Adequate illumination is often a topic in premises liability claims. In this article, Architect & Premises Safety Expert Doug Peden discusses the standard of care for artificial illumination and…
Doug is a registered architect in New York with more than 30 years of professional experience. He provides investigations, reports, and testimony in matters pertaining to premises safety, construction defect claims, and architectural professional liability.
Doug provided architectural services across New York and New Jersey throughout the majority of his career. His responsibilities included architectural design, construction detailing, contract management, project management, and staff supervision. The range of his projects included the reuse of existing facilities, building and structural restorations, as well as new facilities.
Doug's expertise includes the assessment of premises safety. This expertise extends to building use and egress, including stairs, doors, passageways, escalators, and elevators. He has direct experience with facilities that included underground vaults and tunnels, such as subway stations, transformer vaults, and pumping stations.
Doug is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Board and is a certified user of the English XL slip tester.
Premises Safety
General: Walkway construction, vertical misalignments; maintenance and safety; identification and delineation of hazards in, stairs, ramps, corridors; platforms and level changes, outdoors and inside buildings and other structures. Missing, unusable or incorrect handrails Unprotected openings in floors, walls, and platforms. Proper function of doors, windows and hardware; Effectiveness of warnings and signage, walk-off mats, illumination, color and contrast of adjacent materials.
Trip Accidents: Measurement and analysis of stair geometry and construction; single steps; vertical misalignments of walking surfaces; gratings; sidewalks – walkway obstructions and maintenance; excessive and unmarked sloped areas.
Slip Accidents: Measurement of slip resistance (coefficient of friction) of wet and dry walkway surfaces (stairs, ramps, parking lots, sidewalks, dance floors, retail floors, etc.) Premises safety operations to reduce and control slip hazards (run-off mats, cleaning schedules, de-icing and snow removal). Inspection and maintenance issues affecting property safety (drainage issues that contribute to ice formation or biological growth).
Construction Defect
Building and Site Structures: Project and design coordination; design standards of care and code compliance; architectural practice, construction management, construction contracting; specifications, submittal reviews, construction administration; CPM scheduling, cost analysis, quantity takeoffs; design errors and omissions; construction coordination; construction quality control; inspections, punch lists; permitting, agency inspections, certificates of occupancy.
Building and Site Design, Systems and Equipment: Building codes and standards; means of egress; security; glass and glazing, site planning; zoning regulations; grading and drainage; control of storm water; parking lots; transportation facilities. Barrier-free standards, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, access for persons with disabilities, special requirements for the elderly and children.
Materials Failures: Water intrusion related issues; masonry and concrete cracking, spalling; EFIS failures; roofing system failures; flashings and gutter system failures; expansion joint failures; sealant and caulking system failures, window system failures. Foundation cracking, settling, or failures due to soil conditions, grading, and water intrusion; roof and wall collapses; construction means and methods.
Building Inspection and Condition Assessment: Comprehensive and systematic review of building components including structure and building envelope. Experienced in use of various scaffolding systems and lift truck operation for use on multi-story building facades. Analysis and evaluation of building components to propose imminent and programmatic repair needs including cost evaluation for repairs, rehabilitations, and upgrades.
Workplace Safety: Construction site safety; material handling/equipment operation, forklifts; housekeeping; protection of the general public and adjacent property; industrial facilities safety; equipment access and maintenance; worker training, fall protection, confined space, trenching, shoring.
Associate
2012 to presentProvide technical investigations, analysis, reports, and testimony for failure analysis, and towards the resolution of commercial and personal injury litigation involving trip and fall injuries, slip and fall injuries construction materials failures, code compliance issues, construction claims, and professional liability.
Architect/Inspector
Projects for NYC School Construction Authority
Conducted physical condition inspection and prepared written conditions report for the Building Condition Assessment Survey of New York City Department of Education school buildings. Data collected from these reports of 1535 building assets is utilized for determining physical improvements of the school buildings.
Project Architect,
Projects for Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Conducted physical condition inspection and prepared written conditions report. Project architect responsible for the architectural and structural rehabilitation of the four ventilation buildings that were rehabilitated between 1995 and 2003. The Holland Tunnel has national landmark status. Rehabilitation included structural repairs to exterior wall, masonry restoration, replacement of large walls of louvers, windows, doors and roofing including reconstruction of the evase stack towers.
Project Manager
Projects for New York State University Construction Fund
Responsible for Waterproofing and Roofing projects on existing buildings.
Project Manager, Projects for Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Responsible for additions and modifications at various transportation facilities.
Project Manager, Project for NYS Office of General Services
Project Manager responsible for the inspection, report preparation and rehabilitation of masonry facades on buildings at a correctional facility.
Project Architect, Various Projects for New York City Transit, New York, NY, MTA
2006 to 2007Responsible for additions and modifications to NYCT facilities.
Project Architect, Various Projects for NYC School Construction Authority
Responsible for exterior façade rehabilitation, upgrades and modifications to various New York City school facilities.
Project Architect, Various Projects for New York MTA Bridges and Tunnels
1990 to 2006Architect, Value Engineering Investigations for Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. Philadelphia, PA
Architect, Value Engineering Investigations for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Boston, MA
Project Architect, Various Projects, NYC Department of Environmental Protection
Project Architect for additions and modifications to valve gate buildings and pumping stations.
Project Manager, On-Call Architectural/Engineering Contract, Various Locations, NY, NYS Thruway Authority Project
Manager responsible for additions and modifications to thruway maintenance buildings, rest areas, and ancillary facilities.
Project Architect, Holland Tunnel, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
Responsible for the architectural and structural rehabilitation of the four land and river ventilation buildings. The Holland Tunnel has national landmark status.
On-Call Architectural/Engineering (A/E) Services for Shea and Yankee Stadiums, Queens and Bronx, NY, New York City Department of Design and Construction.
Project Manager for on-call A/E services for both facilities.
Project Architect, Croton-Harmon Train Maintenance Facility, Croton, NY, MTA MetroNorth Railroad
Project Architect for additions and modifications to maintenance buildings and shops
Project Architect, George Washington Bridge Intelligent Transportation System Design/Build Project, Fort Lee, NJ, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
Project Architect, Garden State Parkway Bus Inspection Facility, Herbertsville, NJ, Garden State Parkway Authority
Project Architect for a new 11,000-square-foot bus inspection garage and passenger waiting room.
Project Architect, Grass Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade, Greenwich, CT, Town of Greenwich
Project Architect responsible for construction services for the architectural work on renovations to three buildings. The renovations included restoration of the masonry façade, roof repairs and other rehabilitation work.
Project Architect, World Trade Center, Design of Tenant Office Space, New York, NY, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
Architect responsible for interior designs and the preparation of contract documents for tenants leasing space in the World Trade Center complex.
Early employment as an architect:
1980 to 1990Registered Architect: Connecticut, New York
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
B.S. Architecture, New York Institute of Technology, 1980
Additional Training:
v. 03/9/23
Adequate illumination is often a topic in premises liability claims. In this article, Architect & Premises Safety Expert Doug Peden discusses the standard of care for artificial illumination and…