Who is The Kilpatrick Group, PA?

Our mission is to provide to you with forensic mechanical design engineering services that are dedicated to the application of the art, science and methodology of forensic engineering and the scientific method in order to answer questions of fact in the jurisprudence system concerning accidents and product defect and failure claims. We utilize our engineering knowledge, skill, experience, training and education to give you an objective professional opinion that is detailed, understandable and timely. Mr. Kilpatrick has submitted many written expert reports in state and federal court and have given sworn expert testimony under oath many times during both deposition and trial.

Mr. Kilpatrick is a full member of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers (NAFE) and is a Diplomat Forensic Engineer. He is also a full member of several other professional societies namely: the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME); the National Society for Professional Engineers (NSPE); the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE); the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA; Harley Owners Group (HOG); American All-Terrain Vehicle Association (AATVA); International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA); National Association of Professional Accident Reconstruction Specialists (NAPARS).

What services does The Kilpatrick Group, PA provide?

INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS RECONSTRUCTION
PRODUCT DEFECT AND FAILURE ANALYSES (OSHA expert and certified in 29CFR1910, 1026 and 1928)

Have approximately 20 years of industrial work experience in industial wood working machinery such as rip saws, boring machines, routers and shapers, sanding machines; Have been responsible for sheet metal spot welding operations; Nine years of automotive industrial expereince in metal cutting multi-axis machining centers, milling machines, transfer lines, roller bearing machining and manufacturing, drilling, tapping and boring operations, OD and ID grinding operations, gear manufacturing, induction hardening heat treatment and oil quench heat treatment and the operation of overhead gantry cranes, quality assurance, assembly line and bench assembly operations; Sheet metal roll forming, kinetic energy punch and forming presses and hydraulic punch and forming presses, overhead gantry cranes, manufacturing and process, machine design, machine guarding, gantry crane design, belt conveyor design, quality assurance; Warehouses and tractor trailer loading docks, dock leveler operations; Have extensive knowledge of standards of care and maintenance requirements of industrial process equipment along with the standards of care and proper practice of plant operations; Automotive engineer: Worked in the automotive industry for approximately 10 years which included OSHA safety regulations; Have OSHA certifications, OSHA safety regulations expert in 29CFR1910, 1926 and 1928, ISO 9001 requirements and applicable ANSI, UL and ISO Standards; Extensive investigation and reconstruction experience of many types of industrial accidents; Worked for namely the Clark Equipment Company who invented of the Forklift, Frontend Loader and the smaller Bob-Cat frontend loader who was a manufacturer of forklifts, heavy off-road earth moving machinery; Machined spur and hypoid ring and pinion gears, spur gears, spindles, planet carriers, wheel knuckles, cast iron transmission housings, cast iron axle housings and cast iron differential gear train carriers for rough terrain telescoping forklifts and rough terrain telescoping cranes; Assembled rough terrain telescoping forklift and rough terrain telescoping crane brake systems and drive train components including large transmissions, driver steer axles and differential units; Currently hold a forklift license and have 1000+ hours of experience in the day-to-day operation of forklifts over a five year period which included material handling operations; Have operational experience with sit-down forklifts and standup narrow aisle forklifts; Have a current forklift certification and license to operate forklifts; Have the certifications to teach and certify employees on how to safely operate sit-down forklifts, stand-up narrow aisle and telehandlers; Have design engineering experience in overhead gantry cranes and belt conveyors; Have thousands of hours of experience operating gantry cranes during process machining and assembly operations; Very knowledgeable of crane physics of telescoping and lattice boom cranes both axle wheeled driven and crawler tracked cranes; Very knowledgeable of crane counterweights, load charts and lift plans; Very knowledgeable of crane physics,crane operations, crane maintenance, crane standards of care and crane government regulations as well as many types of industrial process equipment; The process equipment used to machine component parts were both the older type NC tape operated controllers as well as the more modern CNC controllers using G,M,T,S,D,P,N codes; Worked as a mechanical design engineer for various companies which involved process machine design, continuous improvement projects, quality assurance and corrective action procedures; Have experience in automated process equipment installation such as surface grinders, automated robotic automotive wheel bearings process equipment, rollformers, spraying equipment and kinetic energy punch presses; Poultry processing equipment; Farming tractors and forage harvesters; Have experience working with warehouse storage racks; Setup a warehouse for the storage of sheet metal rolls and forklift FIFO; Have investigated industrial accidents while working as a staff engineer in industry and have investigated many industrial accidents as a litigation expert since 2003. Investigate the causes of tracked and wheeled mobile crane failures, farm equipment accidents, earth moving machine, forklift accidents as well as many types of industrial accidents.

FORKLIFT ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCT DEFECT AND FAILURE ANALYSES

Mr. Kilpatrick is a certified operator, trainer and inspector of sit-down, narrow aisle stand up forklifts and telehandlers. Worked for the inventor of the forklift namely the Clark Equipment Company who was a manufacturer of forklifts, cranes and heavy off-road earth moving machinery; Expert knowledgeable of OSHA regulations 29CFR1910.178 “Powered Industrial Trucks” and have OSHA certifications; Machined spur and hypoid ring and pinion gears, spur gears, spindles, cast iron planet carriers, cast iron wheel knuckles, cast iron transmission housings, cast iron axle housings and cast iron differential gear train carriers for rough terrain telescoping forklifts and mobile wheeled rough terrain telescoping cranes; Assembled rough terrain telescoping forklift and mobile wheeled rough terrain telescoping crane drive train components including large transmissions, driver steer axles and differential units; Have 1000+ hours of experience in the day-to-day operation of forklifts over a five year period which included material handling operations. Have operational experience with both sit-down forklifts and standup narrow aisle reach forkilfts; Have a current forklift certifications to train potential operators on electric stand-up narrow aisle reach forklifts and four wheeled sit down forklifts; Very knowledgeable of standard mast and telescoping mast forklifts; Have investigated many forklift accidents and have given professional opinions in many forklift cases.

Power Press Accidents

Mr. Kilpatrick has many years of experience working with kinetic energy punch and forming presses as well as press die design. Will investigate the cause of a power press accident.

Industrial Tools Accidents

Mr. Kilpatrick has many years of experience working with industrial power tools. Will investigate the cause of a tooling accident.

Home Power and Hand Tools Accidents

Mr. Kilpatrick has many years of experience working with home power tools. Will investigate the cause of a home tool accidents.

Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs)

Gary E. Kilpatrick, PE, DFE is a certified operator and trainer for operating and inspecting Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs). Gary travels and performs forensic engineering inspections on MEWPs for law firms and insurance companies nationwide. Gary performs the following forensic engineering services:

1) MEWP forensic engineering inspections
2) MEWP maintenance and standards of care analyses
3) MEWP forensic engineering performance testing
4) MEWP operations
5) MEWP forensic engineering component and product defect and failure analyses
6) MEWP safety requirements
7) MEWP personal fall protection equipment PFPE inspection
8) MEWP determine proper machine choice for the job at hand
9) MEWP determine if the machine is designed for indoor or outdoor operation
10) MEWP hazard analyses
11) MEWP training determination and analyses
12) MEWP Safe Use Plan review and analyses
13) MEWP Rescue Plan review and analyses
14) MEWP system document reviews

Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) is the new term describing the old term used in the older ANSI standards of Aerial Work Platforms (AWPs). The new laws and standards went into effect on March 1st 2020.

MEWP classifications were created for a combination of two key descriptions below:

The MEWP “Group” determines where the personnel platform is located in reference to the lifting machine’s tipping line. There are two Groups “A” and “B”.

The MEWP “Type” refers to the lifting machine’s ability to travel relative to the personnel platform’s position.

“Group A” are the lifting machines that lift personnel straight up over the machine’s base such as the Scissor Lift or a Stationary Vertical Lift.

“Group B” are the articulated or telescopic boom personnel lifting machines.

“Type 1” personnel lifting machines are stationary, manually propelled or trailer mounted and traveling is allowed with the MEWP in its stowed position. Examples of these MEWPs would be Type 1 Group A 1A Stationary Vertical MEWP; Type 1 Group B 1B Stationary Boom MEWP.

“Type 2” personnel lifting machines traveling with the personnel platform above the base is controlled from the ground using the control panel located on the machine base.

“Type 3” personnel lifting machines are self-propelled and can have the articulated or telescoping booms and traveling with the personnel platform elevated above the base is controlled from the control panel on the personnel platform. Examples of these MEWPs would be Type 3 Group A 3A Platform Controlled Mobile Vertical MEWP; Type 3 Group B 3B Platform Controlled Mobile Boom MEWP.

ANSI Standards that apply to MEWPs are ANSI/SAIA A92 and the ANSI Manual of Responsibility. Canada has a national standard CSA B354.

The MEWP’s Operator’s Manual and the Manual of Responsibility must be kept on the the personnel platform in a water tight compartment usually located down below the control panel.

All operators as well as other occupants in the personnel platform must have a basic level of knowledge of work safety on a MEWP. This includes:

(1) Fall Protection and anchor locations inside the personnel platform.
(2) Factors on how bodily actions and movements can effect stability.
(3) Safe use of accessories.
(4) Any site work procedures MEWP operators and occupants must follow related to the operation of the MEWP.
(5) Hazards associated with the job and their avoidance.
(6) MEWP manufactures warning and instructions listed in the operator’s manual, The Manual of Responsibilities and posted on warning labels located on the machine.
(7) At least one of the MEWP occupants must be trained with the knowledge to operate the personnel platform controls in an emergency when the operator cannot perform this himself/herself.

Hazards Associated With MEWPs:

(1) Tip-Over Hazards
(2) Fall Hazards
(3) Collision Hazards
(4) Electrocution Hazards
(5) Trapping and Crushing

Personal Fall Protection Equipment (PFPE): Any person who will be utilizing a MEWP such as an operator and occupant must utilize PFPE. The selection of PFPE is very important. The length of the PFPE must be shorter than the fall distance by at least 3 feet. PFPE must be replaced every five years even if it looks like it is in excellent condition. Materials making up the PFPE can degrade over time and especially when exposed to direct sunlight. PFPE must be inspected and these inspections must be documented. If the PFPE has been used in a fall, then the entire harness and mechanisms must be discarded. PFPE is an OSHA requirement per OSHA 29 CFR 1926.453(b)(2)(v); OSHA 29 CFR 1926.502; OSHA 29 CFR 1910.66 and Standards ANSI A92.2; ANSI A92.5; ANSI Z359 and ANSI A10.32. Also refer to the Miller Fall Protection Safety Guide.

Inspections: These machines must be inspected per the manufacturer’s instructions detailed in the Operator’s Manual by each user each day no matter how many users utilize the machine each day. These machines must also be inspected every three months or every 150 hours of use whichever comes first and also annually by a qualified service technician.

Training: Both the supervisors and operators must be trained and certified to operate and inspect these machines. All training must be documented. Re-Training may be required depending on the following situation:

(1) Expired operator’s training period.
(2) Operator’s performance has deteriorated.
(3) Near miss.
(4) Operator was involved in an accident.
(5) Operator has gone for an extended period of time without operating a MEWP.
(6) The operator has been assigned to a different MEWP with different technology.

Safe Use Program: The Owner/User must develop a Safe Use Program that includes but is not limited to the following:

(1) Risk Assessment to identify all hazards, develop control plans and communications for every employee who operates MEWPs.
(2) Selection of suitable MEWPs; MEWP Range of Motion and Associated Equipment.
(3) Access, preparation and maintenance of the work site which will include an assessment of the Support Surface which must be adequate to support the weight of the MEWP, its occupants and accessories.
(4) MEWP maintenance including all inspections and repairs as required.
(5) Inform the operator of site requirements and warnings to provide a means for protection against identified hazards in the area where the MEWP will be utilized.
(6) Must have a trained and qualified supervisor to monitor the activities of the operator to ensure compliance with the ANSI/SAIS A92 standard.
(7) Prevention of unauthorized use of a MEWP.
(8) Safety of personnel not involved with the operation of the MEWP such as pedestrians.

Rescue Plan: This plan will be performed in case of a machine breakdown, platform entanglement or fall. The Rescue Plan must be in writing and become part of the companies training manual. All users must receive this training that explains the procedures in case of an entanglement or fall. This plan must limit the time a properly retrained user hangs suspended below the MEWP. A Rescue Plan can include:

(1) Self-Rescue by the user utilizing the appropriate equipment.
(2) Assisted Rescue by others that witness the event on the work site.
(3) Technical Rescue by the fire department and/or EMS.

CRANE ACCIDENTS RECONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCT DEFECT AND FAILURE ANALYSES

Worked for the Clark Equipment Company who was a manufacturer of forklifts, heavy off-road earth moving machinery and cranes; Very knowledgeable of OSHA regulations 29CFR1926.1400 and have OSHA safety certifications; Machined spur and hypoid ring and pinion gears, spur gears, spindles, cast iron planet carriers, cast iron wheel knuckles, cast iron transmission housings, cast iron axle housings and cast iron differential gear train carriers for rough terrain mobile wheeled rough terrain telescoping cranes; Assembled mobile wheeled rough terrain telescoping boom crane drive train components including large transmissions, driver steer axles and differential units; Have thousands of hours of experience operating industrial bridge and gantry cranes during process machining and assembly operations; Have design engineering experience with overhead monorail gantry cranes; Very knowledgeable of telescoping and latice boom cranes both axle wheel driven and crawler tracked cranes; Very knowledgeable of crane counterweight systems, crane load charts and data loggers; Very knowledgeable crane operations, crane Newtonian Physics, rigging, maintenance, training and government regulations; Have investigated and gave professional engineering opinions in crane accidents.

AMUSEMENT PARK RIDE ACCIDENTS RECONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCT DEFECT AND FAILURE ANALYSES

Mr. Kilpatrick also provide forensic engineering service to investigate the cause of Amusement Park Ride Accidents; He has been retained in cases involving patron go-karts rides, patron ride restraint system design, patron ride machines incorporating gondolas, ride machine support structural failure by applying his engineering education and training, knowledge and experience in mechanical machine design as well as the interpretation of the Amusement Park Ride ASTM F24 Committee standards. Mr. Kilpatrick will determine whether or not the amusement rides device is designed properly for its intended purpose or is defective by design and what components failed in service and why it failed to cause an accident. Mr. Kilpatrick will also opine on Amusement Park Ride Standards of Maintenance and Standards of Care.

MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH RECONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCT DEFECT AND FAILURE ANALYSES

Since 2003, have more than 20 years of experience providing forensic engineering services in Motor Vehicle Crash Reconstruction to law firms, public defenders and insurance companies; Automotive engineer; worked in the automotive industry for approximately nine years; Board certified Forensic Engineer through the National Academy of Forensic Engineers (NAFE); Diplomat Forensic Engineer (DFE); Have a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with Tanker, Haz-Mat, Triples, Passenger Bus and School Bus endoresments; Have approximately 100 hours of drive time experience in commercial tractor trailer trucks; Very knowledgeable of the Federal Motor Carrier Saferty Regulations namely 49 CFR 40, 303, 325, 350 - 399 for commerical tractor trailer trucks as well as other commercial vehicles; Hazardous Materials training and certification DOT Hazardous Materials namely 49CFR 100-185; Have extensive knowledge of commercial vehicles with air brake systems, semi-trailer landing gear, commercial tractor-trailer trucks, commercial cement trucks, commercial dump trucks, commercial flatbed and box trucks, school buses, fire trucks, ambulances; Have extensive knowledge of standards of care and maintenance requirements of commerical vehicles; Part-Time school bus driver and school bus safety expert; Have extensive knowledge of the air brake systems, pre-trip, during-trip, post-trip inspections and both paper and electronic driver logs. Member of the North Carolina Truckers Association; Very knowledgeable of motor vehicle airbags and seat belts; Avid motorcycle rider and motorcycle expert in the function, handling of motorcycles, product defect and failure analyses and motorcycle crash reconstruction; General knowledge of highway guard rail systems; Extensive knowlegde and investigation experience in All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs) crash and rollovers reconstruction and ramps used in loading and unloading these machines; Have extensive training and knowledge of ATVs and ROVs. Have owned and ridden a 2007 Honda TRX 420 Rancher ATV; Pedestrian collisions; Have extensive engineering education, knowledge, training and experience in analyizing complex vehicle and pedestrian crashes, incorporate state-of-the-art computer video simulation software technology to demonstrate and animate how a car, light truck, commercial tractor trailer truck, motorcycle, ATV or pedestrian crash takes place; Have extensive training, knowledge, experience and equipment in lamp filament analyses, imaging and analyizing the crash data reports (CDR) stored in a car or light truck’s event data recorder (EDR); Extensive training, knowledge, experience and equipment in imaging and analyizing commercial tractor trailer truck’s Electronic Control Module (ECM) run data concerning truck speed, engine rpm, brake application, clutch application, engine load, throttle application, cruise control, DTC codes, transmission gearing, hard stop braking and last stop data and other data; Involved in product defect and failure analysis of cars, light trucks, heavy commercial vehicles, air brake systems, motorcycles, ATV’s, ROV’s and their components; Create CAD drawings for trial exhibits. Can build models for trial exhibits; Have written and submitted expert reports for state and federal courts for trial; Have given expert deposition and courtroom trial testimony multiple times; Attend and participate in various seminars regarding research in imaging and analyizing a vehicle’s crash data reports and heavy commercial trucks ECM data; Attend and participate in staged motor vehicle collisions and associated analyses for research involving cars, light trucks, commercial heavy trucks, motorcycles and pedestrians.

MOTORCYCLE AND ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE (ATV) CRASH RECONSTRUCTION AND PRODUCT DEFECT AND FAILURE ANALYSES

Have more than 30 years of experience riding motorcycles; Am an Avid motorcycle rider; Owner and rider of a 2012 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide Custom; Have owned and operated a 2007 Honda TRX 420 Rancher ATV for several years; Provide forensic engineering services to law firms, public defenders and insurance companies:

Motorcycle Product Defect and Failure Analyses:
Human Factors, Investigation and Evidence At-Scene Mapping. Slow and High Velocity Collisions, Crush and Damage Analyses, Drag Factor, Skid Analyses, PDOF, ΔV, Closing Velocity, Conservation Linear and Angular Momentum, Conservation of Mechanical Energy, Crush Damage Analyses, Crush Energy, Critical Velocity and Circular Motion, Dynamic Weight, Crashes involving cars and pickup trucks, Pedestrian Crash Reconstruction, Shift, Falls, Flips ,Vaults, Rollovers, Lamp Filament Analyses, Honda Airbag Operation and Failure Analyses, Motorcycle Inspections, Motorcycle Standards of Care,Motorcycle Crash Testing, Motorcycle Braking and Skid Testing, Motorcycle Suspension and Handling Testing.
Motorcycle Product Defect and Failure Analyses; Handling Issues, Frame design, Handlebar Design and Mounting, Frontend Design Rake and Trail, Wobbling, Brakes, Engines and Drivetrains, Tires and Rims, Seating, Foot Peg/Running Board Placement, Rider/Passenger Ergonomics.

All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Product Defect and Failure Analyses.
ATV crash reconstruction.
Investigation and Evidence At-Scene Mapping.
Human Factors.
Product Defect and Failure Analyses.
State by state ATV Laws and Requirements.
Specialty Vehilce Institute of America SVIA/ANSI Standards.
Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) Standards.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Annual Reports of ATV-Related Deaths and Injuries.
CPSC Consent Decree Involving the Manufactures of ATVs.
Major Steps for ATV Certification and Compliance.
16 CFR Part 1420 Regulations for ATVs.

Gymnasium Strength Training Machine Accidents and Component Failure.
Have been involved in physical fitness and strength training using free weights and strength training exercise machines since 1975.

Who are our clients?

We work with law firms, public defenders and insurance companies on civil plaintiff, civil defendant, criminal and insurance claimant cases.

How can you contact The Kilpatrick Group, PA?

We are headquartered in Jamestown North Carolina. You can contact us at 336-841-6354 to discuss you case with us. Visit our two websites at www.kilpatrickforensics.com for our services.