Fire Protection Cause Origin Engineer Expert Witness

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Registered Professional Engineer with over 36 years of direct Fire Protection and Safety Engineering experience, including Forensic Engineering and Expert Witness testimony.

Areas of expertise involve Aerospace, Chemical, General Manufacturing, Hazardous Waste, Industrial, Material Handling/Storage, Medical, Mining, Nuclear, Petrochemical, Petroleum, Power and Waste to Energy Utility industries and both Government and Military.  (For depth of project experience, see following Project and Publication Information.)

Project duties included consultant, project engineer, and project manager.

Member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers and National Fire Protection Association.

Sits on various NFPA committees in the Special Expert category.

Served as a special consultant for the U.S. Air Force, NASA and Martin-Marietta Corp. for various aerospace launch complex fire protection and fire analysis projects at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Vandenberg AFB, California.

CAPABILITIES

Integrated system(s) design approach – incorporating all engineering disciplines, along with safe process and related equipment shutdown/operation and notification upon fire protection system activation.
In-depth comprehensive and analytical analysis/review of protection needs along with innovative, cost-effective solutions.
Custom-tailored solution to specific hazards.
Produce compliant protection and related designs within project budgets.
Project locations have included: the Americas; overseas, the Middle East, the North Slope, coastal environments (both fresh and salt water); and the Pacific Islands.
Analysis and recommendations take into consideration: impact of suppression system(s) on protected area(s)/process equipment during and after discharge; reliability of system(s) and related components; long-term maintenance requirements and ease of maintenance.
Employ state-of-the-art design concepts.
Fire Protection Design/Construction Peer Review
Fire & Explosion Forensic Expert Witness
Experienced in the following specialized areas: explosion venting and suppression; spark detection and suppression systems; flammable vapor and combustible solids exhaust systems; hazardous location protection and electrical classification; flammable and combustible liquid handling and storage; and fireproofing.  Protection of material handling systems and related storage facilities.

EXPERIENCE

1987-Present   A Private Consulting Company, Sausalito, CA
President
Engineering design and consulting firm specializing in fire protection and safety engineering for the Government, Military and the following Industries:

Aerospace
Chemical
General Manufacturing
Hazardous Waste
Industrial
Material Handling/Storage
Medical
Mining
Petrochemical
Petroleum
Power
Waste To Energy

Providing the following services in the highly specialized engineering disciplines listed below:

Analysis
Engineering design (water supplies, fire suppression, alarm and detection)
Specification development
Code Compliance – Building, Fire Protection & Electrical (Hazardous Location)
Estimating
Site observation
Waterflow analysis
System acceptance testing, for both new and retrofit design projects
Troubleshooting existing systems
Evaluation of existing fire protection programs
Development of new fire protection programs

1973 – 1987 Stearns Roger, Inc. (now Washington Group Intl., Inc.) Denver, CO
Chief Corporate Fire Protection Engineering and OSHA Consultant
International A/E firm specializing in Aerospace, Heavy Industry, Government and Military Design and Engineering  Projects.

Responsible for Fire Protection Engineering and Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA) compliance for all company projects.

Supervised staff of engineers and designers for all fire protection phases of projects.

Met with client’s underwriter and/or insurance company to review fire protection requirements or changes.

Recommended and laid out all fire protection required for projects including water supplies and fire pump requirements.

Interfaced with regulatory agencies to achieve acceptance/approval of project fire protection.
Worked with architectural and general arrangement groups to ensure compliance with all building codes and regulatory authorities relating to fire protection integrity and safe means of egress.

Prepared fire protection flow diagrams and yard piping layouts for use by project personnel.

Reviewed all fuel and other flammable/combustible liquid and solid fuel (coal, coke, peat) material handling and transfer/pumping systems, and storage facilities for fire and explosion suppression protection, and detection, and proper hazardous location electrical classification and, both system and facility design.

Prepared technical input for all fire protection specifications, (fire pumps, controllers, yard piping, all sprinkler and special agent extinguishing/explosion suppression, and alarm/detection systems)

Reviewed all fire protection system contractor drawings and calculations.

Ensured compliance with:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “Oil Pollution Spill Prevention” program
Factory Mutual, Industrial Risk Insurers, and other Highly Protected Risk insurance company regulations (as applicable) for fire protection, combustion controls, flammable/combustible liquid and pulverized fuel systems, and hazardous location electrical classification and design requirements.

Coordinated all projects to ensure they met general safety and applicable OSHA, and for mining projects — the Mine Safety Health Act (MSHA) requirements, or the intent of the Acts.

Reviewed and conducted field acceptance tests for fire protection systems/equipment (pumping, alarm, detection and suppression); and combustion controls for industrial furnace and boiler installations.

1968- 1973 Western Electric Company, Incorporated (now Lucent Technology) New York, NY Corporate Fire Protection/Safety Engineer

Headquarters Plant Design and Construction Organization of AT&T. Responsible for development of new and retrofit projects for all Western Electric and Bell Labs facilities throughout the U.S.

Responsible for analyzing, recommending and design of fire protection systems, including  fire service water storage, distribution and pumping systems; and building code compliance for fire protection structural integrity and safe means of egress.

Developed fire protection standards for Western Electric plants and Regional Centers, and Bell Labs research facilities.

Represented Western Electric’s interests during new and retrofit construction design meetings with co-insurance companies (Factory Mutual and Factory Insurance Assoc.)

Reviewed insurance company recommendations of inspected plant facilities, and advised plants on compliance approaches

Reviewed existing fire protection system problems in the field and provided corrective action

Reviewed/accepted contractor drawings on fire protection systems; witnessed/accepted  field testing of installed fire protection equipment and systems.

1970-1973 OSHA Administrator

Responsible for development of Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) compliance program for Western Electric and Bell Labs facilities throughout the United States.

Reviewed OSHA violations and developed corrective action. Also targeted corporate‑wide problem areas and established compliance programs.

1966 – 1968 Factory Mutual Engineering Corp. (now FM Global)     Norwood, MA and
Philadelphia, PA
Fire Protection Engineer
Fire Protection Engineering and Research Division of the Factory Mutual System – comprised of five Highly Protected Risk (HPR) Industrial Mutual Insurance Companies.

Performed fire protection consulting service for insured locations
Analyzed and recommended fire protection required for candidate and insured locations.
Represented FM member insurance company interests during review meetings with insured and their architect/engineering firms on new designs and construction

Reviewed for acceptance all fire protection system contractor drawings (sprinkler, CO2, dry chemical, foam systems; alarm and detection systems; fire pump and yard piping layouts)

Performed field troubleshooting of fire protection systems to determine/resolve problems

EDUCATION

B.S., Industrial Engineering/Business, Villanova University, PA
Factory Mutual Engineering Corporation, Fire Protection Engineering Training Course
Intensive course curriculum consisted of 240 hours (six weeks) of fire protection subjects consisting of:  Chemistry of Fire, Smoke and Heat Release, Effects of Fire on Building and Construction Materials, Smoke and Flame Spread/Development and Migration in Con­ven­tional, High-Rise and Warehouse/High-Piled Storage Occupancies; Fire Resistance of Building Materials and their Application in both New and Retrofit Construction; Hydraulics; Water Supply Evaluation, Implementation and Design; Fire Pump Evaluation and Design; Sprinkler System Application, Design and Hydraulic Calculations; Special Agent Suppression and Extinguishing Systems; and related calculations – Evaluation and Design; and Fire Alarm and Detection System Analysis and Design.

REGISTRATION

Professional Engineer (Wisconsin)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS 

Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Member

National Fire Protection Association
Member of following committees in the Special Expert category:  Mining Standards (NFPA 120 and 122)

Former member of the following Committees/Subcommittees in the Special Expert category:

• Hydroelectric Generating Plants (NFPA 851)
• Alternate Fuels Subcommittee (NFPA 850 — Electric Generating Plants)

American Society of Civil Engineers
Member of Air Supported Structures Committee

National Association of Fire Investigators

International Conference of Building Officials (Sponsors of the Uniform Bldg. Code), Member

International Association of Arson Investigators

National Association of Fire Investigators

PROJECT EXPERIENCE AND PUBLICATION INFORMATION

The following projects, with which Expert 1978 was directly associated, involved fire protection analysis and/or design, except where noted.  Many projects also included safety engineering, which involved compliance with Life Safety Code and applicable Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requirements.  Mining projects included compliance with the Mine Safety and Health Act (MSHA) requirements.

Note:  The following is a redacted list of Headings only for Expert 1978 regarding Project Experience and Publication Information.  A Complete listing of Project Experience and  Publication Information is Available upon Request

Aerospace
Cape Canaveral Launch Complex, Fl
Vandenberg AFB, CA
Aerospace Data Facility, Sunnyvale, CA
Space Command Aerospace Data Facility, Buckley ANG Base, CO
Kelly AFB, San Antonio, TX
Offett AFB, Omaha, NE

Aviation

• Jefferson County Airport, CO
• Imperial Palace Air, Ltd., Clark County Airport, NV

Government – Hospitals/Medical/Research/Storage and Convention Facilities

• Air Force
• Navy
• Army Corps of Engineers
• Research
• Storage – Government Services Administration
• Convention Center – City of San Diego Convention Center, CA

Hazardous Waste

• Chemical Handling Corporation, CO
• Highway 36 Land Development Co., CO
• Phillips Petroleum, TX
• USPCI – Clive Incinerator Facility Project, UT
• Waste Tech Services, Inc., NE
• Waste Tech Services, Inc., WV
• Waste Tech Services, Inc., IL
• CLERA Waste Water Plant, CO
• Hazardous Waste Storage Warehouse, CO

Industrial/Manufacturing/Research

• Alza Corporation:  Pharmaceutical Production and Packaging Cleanroom Facility – Vacaville, CA
• Bell Labs Research , Allentown, PA and Baltimore, MD
• New Facility Alarm/Detection and Suppression System Design, Northglenn, CO
• Coors Brewing Company: Brewery Facility Retrofit, CO
• Gates Rubber: Hose Manufacturing Plant, CO
• Gates Rubber: Belt Manufacturing Plant, CO
• Georgia Pacific:  Wood Product Plant, WA
• Hiram Walker Distillery: sprinkler and Halon fire suppression systems, Ontario, Canada
• ICN:  Radiological Hazard Analysis and Fire/Safety Study, CA

Kodak:  Film Processing Plant, CO

• Masonite Corporation:  Hard Board Manufacturing Facilities, VA
• Olympia Brewing Company:  Alcohol Recovery Plant, WA
• Texas Instruments:  Wafer Board Manufacturing Plant, TX

Thiokol:  Solid Fuel Facility, UT

• Western Electric Co., Allentown, PA, Andover, MA, Baltimore, MD, Cicero, IL and Phoenix, AZ
• PBX manufacturing plant — Northglenn, CO
• Lexmark Corp.:  Copier Manufacturing Plant, Boulder, CO
• Syntex Corp.: Chemical Manufacturing Plant, Boulder, CO

Military

• Air Force (Aerospace):
• Navy
• Naval Air Station, PA; and Naval Air Propulsion Center, Trenton, NJ
• Philadelphia Naval Yard, Philadelphia, PA
• Naval Communications Unit, Cutler, ME, and DFSP, Casco Bay, ME
• Willow Grove Naval Air Station, PA
• Naval Training Center, San Diego, CA
• Naval Air Development Center, Warminster, PA
• Naval Air Station, Glenview, IL; and Naval Reserve Center, Avoca, PA
• National Science Foundation, McMurdo Station, Antarctic Program
• Various Naval Facilities — Facility fire protection evaluation studies throughout the U.S.
•  Air National Guard
• Utah ANG Base

Mining / Material Handling

• AMAX – Climax Uranium mine – Existing sprinkler system analysis and retrofit design, CO
• Anaconda Uranium Corporation – Uranium solvent extraction plant, WY
• APC Plant Aqaba Warehouse Extension – Potash Port Facility – FM200 Suppression System – Jordan, UAE
• Bateman Engineering’s Guilt Edge Project, WY
• Bateman Engineering’s Zarafshan Newmont Joint Venture, Muruntau Heap Leach Project – Fire protection and fire service water distribution system, Uzbekestan, Russia
• El Paso Energy Corp. – Sulfur Brill processing, storage and material handling, Island of Aruba
• IMC – Uranium solvent extraction plants (three facilities), (2) WY; (1) NM
• Kerr-McGee Nuclear – Uranium solvent extraction, WY
• Koppelman Series – Process, Gillette, WY
• Negev Phospates, Ltd. – Phosphate project, Israel
• Phillips Petroleum – Oxbow, WY
• Rockwell Hanford Site – Area 200 Coal Conveying System – Richmond, WA
• Shell – Jumping Pond – Underground fire service water pumping, storage, and distribution system, WY
• Shell – Teckla Project, WY
• Stauffer Chemical Company – Process Facility, TX
• Texas Gulf Soda Ash Project, CO
• Utah Power & Light Co. Coal Mines, UT

Nuclear
DOE – Various Studies
Nuclear Waste Storage Facility – fire protection analysis; Oak Ridge, TN
Nuclear Waste Storage Facility – fire protection analysis; NM
Facility Wide (320 buildings) radio fire alarm system – Study and system design; Rockwell Handord Operations, Richland, WA
Fire Protection Design, various nuclear processing buildings; Rocky Flats, Jefferson County, CO
Rocky Flats (Building 71) – Plutonium Fire Analysis; Jefferson County, CO
Texas Municipal Power Authority, Companche Park Station: nuclear power plant fire protection; Texas
Public Service Company of Colorado – Fort St. rain Power Plant (Light Water Reactor); Control and Cable Spreading Rooms; Halon Suppression and Detection Systems; CO
Petroleum/Petrochemical and Gas
25 Hydrocarbon Facilities & Refineries: various fire protection analysis/design/retrofit projects
Amoco Production Company Oil Refinery, Houston, TX
Amoco Gas Processing Plant – Deluge water suppression and gas detection system design, Wattenberg, CO
ARCO: Kuparuk Central Gas Production Project – North Slope
Colorado Interstate Gas: gasification plant, CO
Diamond Cubic Corp., Polysilicone Plant B- Fire Protection/Safety Analysis, Oceanside, CA
DOE: solvent refined coal demonstration plant, CO
DOE: gasifier pilot plant, CO
El Paso Sulfur Pellet Processing & Storage, Material Handling System and Pier Facility Analysis & Design – Island of Aruba – El Paso Gas, Houston, TX
Exxon Chemical Company Low Density Polythylene plant, Houston, TX
Exxon: Tasco Shale Oil Recovery Facility, CO
Gulf Oil Co. Parson’s Lake Central Gas Production Project, incl. Port Unloading / Pier facilities – Fire Protection Analysis and Design, North Slope
Mobil Low Density Polyethylene Plant, Houston, TX
Pacific-Texas Pipeline Co.: Gas Storage Facility – Fire Protection Analysis and Conceptual Design, Los Angeles Harbor, CA
Phillips Petroleum – HDPE Plant Expansion – Fire Protection Analysis and Conceptual Design, Houston TX
Syrian Petroleum Company: Production, Storage and Port Facilities – Fire Protection Analysis and Conceptual Design, Syria
Texas Instruments: PDP 3 Plant – Fire Protection Analysis and Conceptual Design, Houston, TX
Union Oil Company: Oil Shale Recovery Facility – Fire Protection Analysis and Analysis Valdez, AK

Utility (Including Associated Material Handling Systems for Fossil Fuel Plants)
See also Nuclear
Worked on the following Projects involved either Fire Protection Analysis and/or Conceptual, or Final Design, except where noted:
60 Fossil power plants ranging in size from 150 MW to 650 MW
DOE – 10 MW solar power pilot plant – Barstow, CA
Coal conveying systems both at power plants and overland from mouth of mines to power plants
Cogeneration plants (coal, gas, oil, waste) – The following Plants were reviewed for compliance with the Calif. State required Fire Protection for Permitting/Construction, as well as QA during Construction – Pico, Tracy and Silicon Valley Power (Combined Cycle)
Coal transportation (rail and barge) and storage Fire Protection feasibility studies
Pulp dryer fuel conversion
10 Scrubber projects
15 Precipitator retrofits
Coal Fired Power Plant Fire Protection Analysis & Design Upgrade – Plant Wide, incl. River Barge Unloading Pier – Commonwealth Edison, Chicago, IL
Coal Pulverizers – internal water spray manual fire suppression and detection system designs, Huntington Canyon Power Plant (Units I and II), Utah Power and Light, Utah
Peat fire boiler fire suppression systems
Coal unit train loading & unloading facilities, and Material Handling Facilities
Fuel Oil Tank Farm Foam Fire Suppression & Detection Systems – Tucson Gas & Electric, Tucson
Gas Storage/Distribution Facility – Gas alarm and detection system – Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego, CA

RESEARCH FIRE TESTS

Tests were conducted in the capacity as Lead Project Research Engineer, except where noted.  Work performed included securing testing site and funding, developing test protocol, soliciting participants for testing, obtaining equipment to be used in tests and preparing testing reports.

Information on Tests Conducted available upon request.

EXPERT WITNESS

Industrial
Available upon request.

Commercial
Available upon request.

Residential
Available upon request.

Personal Injury
Available upon request.

PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS
Available upon request

SEMINARS
Available upon request