Amusement Safety Engineer Expert Witness

Expert is President of his own company and an amusement safety system engineering professional with 25 years of experience in engineering design and development, quality assurance and inspection, safety audits, project management, project planning and implementation in the amusement, entertainment and transportation industries. Expert is fully certified by the State of California Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) to conduct Qualified System Inspector (QSI) audits and assessments. Expert is also a NAARSO Certified Amusement Ride Safety Inspector. He has provided safety audit and engineering activities in support of amusement and transportation systems for numerous clients including Great America (California), Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (California), Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, CA), Fantasy Island (New York), Indiana Beach (Indiana), Wild Water Adventure Park (Clovis, CA), and numerous others.

EDUCATION

1993 Santa Clara University
M.S., Engineering Management

1986 Santa Clara University
B.S., Mechanical Engineering

REGISTRATIONS/CERTIFICATIONS

Expert is currently licensed as a Professional Engineer in the following states:

• California, Mechanical Engineering
• Connecticut, Mechanical Engineer
• Florida, Mechanical Engineering
• Hawaii, Mechanical Engineering
• Illinois, Mechanical Engineering
• Nevada, Mechanical Engineering
• New York, Mechanical Engineering
• Texas, Mechanical Engineer

Expert holds additional certifications/registrations, including the following:

• California DOSH Qualified Safety Inspector
• Clark County, Nevada QAA Certified ATS Quality Manager
• NAARSO Certified Amusement Ride Safety Inspector

WORK HISTORY
President,
DATES EMPLOYED: 5/93 – Present

Amusement Safety Inspector & Engineer – Principal Inspector/Engineer 

Expert routinely performs amusement ride safety inspection and engineering services (major modifications, 6.2 letters, etc) for a variety of theme parks, family entertainment centers, waterparks and other operations with amusement rides. His list of clients includes Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Great America (Santa Clara, CA), Legoland (Carlsbad), Fantasy Island (Buffalo, New York area), Indiana Beach (Indiana), Gilroy Garden (Gilroy), Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo), Glozone (numerous locations throughout the USA), Golfland Sunsplash (Roseville), Island Waterpark (Fresno), and many others.

Wild Water Waterpark (Clovis, CA) Fabrication/Installation Design Support, QAA Inspection, Performance Verification 

Project Manager/Engineer – For several years, Expert has provided system development, rehabilitation engineering analysis, structural evaluation, and QAA audit/inspection and other activities in support of the Wild Water Waterpark in Clovis, CA. Specific activities have included system operations assessment and evaluation and validation (according to California DOSH guidelines) pertaining to annual rehabilitation development. He has further provided project management leadership and support of testing and commissioning of the system.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk (Santa Cruz, CA) New Ride Design Validation, QAA Inspection, Major Modification 

Project Manager/Engineer Expert has provided Amusement ride support services, structural evaluation, and QAA audit/inspection and other activities for numerous rides and attractions at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA. Specific activities have included (according to California DOSH guidelines) system design validations, stress analysis verifications, structural evaluation, audits, major modification support, operations assessments, and others for iconic boardwalk rides such as the Fireball, Giant Dipper, Crazy Surf, and others.

Bellagio-Monte Carlo Transit System Concept and Final Design, Planning, Engineering, QA Inspection, Procurement Management, and Integration

Project Manager/Engineer -Expert served as Project Manager for contract and construction management project involving the refurbishment and modification of the Bellagio APM system in Las Vegas, Nevada. This APM system technology (vehicles are belt drawn via a distributed drive and motor network) is unique to any APM system globally. Expert led the development of the request for proposals (RFP) and the technical specifications for the system dismantling and refurbishment/modification. In addition, he managed the project planning, ridership modeling, alignment alternatives analysis, proposal evaluation, coordinated workshops with the client, and negotiated the contract in close collaboration with the client.

He developed a comprehensive vehicle structural evaluation model inclusive of human factors design principles. Also, Expert led the project management/construction management oversight (inclusive of submittal reviews, interagency coordination, design development coordination, change order management, warranty administration, conflict resolution, testing and commissioning, and other). Further, Expert was responsible for the systems integration oversight of the people mover’s various control system elements during the design, implementation, and testing phases of the project. Since system commissioning, Expert has provided full QAA leadership to the annual inspection and test of the system until system dismantlement.

NY NY Roller Coaster System (Las Vegas, NV) Overhaul Fabrication Design Support, QAA Inspection, Performance Verification

Project Manager/Engineer – For several years, Expert has provided system development, rehabilitation engineering analysis, structural evaluation, and QAA audit/inspection and other activities in support of the NY NY Roller Coaster system in Las Vegas (NV). Specific activities have included control system operations assessment and evaluation and validation (according to Clark County QAA guidelines) pertaining to train annual rehabilitation development. He has further provided project management leadership and support of testing and commissioning of the system.

CalExpo Monorail Refurbishment Program Management/Engineering Support – Project Manager/Engineer 

Expert conducted extensive system refurbishment standard and code compliance assessment, operational validation, new subsystem design and engineering, testing and commissioning, DOSH inspection validation and implementation, and related functions as part of the systems 2006 thru 2009 rehabilitation program.

Project Engineering, System Design, Procurement and Construction Management for the Mandalay Bay Innovative and Automated Fixed Guideway Transportation System (AGT) 

Project Manager – As part of a larger architectural team, Expert provided project management leadership and engineered and analyzed the system alignment (including operating mode evaluation) and developed evaluation criteria for this performance based, best value procurement. He was responsible for the preliminary design (including evaluating site demolition requirements), horizontal and vertical alignment layout (including stations), ridership analysis, technology assessment, control system analysis and requirements, modeling, and operational definition designed to transport 3,500 pphpd. He directed the development of all tender documents and provided leadership to the bidding process and subsequent design evaluation. Expert provided project management leadership in support of testing and commissioning activities. He led design review activities and supported other aspects of the procurement management process, including development of evaluation criteria and supplier ranking.

Expert provided substantially similar project management functions for the MGM Grand/Bally’s Monorail system, the Mirage/Treasure Island Tram APM, the Primm APM, and others. Since system commissioning, Expert has provided full QAA leadership to the annual inspection and test of the system based upon manufacturer and TG guidelines.

McCarran International Airport Terminal 3 Transit System and Related Infrastructure Planning, Procurement Management, Design, Engineering, and Integration 

Program Director – Expert is serving as Program Director as part of the design team for the new Terminal 3 AGT system in Las Vegas, Nevada. Expert oversees  overall design support to the Terminal 3 architect for potential configurations, locations and design criteria and parameters of the AGT station, maintenance facility and guideway tunnel. In addition, he oversees ATS station passenger traffic flow modeling, defined utility interface requirements, reviewed the ATS supplier’s design and contract deliverables, and coordinated interfaces between the AGT supplier and the Terminal 3 architect.

Vehicle Project Engineer, FMC Corporation
DATES EMPLOYED: 5/92 – 4/93

Expert was with the FMC Corporation as a design development engineer. His professional experience at FMC encompassed various tracked vehicle design, manufacturing, inspection, and testing functions including the analysis of new design development options for a mobile command vehicle (EFVS). Expert provided oversight to manufacturing process plan audits, tolerance plan evaluations, and CMM inspection processes.

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS

Available on full CV