Brad Forsyth is a mechanical engineer with extensive experience in failure analysis, hazard assessment, and safety consulting for high-risk fluid systems, with unique expertise in oxygen and hydrogen systems. He started his career at the NASA White Sands Test Facility, where he gained unique knowledge regarding high-pressure systems, including composite overwrapped pressure vessels, cryogenic media, oxidizers, and flammable and reactive fluids. At WHA International, Brad has dedicated his career to advancing safety and reliability in oxygen, hydrogen, and hazardous fluid systems across many industries.

As a Principal Engineer and Failure Analysis Lead at WHA International, Brad specializes in forensic investigations into fires, explosions, and system failures involving oxygen (and other oxidizers), hydrogen (and other fuels), other hazardous fluids, and high-pressure equipment. His experience spans many industries, including medical, aerospace, industrial gas, petrochemical production and refining, chemical process, transportation, and energy.

As a consultant, Brad has provided analysis and evaluation of hazards in components and systems handling fluids including gaseous oxygen, liquid oxygen, fluorine, ozone, nitrous oxide, nitrogen tetroxide, nitrogen, argon, natural gas, acetylene, and hydrogen.

Brad Forsyth has developed and taught training courses regarding oxygen and hydrogen safety, sharing expertise with organizations such as the U.S. Navy, major aerospace companies, and chemical production clients.

For the past 10 years, Brad has been heavily involved with the specialized ASTM G04 committee on Flammability and Sensitivity of Materials in Oxygen-Enriched Atmospheres, where he currently serves as the Chairperson for the G04.02 Sub-Committee on Recommended Practices for oxygen materials and systems, responsible for thirteen international standards. Additionally, his substantial involvement with G04 has included leading and supporting the development and revision of many standards related to oxygen safety.

One aspect that sets Brad apart is the many years of developing and performing tests to study fire, explosion, and high-pressure equipment risks. Both at the NASA White Sands Test Facility and the WHA International test facility, Brad has designed, commissioned, and operated high pressure and combustion test systems to evaluate material flammability, ignition, combustion, and detonation phenomena.

Before joining WHA, Brad spent a decade at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility. His tenure at NASA focused on testing and failure analysis of materials and components used in spaceflight, including the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. His work included flammability testing of energetic materials and hypergolic propellants.  He supported the investigation of in-flight anomalies and space hardware failures. He performed testing, analysis, and evaluation of composite pressure vessels, thruster valves, and high-pressure components.

Brad continues to lead advancements in oxygen safety, failure analysis, and hazard mitigation, ensuring industries operate with the highest safety standards.