LES WINTER, PE Forensic Electrical Engineer

RESUME:

WOODWORKING MACHINERY EXPERIENCE

1996 to present:  Investigate woodworking machinery injuries including:  mitre saw (“chopsaw”), hand (“skillsaw”), and table circular saw kickbacks, blade contacts, splitter and guard mis-alignments, interlocks, and control failures.

1995 to present:  Designed and installed laboratory/shop for the testing of ladders and chairs and for furniture manufacture.  Investigate chair failures, including tenon failures, screw pull-out and breakage, mechanism failures, and improper assembly.

1995 to present:  Design, build, and test woodworking joints to determine strength and suitability for chair and other furniture use.  Build and test wooden chairs for strength and suitability.

1995 to present:  Rebuild and refurbish bandsaws.  Rebuild and refurbish radial arm saws. Rebuild and refurbish table saws; modify, redesign, replace guarding.  Design custom guarding.  Redesign and modify hand planes.            

1989 to present:  Design and build furniture.  Machinery and equipment used in the production of furniture includes table saws, bandsaws, mitre saws,  circular saws, jig/saber saws, radial arm saws, planers, jointers, grinders, sanders, hand tools, compressors, pneumatic, nailers, drill presses, mortisers, routers drills, plate joiners.            

1997:  Wrote safety introduction for “The Accurate Table Saw,” a book concerning proper operation of table saws, including the nature of table saw hazards, means and methods of guarding.

1997:   Wrote portions of table saw operation manual for Wilke Machinery, including initial setup, alignment, anti-kickback and blade guard use, operating procedures and cautions (with Ian Kirby, and John Kelsey).           

1989: Attended  Warwick Country Workshop seminars in hand tool modification and use, saw sharpening, joint construction, and woodworking machine use.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

1996 to present:  ROBSON FORENSIC, Inc. Associate 2006-present.  Manager New York/Northern New Jersey Region 1996-2006.  Provide technical assistance on electrically-related accidents, product and equipment defects and failures in construction, lighting, consumer products, machinery, fire alarm, communications, electronic equipment and fires. Analyze and report on construction claims and disputes. Coordinate investigations of other professionals.

1989 to 1996:  Private practice:  Provided consulting services to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, Metropolitan Transit Authority, Long Island Railroad, New York City School Construction Authority and IBM on construction projects.  Provided design and condition surveys to banking institutions on high rise office towers.  Advised on construction cost and recommended value-engineering redesigns for electrical components of schools, airports, roadways, office buildings, and malls.  Investigated electrical shocks, fires, and other accidents for a variety of other clients including Con Edison.

1986 to 1989:  F. LEVINSON, Electrical Contractors:  NYC Project Manager for railroad, municipal park and high rise office building projects; designed and supervised field installation of electrical switchgear, machinery, transformers, motor controllers, lighting fixtures, circuitry, safety switches, railroad track devices, radio communication systems, fire alarm, security, and computer signaling.  Designed and supervised testing procedures.

1984 to 1986:  HAZEN AND SAWYER, Consulting Engineers, NYC:  Chief Electrical Field Engineer; directed installation and testing of high voltage service, transformers and switchgear, motor control centers, machinery, pump and fan controllers, and lighting system for major wastewater plant.  Directed installation, testing, and calibration of computer-controlled instrumentation system including process sensors, fire, security, and communications.

1983 to 1984:  CHARLES A. MANGANARO, Consulting Engineers, NYC:  Chief Electrical Field Engineer; directed electrical equipment installation and safety procedures for major waste water plant.  Supervised testing of high-voltage distribution system including switchgear, motor controllers and transformers.  Investigated motor control center fires.  Wrote operation and maintenance manuals for machinery.  Checked quality of work.  Instructed owner's staff in safety, operations, and maintenance.Power and Instrumentation Engineer; designed power distribution, motor controls, instrumentation systems including: fire, smoke, security, temperature, pressure and flow for industrial facilities.

1981 to 1983:  L.S. WEGMAN ENGINEERS, NYC:  Principal Engineer, Electrical/Instrumentation Group; designed electrical power and controls for waste-water pumping station including motor controls, gas detection system, security system, and pump controls.  Directed electricians in the renovation of the company's new offices, including lighting, power, fire alarm, telephone, computer, and security.

1979 to 1981:  HUMBOLDT WEDAG, INC., HUNTINGTON, NY:  Heavy Industrial Machinery Manufacturer Electrical Engineer; responsible for design of power and controls for heavy industrial machinery including automatic weighing equipment, heating, conveyors, pneumatic and hydraulically operated pistons, clamps, safety and emergency shutdowns, and computerized control systems.  Directed electricians in the installation of motor control centers, switchboards, motors, sensors, relays, contactors, and safety switches.  Supervised lockout-tagout procedures, safety testing, and grounding.

1974 to 1979:  URS/MADIGAN-PRAEGER, INC., NYC:  Assistant to Chief Mechanical/Electrical Engineer; responsible for electrical design of major projects which included lighting fixtures, motors and controls, instrumentation, motor control centers, switchboards, panelboards, receptacles, switches, circuit breakers, fuses, transformer, wiring, grounding, testing, fire alarm, communication, remote telemetry, remote control CCTV, security systems, mechanical system alarms, gas detection, protective relay coordination studies, short circuit studies, machinery, operation and maintenance manuals, construction supervision, and field inspection.  Designed machinery for hazardous and explosive environments, naval and marine applications, docks and piers.  Performed salvage surveys, repair and rehabilitation studies of existing facilities.  Designed roadway bridge and toll plaza lighting systems.  Designed control systems for machinery, pumps, motors, compressors, conveyors, doors, gates, valves, mixers, chemical systems.  Projects included railroads (WMATA and BART), chemical plant control building (Exxon Bayway Refinery), sewage plant (Hunts Point Water Pollution Control Plant), pier design (Trident Submarine Pier Bremerton and renovations to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard).