We’ve all done it- seen a crack in a wall or foundation and said “Eh, it’s just settlement” so we do not have to worry about it right now. But what is settlement, anyway? When does it happen, and why? Read More
I spent a decade of my career in the design engineering sphere. I loved my experiences there, and working in design has given me an understanding of how structures and their various elements are dreamed, designed, and constructed- how they ought to work as well as what can go wrong. Design is fun and can be complicated, and it does not need to be a big scary mystery. Let’s have a peek behind the curtain! Read More
Construction defect investigations rarely fit neatly into a single engineering discipline. A water intrusion issue may involve the building envelope, roofing, windows, structural components, or mechanical systems. A failure that appears structural may have its origins in design, installation, materials, or an adjacent building system. And when plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or equipment issues enter the picture, understanding the interaction between systems can be critical to determining what happened and why. Read More
I love spending time at the beach. Just this last weekend I drove by four fellows on extension ladders trimming palm trees with chainsaws on the side of the street.
Image of a worker performing ad hoc tree work without appropriate safety considerations. Of particular concern, his ladder is at an acute angle that puts undue strain on the frame and the worker has no secondary restraints to prevent him from falling off the ladder. Ladder falls are the most common injuries in the arboricultural industry.
Of course, anyone who knows me knows that one thing I like almost as much as the beach is talking about ANSI, OSHA and Read More
An 8-year-old girl was playing at a playground with her family. The playground was about a year old and very popular. While on the monkey bars about 7 feet up in the air, the child lost her grip and fell to the surrounding loose-fill material engineered wood fiber surface below. She hit her head and sustained Read More
Please join us in welcoming Structural Engineer Claire Benedict, P.E., to the WARREN family! Claire has over 10 years of engineering experience in the civil/structural field specializing in building design, building components, and foundation systems analysis. Claire earned her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. Read More
According to the CDC, nearly 70% of all playground injuries are caused by falls to the ground. This makes the choice and maintenance of surfacing materials one of the most important factors in preventing playground injuries. All playground surfacing material has a Critical Fall Height (CFH) that determines how much impact it can safely absorb. The Critical Fall Height is the safety threshold for playground surfacing and must always be equal to or greater than the surrounding playground equipment’s actual fall height to be considered safe. For example, Read More
This article is based on my experience investigating and analyzing slip-and-fall incidents involving pedestrian walking surfaces. One type of slip and fall incident involves slipping on wet floor surfaces shortly after entering a building or stepping onto hard-surface flooring.
Common flooring materials involved include polished concrete, vinyl composite tile, porcelain tile, and wood flooring. These surfaces are generally safe when dry but present increased slip risk when contaminated. Matting is often used as a method to minimize the slip risk but is frequently ineffective because of improper usage. Read More
Grilling outdoor during warmer months is a great way to bring people together, so long as users remember they are literally playing with fire.
Spring weather is wonderful in the south. It’s been a year since I moved and got rid of most of the things we never used in the garage. Now I’m perseverating over which grill to buy so my fiancé and I can finally make grilled turkey legs and stir-fry vegetables while watching the neighbor kids play tag between houses. Despite my pale bald head that sunburns almost instantly, I feel the need for some fresh evening air. Very little makes the afternoon better than sitting in a metal chair and joking about the neighbor’s gazebo plans while you casually take food off the grill.
I have to be honest – I sort of fear the back yard. There are gnats, neighbors with all manner of projectiles (frisbees, basketballs, volleyballs and even footballs have flown past me when all the neighborhood kids are running around!), and all the dust that my edger kicks up. But the social energy of such an active development is why I moved there. It seems a waste to eat dinner on nights like these. After all, a backyard barbecue is the highlight of summer.
But managing fire is one of the most dangerous things you can do in flip-flops. Read More
Slip and falls occur when there is an unexpected loss of traction between a person’s foot and the walking surface, causing them to lose balance and fall. This type of injury is common and can occur in any setting where people walk, including homes, workplaces, and public areas. Slips can result in serious injuries, particularly for older adults.
The human gait cycle consists of four phases: the Read More
Not sure what you're looking for?
Browse All
