Construction Safety Expert Witnesses: 27

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. He has taught Safety Engineering and Ergonomics in the Industrial Engineering Department at CSU-Pueblo since 1999. 

A member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and the American Industrial Hygiene Association, Dr. Purswell also served as the 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. 

Litigation Support - An Expert Witness in the legal industry since 1997, Dr. Purswell 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. His 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 more than 100 times, and has testified at trial over 20 times. 

Areas of Expertise:

View Dr. Purswell's Consulting Profile.

R. Kevin Smith P.E., D.F.E. has been a specialist in Engineering Forensic Safety and Design for 44 years. He has consulted on over 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 is board certified forensic engineer through NAFE. He specialties include  Material Handling Equipment Safety, including lift trucks, dock safety, truck loading, conveyors, aerial work platforms, Construction Equipment Safety, Trucking Industry Safety including safe loading procedures and interactions at loading/unloading facilities, and Accident Reconstruction.

He is an active member of the committee that writes the Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks (ASME/ANSI B56.1) for over 40 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), as well as the A92.20, A92.22, A92.22 series of ANSI standards for MEWPs (Mobile 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., for 28 years, he currently has a laboratory for examination and testing, and owns or has access to varied testing equipment and tools.He has testified at depositions and trials on several hundred matters. Mr. Smith 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 was previously on the Adjunct Math faculty at Prairie State College for 13 years. 

Areas of Expertise:

View R. Kevin Smith's Consulting Profile.

Non-testifying consulting support for counsel on matters involving fall protection and access systems, including BMU, suspended, and permanent access systems (U.S. and International)

Rauch Safety & Engineering provides non-testifying technical consulting to counsel in matters involving fall protection systems, façade access systems (including Building Maintenance Units – BMUs), and permanent access infrastructure.

Engagements are typically initiated prior to expert designation to evaluate the technical validity of a claim, defense, or opposing position. This allows counsel to determine whether a matter is structurally sound before proceeding into formal expert pathways.

Work focuses on system failures, installation alignment, and responsibility across design, manufacturing, and construction, particularly where breakdowns occur between design intent and real-world conditions.

Scope includes analysis of:

• System design and engineering intent 
• Installation and commissioning conditions
• Lifecycle use and maintenance environments
• Alignment with applicable standards (OSHA, ANSI, IWCA)

RSE is engaged to:

• Evaluate case feasibility and technical merit
• Identify system failures, misalignment, and responsibility gaps
• Analyze construction defects and performance issues
• Review and assess opposing expert reports 
• Determine design vs. installation discrepancies 

RSE operates independently of contractors, manufacturers, and installers, providing unbiased technical evaluation grounded in real-world system behavior across the full system lifecycle.

All engagements are strictly non-testifying and available across U.S. and international matters.

Key Services

• Early Case Technical Evaluation (Fall Protection & Access Systems)
• Construction Defect & System Performance Analysis (Fall Protection & Access Systems)
• Failure Analysis – Fall Protection & Access Systems
• BMU / Façade Access System Review
• Suspended Access & Permanent Access System Evaluation
• Commissioning & Installation Condition Review (Fall Protection & Access Systems)
• Lifecycle & Maintenance Condition Assessment (Fall Protection & Access Systems)
• OSHA / ANSI / IWCA Standards Interpretation (as applicable to Fall Protection & Access Systems)
• Expert Report Review & Rebuttal Support (Non-testifying, Fall Protection & Access Systems)
• Design vs. Installation Discrepancy Analysis (Fall Protection & Access Systems)

Positioning Statement

RSE provides non-testifying consulting support to counsel requiring a clear, technically grounded understanding of fall protection and access systems and their real-world performance, particularly in matters where design, manufacturing, installation, and operational realities intersect.

Areas of Expertise:

View Rauch Safety and Engineering'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 categories:

View Mark Rieser's Consulting Profile.

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. Mr. Gerganoff 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.

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.

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

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:

View Greg Gerganoff's Consulting Profile.

Michael C. Wright, PE, CSP, CPE, is a Professional Engineer with over 40 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:

View Mr. Wright's Curriculum Vitae

Michael P. Lawler, MS, CSP, ASP, CHST, is a Construction Safety Expert with over 30 years of experience. He offers a unique combination of formal education and "project based" technical experience working on some of the largest construction projects in the United States. 

Litigation Support - Mr. Lawler's experience includes over 50 OSHA inspections and associated negotiation and defense preparation related to OSHA citations.   His background allows him to opine on OSHA Standards and Contract Responsibility with a demeanor of care and confidence. 

Mr. Lawler is an expert at applying OSH Act of 1970 standards, CFR 1926 & 1910 regulations, policies, construction industry practices, contract responsibility, incident investigation, and accident reconstruction. Mr. Lawler analyzes how post incident details and investigations should be completed and who is responsible per the OSHA Standard and construction industry practices. He is experienced in personal injury, catastrophic injury, and fatality cases. 

Areas of Expertise:

John D. Shepherd, RRC, RRO, founder of Shepherd Consulting Services has been actively involved in the Roofing, Waterproofing and Construction Industry for over 50 years. He has spent 10 years as an active roofing contractor and the last 30 years as a Construction Forensic Consultant with expertise in Commercial and Residential Roofing (low-sloped and steep sloped), Waterproofing (above and below grade), Sheet Metal, Fenestration, and Exterior Wall Cladding (stucco, siding, EFIS, and masonry).

Over the last 30 years, Mr. Shepherd attended about 1500 hours of continuing education courses related to roofing, waterproofing, sheet metal, exterior walls, windows and other various building envelope components. He is an IIBEC 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 500 construction defect litigation cases, representing plaintiffs, developers and/or sub-contractors. He has been deposed more than 100 times, testified in over 20 trials and has extensive mediation experience as well. Mr. Shepherd is also an expert in analyzing insurance related property damage claims involving wind, hail, earthquake, fire and water damages.

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.

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:

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

Cassandra K. Moody, MS, PE, the President and Principal Engineer of Time For Change, LLC., is a professional engineer with nearly 15 years of Pipeline Engineering and Operations experience encompassing Integrity Management Program (IMP) responsibilities.

Litigation Support - As a proficient expert in the midstream pipeline industry, Mrs. Moody has represented both plaintiffs and defendants on a variety of cases, both by testimony and through expert opinion reports. In-the-ditch pipeline operator expertise sets her apart from other desktop “experts.” Mrs. Moody’s retained engagements as an independent engineering expert have resulted in favorable resolutions for 100% of her clients to date.  Mrs. Moody is an effective communicator who excels at presenting complex information simply, both written and verbally.

Subject Matter Expertise:

Background Experience - Prior to establishing her own consultancy firm, she served in various regional operations engineering capacities, leading people and managing projects for a midsize North American pipeline operator as an Operations Engineer. Mrs. Moody has performed practical operations analysis of new and existing pipeline systems and facilities, of both natural gas and hazardous liquid product types, from operability optimizations, cost consciousness, and regulatory compliance perspectives throughout her career. She offers innovative solutions to achieve safe and efficient operations while communicating visionary changes in processes and procedures through training and encouragement across all levels of organizations to result in lasting, favorable change.

Mrs. Moody's company maintains national and local certifications as a Women’s Owned Small Business (WOSB), Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), and is recognized as a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) in the state of Texas. She was a founding leadership team member of Young Pipeline Professionals, USA (YPP USA) and is active with the Society of Women Engineers – Houston Section (SWE) where she enjoys encouraging the next generation through activities such as Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day outreach events. 

Mrs. Moody attributes her ability to support a wide variety of projects to her broad education foundation where she earned undergraduate Bachelor of Science degrees in Biochemistry and Genetics from Texas A&M University and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering through the University of Houston. She is registered with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors as a Mechanical Engineer.

Ronald Tyson is a Building and Premises Expert in the construction business for over 45 years.  He has years of hands on experience in the individual trades as a tradesman, subcontractor and general contractor.  

Mr. Tyson has been a Michigan licensed builder since 1967 and has functioned as a general contractor and provided supervisory tasks for Tyson Enterprises, Incorporated and other contractors on all types of industrial, public, commercial and residential construction projects since 1963. He is a member of numerous building code and standard authorities, including but not limited to IBC [BOCA, UBC] NFPA, IAEI, NAHB, etc.

Mr. Tyson's experience and expertise can help clients with contracts, safety, and other obligations as they may affect project control of contractors and/or project managers.  He can advise on the duties in new and remodeling construction and maintenance required by the premises owner.

Litigation Support - Mr. Tyson has served the legal community as a Construction Expert Witness for 35 years. He has worked for both plaintiff and defendant attorneys. He is available to perform onsite inspections, research, review litigation matters, makes drawings, interview litigants, and provides evidence for court, including correct building code and life safety statutes and standards as they may affect personal injury claims, construction, contracts, etc. and causation.  Mr. Tyson has never been disqualified in over 200 times in court.

Areas of Expertise:

Construction Accidents - OSHA Compliance - Labor Law 200 - CPM Scheduling - Delay Claims - Risk Analysis

Fred Mohrmann is an on-site construction expert with 40+ years experience - beginning as an electrical contractor, educated as a mechanical engineer, certified as a Construction Manager and OSHA 30, combined with experience as an Adjunct Professor, I can break down very technical and complicated issues into clear, simple facts for juries. Since 2017, I have served as a Construction Safety expert witness and litigation consultant for law firms in New York, Boston, and Chicago.