,
`170,000
`a maximum
`
`considering
`per
`pounds
`
`shearing
`
`a typical
`square
`force
`
`carbon
`and
`inch
`of about
`
`pin
`steel
`a diameter
`63 pounds.
`
`nail wire,
`of 0.026
`
`with
`
`inches,
`
`a UTS value
`of
`can estimate
`one
`
`nail would
`pin
`steel
`in comparison
`
`the
`
`Thus,
`b)
`for
`its
`shearing,
`for
`designed
`its strength
`
`Certainly
`below.
`
`shearing
`simply
`limit
`and safety
`is the opinion
`this
`
`half-an-order-of-magnitude
`about
`require
`conductor.
`of copper
`to the shearing
`copper
`may well
`electrical
`conductor
`of a carbon
`to the shearing
`when
`applied
`who
`provides
`the
`of
`the manufacturer,
`
`force
`
`greater
`a pliers
`Hence,
`beyond
`be extended
`nail.
`steel
`pin
`in item c),
`guidance
`
`c)
`their
`
`In regard
`packaging:
`
`to point
`
`a),
`
`the manufacturer
`
`of
`
`this
`
`tool
`
`cites
`
`the following
`
`on the tools
`
`and
`
`"Cuts
`
`soft wire
`
`up to 20 AWG (0.8 mm)";
`
`"WEAR
`
`SAFETY
`
`GLASSES";
`
`"PROTECT
`
`YOUR EYES";
`
`"...miniature
`
`electronic
`
`flush
`
`cutter....".
`
`i)
`
`ii)
`
`iii)
`
`iv)
`
`the AWG citation
`"American
`that
`for
`stands
`be noted
`it may
`an aside,
`(As
`AWG"
`is equivalent
`which
`of 0.032
`of a diameter
`wire
`indicates
`inches,
`with
`smaller
`numbers
`are associated
`higher
`gage
`be noted
`that
`AWG 21 gage wire
`of 0.028
`a diameter
`have
`would
`example,
`for AWG 20.)
`
`Wire
`Gage",
`to 0.81 mm.
`And,
`diameter
`For
`wire.
`as opposed
`to 0.032
`
`and "20
`it
`
`inches
`
`inches,
`
`should
`
`the AWG gaging
`system
`Also,
`In comparison,
`specifications.
`of 0.026
`which
`diameter
`inches,
`diameter
`nail
`involved
`of
`the pin
`
`is commonly
`steel
`pin
`nails
`is equivalent
`in this
`litigation
`
`and
`aluminum
`for
`copper
`used
`Gage
`of Steel Wire
`are often
`and the plaintiff
`to 0.66 mm,
`Steel Wire
`in fact,
`was,
`
`electrical
`
`wire
`
`23,
`indicating
`has testified
`23.
`Gage
`
`a
`that
`
`the
`
`are designed
`nail
`
`clippers
`that
`copper
`diameter
`inch
`0.032
`for
`that
`be argued
`It might
`to a steel
`wire
`pin
`inches
`0.026
`a smaller,
`could
`be applied
`diameter.
`of,
`say,
`However,
`copper
`illustrative
`wires
`are
`electrical
`and aluminum
`above
`consistent
`with
`the
`calculation,
`nail wire
`and the
`softer
`nail wire,
`can impose
`steel
`much
`than
`steel
`higher
`a much
`generally
`to fracture
`That
`is why
`the limitations
`and safety
`on the clippers,
`and personal
`injury.
`leading
`measures
`are prominently
`set
`forth
`on the clipper
`packaging.
`
`or aluminum
`
`force
`
`case,
`
`the disregard
`
`for
`
`risks
`
`and safety measures
`
`is the dominant
`
`engineering
`
`issue
`
`in this
`
`In any
`litigation.
`
`3 of 4
`
`

`

`FILED: GREENE COUNTY CLERK 12/16/2022 03:34 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 17
`
`INDEX NO. EF2018-8
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/21/2022
`
`The
`
`foregoing
`engineering
`
`arguments
`certainty.
`
`are my opinion,
`
`within
`
`the bounds
`
`of a reasonable
`
`degree
`
`of
`
`Roger
`
`N. Wright,
`
`Sc.D.,
`
`P.E.
`
`4 of 4
`
`