Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction
James D. Madden, P.E.,
Board Certified Diplomate Forensic Engineer
440-838-0640, 440-832-9540
www.maddenfe.com
Board Certified Diplomate Forensic Engineer
440-838-0640, 440-832-9540
www.maddenfe.com
Forensic Engineering & Scientific Accident Reconstruction
Over 30 Years Investigating, Analyzing, Reconstructing and Testifying about Accidents
Free Initial Phone Consultation
Fixed Fee Preliminary Accident Evaluation Available
Fixed Fee Preliminary Accident Evaluation Available
Our Work using Safety Design Principles in Forensic Engineering Work
In the Forensic Engineering work in the Forensic Specialties, the principles of Safety Design, especially the Safety Design Hierarchy, are an integral routine aspect of the engineering analysis of equipment and facilities involved in accidents, including the analysis of the specific requirements to Design Out Hazards, or use Safeguards and Warnings, versus the actual design of the equipment and the Safeguards and Warnings present.
Safety Design as used in practice is based on Human Factors and the analysis of the human-equipment and human-facilty interfaces, as well as, accepted engineering safety standards and practices, and Codes & Standards and Recommended Practices. We routinely use Codes, Standards and Recommended Practices in our engineering analysis, and the associated principles of Safety Design included in these Codes and Standards.
In our analyses, we adhere to the Safety Design Hierarchy (see below). The use of the Safety Design Hierarchy is required by important Codes, Standards and Regulations.
Qualifications and Experience of James D. Madden, P.E. in Regard to Safety Design
> Safety Design principles have been routinely used as an integral part of our forensic engineering work over the last 28 years, in the engineering analysis of accidents, consumer products, industrial and commercial equipment, and facilities involved in accidents, including the analysis of Safeguards and Warnings, and the analysis for the need for additional or alternate Safeguards and Warnings. The Safety Design Hierarchy, a Safety Design principle, is an integral part of the engineering analysis of Safeguards and Warnings, and their use, and the analysis for the need of Safeguards and Warnings.
> took college coursework in Engineering and Normal Psychology, including engineering design coursework, which are the bases of both Human Factors and Safety Design
> acquired personal knowledge of the principles of Safety Design in practice while working in industrial facilities, for 1 1/2 years full time and then at a number of times over the following 15 1/2 years during shorter work periods at industrial facilities, up to 3 months at a time, which directly built on the education in the principles of Safety Design acquired in college coursework
> during 17 years in industrial operations and engineering design used Safety Design as an integral part of engineering design of all industrial and manufacturing equipment and facilities including specification of Safeguards and Warnings, which required the use of Safety Design and the Safety Design Hierarchy
> Also during employment in engineering design:
> assured the technical quality of engineering designs, especially of the safety design of equipment and facilities, design of safety facilities, safeguards and warnings, through hands-on reviews and formal technical reviews and approvals of engineering designs of industrial and manufacturing facilities, piping, valving, instrumentation, equipment and machinery
> organized, participated in, and supervised the writing of Design Manuals for equipment, machinery, piping, valving and instrumentation to meet safety design requirements and applicable codes, standards and recommended practices
> organized, participated in and supervised the writing of a Design Manual for the design of boiler systems to meet safety design requirements and the ASME Boiler Code and other applicable codes and standards.
> two earned Engineering degrees, Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering
> post-degrees college credit coursework, short courses and seminars on technical subjects over the years
> Professional Engineers (P.E.) license (earned by examination)
> Diplomate Forensic Engineer designation, granted for meeting the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards requirements for Forensic Engineering
> over 40 years of engineering experience, with:
> 17 years experience in industrial operations, engineering design and construction assistance
> over 30 years experience in forensic engineering, to date
Safety Design Principles
Safety Design includes designing equipment to reduce or eliminate hazards in the use of the equipment, the specification of safeguards, as required, including guards, light curtains, double operating buttons, safety instrumentation, etc., and the designing or specification of warnings as required.
Engineering analysis using the principles of Safety Design for safety hazards and protection includes analysis of residential, commercial, industrial, manufacturing and construction equipment and associated facilities, and components associated with this equipment. Engineering analysis using the principles of Safety Design for safety hazards and protection includes analysis of facilities and consumer products from the simple to the complex. The application of Safety Design principles, along with Human Factors, is a routine and integral part of our engineering analysis of the safety of equipment, consumer products, all types of facilities, industrial and commercial operations, and construction activities.
Safety features, such as Safeguards and Warnings, are based on Safety Design principles and Human Factors. The use of these safety features is an integral part of Safety Design. The principles of Safety Design are routinely involved in our engineering analysis for the need for Safeguards and/or Warnings when one or the other is not present. The principles of Safety Design are also routinely involved in our analysis of Safeguards and Warnings which are present, for their appropriateness and sufficiency. Our Analysis of the requirements for Safeguards and Warnings is a routine aspect of our engineering analysis of equipment, facilities and operations.
Safety Design principles, along with Human Factors, are part of the bases of the best Codes, Standards and Recommended Practices.
Safety Design Hierarchy
Safety design is performed based on the the Safety Design Hierarchy, which is the accepted system for design of safe equipment, systems, products and facilities. The Safety Design Hierarchy requires designing for safety as follows: (a) first, design out the safety hazards in equipment, products and facilities; (b) second, use safeguards to protect from those safety hazards which cannot be designed out; (c) third, use warnings for those safety hazards which cannot be designed out and for which safeguards cannot be used to protect from the safety hazard; and, (d) fourth, use warnings to complement safeguards when this adds to the safety of the installation where safeguards are used to protect from hazards.
If the sole safety feature to protect against a hazard with a piece of equipment, system, product or facility would be a warning, it may not be acceptable to use the equipment, system, product or facility without eliminating the hazard, depending on the circumstances and severity of the hazard, and availability of alternative equipment, systems, etc. for the same use, which must be determined from engineering analysis. Providing a warning for a piece of equipment, system, product or facility does not automatically meet the requirements of the safety design hierarchy when it is not possible to use a safeguard with the equipment, system, product or facility as it is designed.
Design using the Safety Design Hierarchy has prohibitions as follows: (a) do NOT use warnings in place of safeguards or designing out a hazard, when safeguards or designing out the hazard is feasible; and, (b) do NOT use safeguards in place of designing out a hazard, when designing out a hazard is feasible.