Construction Safety Expert Witnesses: 29

William C. Stein, Jr., PE, CCM, has more than 45 years of Roadway / Heavy Highway Construction and Materials Engineering experience. He has a rich and varied work history that includes construction materials engineering for highways and bridges, industrial plants, high rise offices, and power plants. He has worked for private owners and general contractors as well as the Department of Transportation.

Litigation Support - Mr. Stein Offers consulting and expert services for attorneys on issues regarding road, street, highway, temporary traffic control, runway, and earthwork; asphalt, concrete, coatings and other construction materials; designs, plans, specifications, CPM scheduling (Primavera) and contract documents; right-of-way issues; and work zone safety. Licensed in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Texas, he performs contract performance forensic investigations and provides consulting, expert reports, rebuttals, and testimony if required.

Areas of Expertise:

Highway Construction Roadway Construction Bridge Construction Highway Engineering Materials Engineering Construction Site Work

Traffic Safety Concrete / Cement Building Contractor Liability Construction Damages Scheduling Delay and Analysis Soil Analysis

Certifications:

• Certified Construction Manager (CCM)
• Certified Primavera Basic (CPM)
• Certified Primavera Advanced (CPM)
• Certified LADOTD Structural (bridge)
• Inspector/Technician Certified Troxler
• Humboldt Nuclear Moisture/ Density Operator
• Lead Abatement
• Certified Quality Compliance Surveillance in Fossil Power Plants, Organic & Inorganic Coatings Application and Inspection
• Certified Traffic Control Supervisor
• Certified Flagger Instructor

John D. Shepherd, RRC, RRO, founder of Shepherd Consulting Services, a division of Shepherd Roof Consulting, has been actively involved in the Roofing and Construction Industry for over 40 years. He has spent 10 years as an active roofing contractor and the last 18 years as a Roofing, Waterproofing, Sheet Metal, and Exterior Wall Consultant.

Over the last 18 years, Mr. Shepherd attended about 1100 hours of continuing education courses related to roofing, waterproofing, sheet metal, exterior walls, windows and other various building envelope components. He is an RCI Registered Roof Consultant and Registered Roof Observer, a HAAG Certified Residential and Commercial Roof Inspector, a licensed roofing contractor in California and Arizona, and a Certified Building Science Thermographer.

Mr. Shepherd has been retained in over 400 construction defect litigation cases, representing plaintiffs, developers and/or sub-contractors. He has been deposed more than 60 times, testified in over 20 trials and has extensive mediation experience as well.

Areas of Expertise:

• Construction Defect
• Water Intrusion Investigation
• Property Loss Damage Claims
• Personal Injury Claims
• Standard of Care and Building Code Issues Related to Roofing, Sheet Metal, Waterproofing, and Building Envelope

View Consulting Profile.

Michael C. Wright, PE, CSP, CPE is a Professional Engineer with over 35 years of academic, practical, and specialized knowledge of Engineering, Construction, Safety, Maintenance, Demolition and Training in general industry and construction activities. Mr. Wright's expertise is a definite plus in providing clients with leading edge information and insight. A licensed and practicing engineer, he rounds out his knowledge as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Certified Plant Engineer to provide an insightful and accurate understanding of the issues involved in a case. 

Mr. Wright has completed over 600 hours of specialized safety training, serves on ANSI and ASTM Standards committees and provides a thorough knowledge of OSHA Regulations, Directives and Letters of Interpretation. A recognized author, presenter, and trainer, Mr. Wright communicates the issues clearly for all to understand. His expert witness experience is a balanced blend of defense, plaintiff and OSHA Solicitor cases. He is licensed in 46 states. 

Areas of Expertise:

Safety Programs Construction Product Liability Fall Protection Programs Suspended Loads Contractors Formwork Leading Edge Work Activities Machine Guarding Safety Concrete, Wood, Steel Ladder Safety

Aerial & Scissor Lifts Anchorage Points - Fall Arrest Programs Bleachers Scaffolding Multi-Employer Concrete Formwork Construction & Demolition Roofing Crane Design & Inspection Training Safety Programs (Customized Manuals)

View Mr. Wright's Curriculum Vitae

Paul Gantt is a Safety Engineer with more than 35 years experience in the fields of regulatory compliance, premises liabiliity, the development and delivery of workplace safety programs and systems, 

After serving in the Fire Service as Chief Officer, Dr. Gantt founded Safety Compliance Management. He is the Pesident, and is Principal of a team legal expert. He is a Board Certified Safety Professional CSP), Certified Instructional Trainer (CIT), and a Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST).

Dr. Gantt has authored two textbooks and numerous articles in his field of work. He is a frequent speaker at national safety conferences, such as the National Safety Council and the American Society of Safety Engineers/Professionals. 

Litigation Support - Mr. Gantt has considerable legal experience in the areas of: 

• Multi-Employer Worksites – General Industry and Construction
• Regulatory / Code Compliance
• Hazardous Materials
• Premises Liability

Greg Gerganoff, CSP, Esq., possesses extensive experience in safety compliance and practice involving OSHA and MSHA.  He obtained is law degree from Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School and practiced general civil law for approximately 12 years in Colorado prior to entering the safety profession.  He earned a Certified Safety Professional certification and has 18 years of field safety experience in mining, oil and gas, construction, manufacturing, power plant outages, and light rail construction.

• An Authorized Outreach Trainer for OSHA General Industry.
• A PEC Safeland Basic and Core instructor (Oil and gas).
• An MSHA Approved Instructor (Blue Card) for Surface, Metal/nonmetal.
• A member of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

His professional safety experience includes OSHA / MSHA Safety field work and compliance with experience in the heavy construction, manufacturing, light rail construction, power plant outages, public schools, oil and gas, mining, pipeline, and trenching and excavation industries.

Litigation Support: Mr. Gerganoff assists with discovery questions regarding safety matters. Safety opinions based upon statutory, administrative, judicial rulings and related industry association safety policies ancillary to OSHA and MSHA.   Mr. Gerganoff is retained by attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defendant.

Some of the subject matter litigation he has handled include:

• Forklift Safety and Operation
• Lock Out Tag Out/Natural Gas Compressor Stations
• Oil and Gas Safety
• Manufacturing Safety
• Construction Safety
• Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety
• Crane and Aerial Lift Safety
• Mining Safety
• Traffic Control Plans/MUTCD
• Working at Heights, Employee Safety Training
• Fall Protection, Ladders, Stairways

View Greg Gerganoff's Consulting Profile.

Mark E. Rieser, II, MS, PE, AIA, GBC, GEC has over 30 years of experience in the Engineering, Architectural, Construction, and Building Design industry. He provides his clients with a comprehensive knowledge of Engineering, Construction Technology and Construction Standards of Professional Practice.

Background Experience - President of an “active” Design and Building company with a professional staff and Headquarter offices in San Jose and Los Angeles, and offices in Sacramento and San Francisco. Mr. Rieser has managed, designed, and constructed over 4,000 units to include high-rise, single family homes, condominiums, townhomes, podiums, apartments, and commercial buildings, His experience includes building and roadway design, construction, management, with designs of over 500 miles of asphalt and roadway improvements, tunnels, San Francisco Airport, Santa Clara Light Rail, Southern Pacific Railroad, Caltrans, and BART.

Mr. Rieser has an insightful understanding of Civil / Structural Engineering, Soil Engineering, Transportation, Traffic Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, Safety Expert, OSHA Standards, Architectural Design, Asphalt Design, Cost Estimation, Public Works Design Bidding and Estimation, General Engineering, General Building, and an Accident Reconstruction expert.

“Our bids are not just a tool but are numbers that we be use to finish the work, accurately, on-time, and safely.”

Forensic Construction and Engineering - Mark Rieser is a renowned forensic expert with the knowledge to safeguard clients from unwanted litigation as well as support both plaintiffs and defendants. He works closely with insurance companies and attorneys on various public, city, and state cases throughout the western United States. To date, he has been designated as an expert in over 550 Forensic Construction and Engineering cases throughout the United States.

Mr. Rieser has been designated and testified Court as an expert in the following categorizes:

Traffic Engineer Transportation Engineer Architect Safety Expert General Building Contractor Civil Engineer General Engineering Contractor Roofing

Estimator Soils Caltrans Standards Structural analysis Hydraulics OSHA Standards Construction Management Waterproofing

NorCal Headquarters San Jose Office 2033 Gateway Pl Suite 500 San Jose, CA 95110	San Francisco Office 425 Market St Suite 2200 San Francisco, CA 94105	SoCal Headquarters Los Angeles Office 10100 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 300 Los Angeles, CA 90067	Sacramento Office 777 Campus Commons Rd Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95825

View Mark Rieser's Consulting Profile.

Summary

Trusted by clients since 2001, Rauch Safety & Engineering specializes in guiding private and public clients through complex Fall Protection and Confined Spaces Infrastructure Access and Maintenance projects across specific industry sectors and markets utilizing our global network of resources to provide comprehensive world class advisory and management services.

With real world, hands on international experience, Rauch Safety & Engineering offers:

Consultation

• Expert Testimony
• Litigation Support
• The Rendering of Independent Expert Opinion
• Strategic Advice to Attorneys and Clients Concerning Technical Issues
• Safety Violations
• Accidents
• Project and Human Factors and related Negligence and Incompetence

Principal Areas of Specialization Include:

Auditing Evaluation of Corporate Fall Protection Programs / Confined Space Programs Risk Analysis Training Infrastructure Access Observation Program (IAOP trade;) Accident Reconstruction Accident Investigation Construction Site Structural & Facade Maintenance Construction Safety

OSHA / International / Consensus Standards and Recommendations from other Professional Organizations Building Maintenance Units (BMU) Human Factors Engineering Ladders & Scaffolds Horizontal / Vertical Lifelines Safety Engineering Safety Equipment Walking & Working Surfaces

Applications Include:

Airports Bridges Buildings Dams Mining

Industrial Facilities Plants Power Supply & Transmission Shipping Towers

Current and Past Memberships & Affiliations:

• Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC)
• Design Build Institute of America (DBIA)
• The 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)
• India Electrical & Electronics Manufacturers’ Association

View Rauch Safety and Engineering's Consulting Profile.

R. Kevin Smith PE, BSME, MMAE, has been a specialist in Engineering Forensic Safety and Design for 35 years. He has consulted on over a 1,000 matters nationwide.

Mr. Smith is a registered professional engineer and holds a BSME and MMAE from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. He specializes in Material Handling Equipment Safety, including lift trucks, dock safety, truck loading, conveyors, and aerial work platform safety.

Mr. has been actively involved as a member of the committee that writes the Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks (ASME/ANSI B56.1) for over 30 years. He also serves on the B56.6 committee (rough terrain lift trucks) and the ANSI A92.5 and A92.6 subcommittees (self-propelled elevating work platforms).

Litigation Support - Mr. Smith formerly worked for Triodyne, Inc. for over 15 years as a forensic engineer/principal engineer. As President of R. K. Smith Engineering Inc., he currently has a laboratory for examination and testing, and owns or has access to varied testing equipment and tools.

Kevin Smith has testified at depositions and trials on several hundred matters. He has performed hundreds of investigations into product failures involving injury and property damage, and has reconstructed numerous accidents. His expertise is available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defendant. Mr. Smith also is on the Adjunct Math faculty at Prairie State College.

Areas of Expertise:

Forklift Trucks Aerial Work Platform Lifts Product Testing Material Handling / Lifting / Rigging Equipment Accident Reconstruction Machine Guarding Safeguarding Warnings

Agricultural and Construction Equipment Skid Steer Loaders Stability Testing Loading Dock Safety Consumer Products / Testing OSHA Citations Codes & Standards Standard of Care in Design

View R. Kevin Smith's Consulting Profile.

Dr. J. P. Purswell, PhD, PE, CPE has extensive experience in Human Factors, Ergonomics and Safety Engineering. He holds a doctorate in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech. A member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and the American Industrial Hygiene Association, Dr. Purswell served as the past Chair of the Industrial Engineers PE exam from 2005 to 2009. He continues to serve on the committee which is responsible for the preparation of the national professional engineering examination in industrial engineering.

Dr. Purswell is the author of more than 20 publications and presentations on Product Safety, Occupational Safety, Printed Warnings, and Auditory Warnings. Examples of products addressed include silica, asbestos, cleaning chemicals, gasoline containers, and recreational equipment. Dr. Purswell maintains NIST-calibrated equipment for the measurement of light, sound, force, and whole-body and hand-arm vibration in addition to standard photo and video equipment.

Dr. Purswell has been an Expert Witness in the legal industry since 1997. He has been qualified as an expert in state and federal courts across the nation in safety engineering, including safety analysis techniques such as Fault Tree Analysis and FMEA as well as product warnings / instructions and OSHA compliance issues. Dr. Purswell's services include site inspections, document review, drafting Rule 26-compliant reports, deposition, and trial testimony. He has been retained by attorneys for both Plaintiff (40%) and Defense (60%) more than 100 times, has been deposed approximately 50 times, and has testified at trial over 20 times.

Areas of Expertise:

Warning and Safety Instructions OSHA Compliance Chemical Accident Prevention Product Safety Lockout / Tagout & Machine Guarding Trucks and Forklift Accidents

Power Tools Safety Hazard Communication - Audible Alarms Employer Safety Training and Supervision Perception / Reaction Time Ergonomic Work Practices Working and Walking Surfaces - Slip, Trip and Fall

View Dr. Purswell's Consulting Profile.

Homer R. Peterson II, PE, CSP, has over 40 years of Construction and Safety experience (17 union, 23 non-union) in various positions such as president, senior vice president, vice president, project manager, and timekeeper.

Mr. Peterson's responsibilities have included estimating, sales, project management, scheduling, expediting, quality, troubleshooting, and administration, plus 20 years in charge of safety and risk management. Work overseen has included over 350 projects in 21 states and territories of the United States, including airports, bridges, casinos, convention centers, convocation centers, distribution centers, hospitals, hotels, manufacturing facilities, office buildings, paper mills, pharmaceutical plants, power plants, prisons, refineries, schools, stores, shopping malls, sports arenas, steel mills, and warehouses.

Litigation Support - Mr. Peterson provides consulting services to attorneys, insurance companies, and businesses preparing for litigation arising from either 1) construction disputes or 2) safety issues that have resulted in worker injury or death. His services are offered as a subject matter expert, expert witness, and safety consultant. Mr. Peterson also serves as an arbitrator through the American Arbitration Association (AAA).

Areas of Expertise:

Safety Falls from Elevation Fall Protection Negligence Occupational Health / Safety Management Systems Personal Injury Safety Standards of Care

Wrongful Death Construction Construction Claims Construction Disputes High-rise construction OSHA Matters Precast Erection Steel Erection

View Homer Peterson's Consulting Profile.

D. Larry Dunville has over 35 years of Overhead Crane experience. Mr. Dunville has built, installed, engineered, estimated, sold and serviced overhead bridge cranes. He has sat on the industry committees that wrote the crane specs for the steel industry, written articles, and taught professional architects and engineers about the special requirements to be aware of when designing buildings that will house overhead cranes. Larry was formerly the Executive Director of the Crane Certification Association of America and is currently on the ASME/ANSI B30.2 Overhead and Gantry Cranes Committee.

Business Experience

Mr. Dunville served as the Owner/President of Dearborn Crane & Engineering Co., a builder and installer of overhead cranes and crane runway systems, from 1975-2012. He was also the former Owner/President of Xcel Computer Systems, a CAD/CAM systems integrator. Mr. Dunville is currently the Owner/President of Digital Industrial Marketing, LLC (2014 to present) and Overhead Crane Consulting, LLC (2016 to present). 

Speaking Engagements

Larry speaks on crane safety, crane inspection and runway design. In the last year he has spoke to, AIST (American Institute of Steel Technology), CCAA (Crane Certification Association of America), CMAA (Crane Manufacturers Association of America) and FEWA (Forensic Expert Witness Association). 

D. Larry Dunville's Video Introduction 

Litigation Support - Larry Dunville offers expert witness services in crane cases involving industrial, manufacturing, and warehousing facilities, as well and power plants. His expertise is available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defendant. 

Areas of Expertise:

Overhead Cranes Bridge Cranes Overhead Traveling cranes Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes Overhead Bridge Cranes Gantry Cranes Jib Cranes Workstation Cranes Hoists Crane Operator Training

Monorails Crane Runways Crane Safety Crane Inspection Crane Manufacturing Crane Installation Crane Runway Installation Crane Fabrication Runway Fabrication OSHA Crane Inspections Corporate Crane Safety Programs

Overhead Crane Arizona Office 3606 N. Larrea Lane Tuscon, AZ 85750 Telephone: 574-210-8612

Overhead Crane Michigan Office 12666 Highland Shore Drive Sawyer, MI 49125 Telephone: 574-210-8612

View D. Larry Dunville's Consulting Profile.

Peter Howell has almost 50 years of experience in the Design, Operation, Maintenance and Management of Chemical and Petrochemical Facilities with positions such as process engineer, project engineer, maintenance foreman, technical manager, engineering manager, plant manager and vice president and general manager.

Mr. Howell has extensive experience in developing, implementing and auditing the elements of OSHA's process safety management (PSM) regulation and EPA's risk management plan (RMP). He also has extensive experience in accident and incident investigations involving fire, explosion, and release of toxic and hazardous materials.

Steven Pietropaolo, PE, CFEI, CFII, President & CEO, is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of New York, amongst others. He is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and a Certified Fire Investigator Instructor.

Mr. Pietropaolo has over 25 years of hands on engineering experience including electrical, mechanical, materials, safety, fire protection, and construction. He has knowledge of codes and standards used in construction and industry including building codes, safety codes, and industrial codes. He also has extensive experience in Utility Company procedures / equipment and investigating major incidents involving electrical, gas, steam system failures, and construction accidents.

Litigation Support - Mr. Pietropaolo has testified as an expert witness many times in cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Federal Courts. He has been retained on numerous large multimillion-dollar property damage cases as well as fatal accidents and fires / explosions including those that resulted in injury.

Areas of Expertise:

Fires / Explosions Fire Protection Systems Construction Defects / Failures Construction Accidents Equipment Failures

Product Liability / Warning Property Loss Subrogation Personal Injury - Slips / Fall Electro / Mechanical System Sports / Recreational Accidents

View Steven Pietropaolo's Consulting Profile.

John Gillies is a Chartered Building Surveyor and the Senior Director of Johnson Gillies. Mr. Gillies is frequently involved in dilapidation assessments for Landlords and Tenants. In addition, he is often called upon to produce opinions and evidence in matters of dispute. Mr. Gillies provides Expert Witness reports for legal issues and appears in Court as an expert on construction and related matters.


The firm's Building Consultancy and Expert Services Include:

Surveys: Building, Homebuyer, Vendor, and Measured Surveys. Planned Maintenance, Defects Analysis, and Due Diligence Investigations.

Audits: Fire, Health and Safety, Environmental, Access, and Commercial EPC.

Development Consultancy: Development Monitoring, Party Walls, Planning, Rights of Light.

Construction Consultancy: Contract Administration, Design, Employers Agent, Feasibility Study, Fit Outs, New Build, CDM Co-ordination, Project Management, Refurbishment, Repair & Maintenance.

Landlord & Tenant: Dilapidations, Services and Charges, Licences and Alterations, Photographic Schedules, Schedules of Condition.

Dispute Resolution: Expert Witness, Adjudication, and Arbitration of:

Building Contract Disputes

Cost and Quality of Building Works Disputes

Expert Reports

Legal Evidence at Court

Insurance: Building Reinstatement Valuations and Insurance Loss Assessing.

The experts at Miller Engineering are Ann Arbor-based professional engineers celebrating 30 years of service to University, Government, Insurance, and Industry through research, publications, presentations, and testimony. Miller Engineering has a staff of engineers and experts in the Mechanical, Chemical, Agriculture, Industrial, and Human Factors fields of engineering with specific knowledge in the following areas: 

Vehicles Car/Truck Accident Reconstruction Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) Visibility & Reaction Time Analysis Tires, Trailers, Brakes & Accelerators Truck/Off Road Vehicle Egress/Ingress Traffic Signing and Construction Zones Mechanical & Electrical Safety Product Safety & Analysis Machinery - Metal, Wood, Plastic Molding Machine Guarding & Safety, Robots, Automation Hazard and Risk Analysis Employee Safety Procedures – OSHA Electrical Distribution & Transmission Hazards

Warnings & Instructions Warning Labels & User Manual Design Hazard Analysis & Product Label Designs Medical Device & Drug Warnings & Instructions Inadequate Warnings Analysis Standard Compliance (ANSI Z535) Product Recall Information & Strategies Consumers/Household Safety Appliances & Tools Child Furniture, Choking, Playgrounds Swimming Pools & Exercise Equipment Recreation - ATV, Boats, Bicycles, Boards Ladder, Stair, Step and Railing Accidents Slip, Trip, & Fall Accidents

Chemicals Safety & Labeling NEW OSHA HAZCOM (2012) & GHS Review MSDS, SDS and Product Label Compliance Toxic Torts - Diacetyl, Asbestos, Benzene, Lead, Carbon Monoxide Vaping & E-Cigarette Health Effects Chemical Exposures & Workplace Safety Chemical Inhalation, Ingestion, Dermal Contact Contamination - Water & Environmental Manufacturing & Process Line Accidents Slips, Trips, Falls, & Entanglements Fires & Explosions Cause & Origin Investigations Gas, Vapor, & Electrical Spontaneous Combustion Vaping & E-cigarette Battery Failures

Agriculture Tractor & Equipment Accidents Chemical Applications & Exposures Crop Storage & Harvesting Accidents Pesticides Construction Vehicle Visibility Accidents Slip, Trip, & Fall Accidents Power Tool Repetitive & Immediate Injuries Scaffolding - Cranes - Hoisting - Fork Lifts Insurance Subrogation & Forensics Accident Investigations Electrical & Fire Causation Chemical Leakage Damage Defective Equipment Injuries Premise and Process Damages

James M. Miller, PE, PhD – Founder Dr. Miller is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Michigan College of Engineering and a registered professional engineer and consultant with over 30 years of experience as an expert witness. He has served as a consultant to industry and government and is highly qualified to give engineering testimony. Dr. Miller specializes in warnings, labeling and instruction manuals, consumer product design, machine guarding, process safety, fire science, vehicle visibility, tractor egress/ingress, pedestrian and worker slip and fall prevention, recreational vehicles (ATVs, boats, and personal watercraft), compliance with occupational safety and consumer safety standards (OSHA, MSDS, CPSC, ANSI, ASTM, UL, etc.).

Mark R. Lehto, PhD – Co-Founder Dr. Lehto is a Professor of Engineering at Purdue University. He completed his Ph.D. in engineering at the University of Michigan in 1985, where he specialized in Human Factors Engineering, in particular Warnings and Labeling. He has taught courses at Purdue in human and safety factors areas, as well as decision making and artificial intelligence. He has authored numerous professionally-reviewed articles, and he has authored / coauthored internationally-recognized textbooks in the areas of human factors and ergonomics. Dr. Lehto specializes in knowledge engineering, warnings and instructions, structuring expert systems, accident modeling, accident statistical analysis, consumer product safety, boating safety, in-field national surveys of product usage and product information effectiveness.

David R. Clark, PE, PhD – Co-Founder Dr. Clark is an Emeritus Engineering Professor at Kettering University. He was an engineering Ph.D. graduate from the University of Michigan, where he specialized in human factors engineering and system safety analyses. In particular, his earlier degrees in mechanical and electrical areas have given him a special expertise in electrical fire- and explosion-related accidents. Dr. Clark is also published on the topics of warnings and labeling. With considerable in-plant experience at General Motors, he is uniquely qualified to provide student theses and design projects while teaching at Kettering that deal with many types of mechanical and optimization projects. Finally, he has extensive experience working for loss control companies, performing over 150 fire origin and cause investigations in the past few years.