An inside look at the presentation of the investigation of a structural failure during construction. This investigation identified an overlooked principle of engineering design that resulted in increased damage and personal injury. On February 11, 2000, eight workers who were spreading concrete were injured when scaffolding supporting the concrete formwork collapsed beneath them during construction of the Kimmel Center on Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts. Injured workers sued the form designer, Peri Formwork Systems Inc.; the concrete contractor, Pietrini & Sons; the general contractors, L.F. Driscoll and Artis Ore Inc.; and the Regional Performing Arts Center, the corporate owner of the Kimmel Center. Attorney Robert Mongeluzzi on behalf of the injured plaintiff’s stated, "It has to be designed right, it has to be built right and it has to be inspected right,"
Ronald J. Cohen, P.E., ENG '74 (Civil and Construction Engineering Technology)
Ronald J. Cohen, is a registered professional civil/structural engineer who has been practicing engineering for over 40 years. For 20 years of his career, Mr. Cohen worked in design and construction. He was the Chief Structural Engineer and he was the manager of Specialty Engineering for a major Pennsylvania firm. Today Mr. Cohen is the Vice President at Consulting Engineers & Scientists in Malvern, Pennsylvania performing forensic evaluations to determine the nature and cause of failures.
Frank Baxter, ENG '94 (Environmental Engineering Technology)
Environment, Health and Safety Director for Greater Philadelphia Region, Skanska USA Building Inc. is, a leading provider of construction management, preconstruction, and design-build services. Frank has more than 20 years of experience in construction safety and an extensive track-record in developing and successfully implementing cost-effective safety plans, programs, and training sessions on many projects, including major healthcare facilities, throughout greater Philadelphia and Delaware.