A Shot to the Eye – Fire Hydrant Failure
John R. Yannaccone, P.E., Principal Mechanical Engineer Incident Description: A water authority worker performed flow testing of a fire hydrant to measure flow rate and pressure. After gathering the measurements,…
Clogged Mulch Grinder Leads to Injury
John R. Yannaccone, PE, Principal Mechanical Engineer Case Synopsis: A mulch factory worker was injured while trying to clear a clog at the top of a discharge belt on the…
The Lack of a Latch
Case Description: In a truck, two laborers were moving tools and equipment, including a platform lift, to a jobsite. When they arrived at the site, one of the men climbed…
The Value of Product Reviews
John R. Yannaccone, P.E., Senior Mechanical Engineer A mother purchased a hand-held clothing steamer from an online retailer. Soon after starting to use it, the steamer expelled a significant amount…
Use and Performance of Gurney Restraints
John R. Yannaccone, Senior Mechanical Engineer Case Synopsis: An ambulance service and their employees were named as defendants in a case where a vehicle crossed the centerline of the road…
Wheelchair Lift Won’t Quit Its Run
John R. Yannaccone, P.E., Senior Mechanical Engineer Case Synopsis: One morning, a wheelchair-bound student was being picked up by a school bus equipped with a commercial wheelchair lift. As the…
If A Red-Light Camera Falls on a Car and No One Sees It, Who is at Fault?
John R. Yannaccone, P.E., Senior Mechanical Engineer Case Synopsis: Early one morning, a motorist was traveling in the right lane of a roadway equipped with red-light cameras. As he approached…
ADA Shower Seat Collapse
John R. Yannaccone, P.E., Senior Mechanical Engineer Case Synopsis: A hotel guest was taking a shower in a handicap accessible guest room. He was sitting on the wall-mounted shower seat…
Ladder Fall
John R. Yannaccone, P.E., Senior Mechanical Engineer Case Synopsis: While working on a commercial building, the plaintiff fell while descending a ladder from a first-floor roof. According to the plaintiff,…
