Affiliations

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

American Society of Saftey Engineers

American Society for Testing Materials

Bar Association of
San Francisco

International Conference of Building Officials

National Association of Professional Accident Reconstruction Specialists

National Fire Protection Association

National Safety Council

Society of Automotive Engineers

Society of Forensic Engineers and Scientists

Contact Us

Phone:
(510) 530-4777
Mobile:
(510) 967-4486
Fax:
(510) 531-3675

Albert J. Ferrari
1000 Elbert Street
Oakland, CA 94602

Email:
albertferrari.pe
at gmail dot com

Education, Licensing and Certification

Bachelor of Science: Mechanical Engineering
University of Santa Clara, 1969
Professional Engineering Registration: Mechanical
California #18025, 1977
Certified Safety Professional: Engineering Aspects, 1990

Professional Experience Summary

• Experienced both in the micro and in the macro focus.
• Particularly sensitive to reliability, safety, and function.
• Background includes practical hands-on machine shop and repair work as well as shop supervision, forklift operation, and truck, bus, and high performance driving.
• Engineering work includes: automotive engineering, pedestrian facilities, machine design, thermal and mechanical energy analysis, structural load and stress analysis, piping and tanks, system safety and human factors analysis associated with design of hazardous equipment
• Forensic engineering includes 18 years experience in accident reconstruction, causal analysis, failure analysis, codes, standards and regulations, consulting and testimony.

Continuing Education

• Computer-aided vehicle collision simulation and reconstruction
• Vehicular accident reconstruction: cars, pedestrians, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks
• Driver practices: defensive driving, commercial driver's training, high performance driving
• Vehicular failures: airbags, seatbelts, brakes, unwanted acceleration, etc.
• Trucking operations: safety and regulations
• Air brake systems
• Hydraulic brake systems design and safety
• Forklift operation and train the trainer courses
• Manlift operation and train the trainer course
• Automotive fire investigation
• Photogrammetry
• Human factors, biomechanics, and ergonomics
• Pedestrian, footwear, and walkway safety
• Walkway slip resistance: testing and evaluation
• Pedestrian accident reconstruction: human factors, common fall mechanisms, etc.
• Building codes and standards: commercial, residential and industrial
• Safety engineering and safety management
• Product liability and product safety
• Design professionals' liability
• Hydraulic and fluid power systems and components
• Pressurized systems design and safety
• Fracture mechanics
• Materials failure analysis

Professional Society Memberships

• Society of Automotive Engineers
• American Society of Safety Engineers
• National Safety Council
• Society of Forensic Engineers and Scientists
• American Society of Testing and Materials
• International Conference of Building Officials
• National Fire Protection Association
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• National Association of Professional Accident Reconstruction Specialists

Automotive Engineering

Vehicular Accident Investigation:
• Vehicular collision reconstruction: autos, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians
• Restraint systems analysis: air bag deployment, seat belt use, occupant trajectory
• Vehicle on-board data retrieval and analysis (Vetronix CDR)
• Mechanical failures: brakes, steering, transmissions, electrical, etc.
• Low impact collision reconstruction: rear end, sideswipe, occupant accelerations
• Vehicle trajectory analysis: driver vs. vehicular factors
• Visibility: line of sight, conspicuity
• Fires: fluid leaks, cooler blockage, dragging brakes, electrical, arson
• Collision damage analysis: causes versus effects of collisions
• Tire failure, front end alignment evaluation
• Roll-away, drive-away, transmission park and parking brake analysis
• Sudden unwanted acceleration/braking capacity/surge/stuck throttle analysis
• Motorcycle and bicycle accidents: collisions, alleged brake failures, testing
• Diesel and gasoline engine failures: overheat, hydraulic lock, parts failure
• Truck air brakes: testing, dragging brakes, air line freezing, adjustment
• Forklift truck: pedestrian collisions, rollover, brake and mast failure
• Aerial personnel platform: mechanical and hydraulic systems failure analysis

Automotive Engineering Design:
• Imported car bumper design per DOT regulations
• Truck component parts design
• Assisted with truck noise level testing
• Bus emergency exit release mechanism design and signs
• Roll-Over Protective Structures (ROPS) design for Jeep fleet (30 units)
• Electric car chassis, ROPS, and drive train design
• Forklift truck: high capacity fork extensions design
• Truck mounted high-speed hydraulic tree de-limber design
• Mobile scaffold hydraulic system redesign for safety and reliability

Related Experience and Qualifications:
• Private Pilot, Single Engine, Land
• California Commercial Driver License, Class B
• Motorcycle Driver License, Class Ml
• Certified Trainer, transit bus driving, DOT Transportation Safety Institute
• Training: taught defensive driving for commercial drivers
• Certified Safety Coordinator, California Trucking Association
• Auto mechanic: repair, maintenance and overhaul
• Work experience driving forklifts and trucks

Mechanical Engineering

Pedestrian Safety:
• ASTM F13 committee member: dealing with walkway safety and traction of footwear
• Engineering: catwalks, stairs, handrails and guardrails, ladders, railings, and deck plates
• Pedestrian falls: causal analysis and reconstruction regarding slips, trips, stumbles, missteps, etc.
• Building codes, standards, and regulations regarding pedestrian safety: analysis and interpretation
• Slip resistance testing (certified: VIT tribometer): walkways, decks, etc., footwear and bare feet
• Automatic doors: mass transit, buildings
• Participant in a study of methods for wilderness trail safety and accessibility

Safety Engineering:
• Served on Mechanical Engineering Safety Committee, Lawrence Berkeley Lab
• Consulted on safety and technical aspects of mobile window test trailer
• Detailed guards for conveyor power transmission equipment
• Developed operating and maintenance instructions for industrial facilities
• Fire protection engineering for senior, residential, and commercial projects
• Atrium smoke testing per 1982 Uniform Building Code, Section 1715.
Back to Top

Machinery and Equipment:
• Mechanisms for retrofit on standard spring coiling machines
• Conveyor systems and component engineering
• Trunnions for an 8,000 pound capacity aluminum crucible
• 50 h.p. cooling fan/duct system for a very large furnace
• Feasibility study for a 100 mega-watt compressed air energy storage system
• Vacuum line pressure profile analysis; outgassing test of gasket material
• Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning engineering
• Plumbing design, including restaurant grease trap installations
• Restaurant exhaust hood, fan and duct design
• Stress analysis of a steam pipe line per ANSI B31.1

"Power Piping Code"
• Tanks, pumping and piping for diesel and aviation fuel
• Boiler feed water system failure and settlement cost analysis
• Steam heat system evaluation for residential hotel
" Explosion and fire hazard analysis: coal slurry piping erosion test facility
• Participated in computer-aided study of methane explosion hazards

Forensic Engineering:
• Products liability evaluations involving machinery and products
• Personal injury: mechanism of injury and cause(s)
• Fire cause and origin: heaters, propane, gasoline nozzle, fireplace
• Power tools: reconstruction, analysis of guards, instructions and warnings
• Hydraulic elevator piping failure

Related Experience and Qualifications
• Machine shop work, supervision and training: tool and fixture design, machining and welding
• Assisted in the manufacture of an all hydraulic trenching machine
• Experienced in use of common power tools, plumbing, carpentry, etc.
• Sheetrocking, demolition, and painting on ladders and scaffolding to 25 feet
• Structural steel fabrication and erection
• Certified Plumbing Engineer, American Society of Plumbing Engineers