Independent system-level evaluation, failure analysis, and lifecycle assessment of fall protection and access systems (design, manufacturing, installation, and operation)
Summary
Rauch Safety & Engineering operates as an independent engineering authority focused on fall protection systems, façade access systems (including Building Maintenance Units – BMUs), and permanent access infrastructure.
Engagements occur in complex, high-consequence environments where system performance, lifecycle conditions, and alignment between design, manufacturing, installation, and operational use directly impact safety, liability, and asset integrity.
RSE is engaged to evaluate system conditions, discrepancies, and performance across the full lifecycle, particularly where misalignment exists between design intent and real-world execution.
Scope includes:
- Design intent and engineering integration
- Manufacturing constraints and system configuration
- Installation and commissioning conditions
- Operational performance and lifecycle exposure
RSE does not perform construction, installation, maintenance, or operational services, and does not act as a contractor or project manager. All work is conducted as an independent, non-operational authority focused on system-level evaluation.
Engagement is typically driven by complexity, ambiguity, or conditions where standard project delivery does not resolve system-level risk.
Principal Areas of Specialization:
- Fall Protection Systems — system performance, configuration, and failure conditions
- Façade Access Systems (BMU) — design alignment, installation conditions, operational performance
- Suspended Access Systems — system behavior and lifecycle conditions
- Permanent Access Infrastructure — anchors, lifelines, integrated access systems
- Design vs. Installation Discrepancy Analysis
- System Failure & Performance Analysis
- Commissioning Condition Review (non-operational)
- Lifecycle Condition Evaluation
- OSHA / ANSI / IWCA Standards Interpretation
- Independent System Review across full lifecycle
System-Specific Focus :
Building Maintenance Units (BMU) & Facade Access Systems
- Design intent vs. building integration
- Installation alignment with system specifications
- Commissioning conditions and readiness
- Discrepancies between manufactured and installed systems
- Operational and lifecycle performance conditions
Custom & Specialized Access Systems
- Non-standard or project-specific system configurations
- Design integration and manufacturing constraints
- Installation alignment and system behavior in operation
Lifeline & Anchor Systems
- System configuration and structural integration
- Installation conditions relative to design and standards
- Performance, loading conditions, and lifecycle exposure
Infrastructure Environments
RSE engages across infrastructure environments where fall protection and access systems are critical to ongoing operation and asset integrity:
- High-rise and commercial buildings
- Airports and transportation infrastructure
- Industrial facilities and processing plants
- Power generation and transmission infrastructure
- Bridges and specialized structural systems
- Mining and heavy industrial environments
- Marine and shipping infrastructure
- Towers and vertical access structures
Former Professional Associations
- Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC)
- Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA)
- Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME)
- Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)
- National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP ASE)
- National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE)
View Rauch Safety and Engineering's Expert Witness Profile.
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