Ladder Engineer Expert Witness

Introduction

BS in Civil Engineering, Structural Option, University Of Illinois
Licensed Professional Engineer & Structural Engineer
Certified Product Safety Manager, Board of Certified Product Safety Management
Citation for Service by the American Ladder Institute

Expert has spent 35 years in ladder related activities.  During this time his experience has included testing, research, design, patents, evaluations, investigations, litigation and standards.  Aiding in this work has been extensive involvement with a wide range of products and materials, and interfacing with manufacturers, universities, governmental agencies and standards organizations.

He has been a member of ANSI A14, the American National Standards Committee on Safety in the Construction, Care, and Use of Ladders for over 30 years acting as:

Chairman, ANSI A14.2 Portable Metal Ladders

Member, ANSI A14.1 Portable Wood Ladders

Member, ANSI A14.5 Portable Reinforced Plastic Ladders
Member, ANSI A14 Executive Committee

Member, Anthropometric & Labeling Task Force

Chairman, Testing Task Force that enlisted the aid of over 100 known ladder experts, that worked with over 400 test documents in 50 meetings over a 2 year period in developing ANSI A14.1, A14.2 & A14.5 – 1981, the most extensive revision of ladder standards ever undertaken.

Member, Accessories & Attic Stairs subcommittee.

During this standards work he has led investigations on accidents that resulted in use & accident reporting forms, research on ladder construction & safety, developed new test procedures, and wrote sections of the standards & their rationale.  This work was carried on with numerous manufacturers, labor organizations, insurance safety professionals, American Ladder Institute, and other interested parties, which included CPSC, OSHA, NIOSH, NBS, Forest Products Laboratory, UL, CSA, ASSE and others.

Education / Professional

B.S. Civil Engineering, Structural option, 1950, University of Illinois

Registered Professional and Structural Engineer, Illinois

Certified Product Safety Manager, Board of Certified Product Safety Management

Chairman, Portable Metal Ladder Committee, and member of Portable Wood and Reinforced

Plastic Ladder Committees of the American National Standards Institute

Past Chairman, Committee for Carports, Awnings & Lawn Buildings, American Society for Testing
Materials

Experience:

Development

Developed new concept in storm doors, including extensive performance specifications, changing a commodity into a custom product. Improved performance of hardware (closures, wind chain, hinges, latches).

Invented a fence post anchor in use for over 25 years, with over 10 million produced.

Worked very closely with the Home Improvement Products and Services program at Sears at its inception, providing guidance in growing this program to a billion dollar business.

Developed a number of exclusive mobile home accessory products.

Developed / invented outdoor pool table, and safer playback table tennis table.

Research

Led a technical program to evaluate window damage to the Sears Tower, which reduced potential hazard.

Evaluated initial tests to determine impact loads on railroad bridges.

Led a team to improve the performance of insulated safes.

Testing

Developed testing procedures for such products as storm doors, ladders, windows, pool tables, lawn buildings, fencing, and many other consumer products.

Tested first pre-stressed concrete bridge span.

Provided product safety guidance and investigations on many products.

Design

Performed structural design work on buildings, flood walls, zoo structures and military installations.

Wrote and evaluated numerous assembly and installation manuals.

Evaluated 1000’s of products for performance, materials, durability, human factors and safety.

Construction

Provided construction layout and control for such projects as sewers, bridges, buildings, earth dams, plant remodeling and military compounds.

Standards

World expert on ladder safety, having been associated with American National Standards Institute Committee on Ladders for 30 years.  Initiated testing procedures.  Led accident investigation programs and reporting methods.

Originated American Society for Testing Materials standards subcommittee on carports, awnings, and lawn buildings.  Became first chairman of this committee, which led to position of secretary of main committee on Performance of Building Constructions.

Worked in cooperation with government agencies such as US Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Bureau of Standards, Forest Products Laboratory , OSHA and NIOSH, as well as many manufacturers, universities, associations and UL.

Legal

Provided expert testimony in many product areas & personal injuries, with depositions and trial appearances.