Gidon R. Vardi

Our Senior Expert

Court Recognized Personal Injury and Safety Expert

Over 50 years of construction, safety, and insurance industry experience. Over 30 years providing consulting and expert witness services which investigate and report on a variety of personal injury claims including: Premises Liability, Slip, Trip & Fall, construction site accidents, OSHA violations/compliance, accident reconstruction. Cases include: floor safety, use of power tools, scaffolding, ladders, skylights, open trenches, glass or other material installation, heavy equipment including cranes, lifts, forklifts, material handling equipment, construction vehicles, and general construction operations. ADA (American with Disability Act) violations/compliance, lighting issues, industry standard violations, care and maintenance, habitability, and injury prevention.  Claim experience includes: Big box retail stores, shopping centers, parking lots, single and multi-unit residential buildings, senior care facilities, schools, hotels, office & medical buildings, public throughways, restaurants, food and pharmaceutical, industrial buildings, open air theatre, winery,  garage doors, airport, and railway.  We provide on-site testing including: coefficient of friction, light level, door pressure, floor level, and material failure.

Building Inspector

ICC Certified Building Inspector (Commercial & Residential) and ICC Certified Accessibility Inspector/Plan Examiner: Research and give expert opinions regarding code compliance history as far back as 1927, general industry safety, ADA (American with Disability Act) compliance, and habitability claims (commercial and residential).  California Building Code Certified.

Certified Walkway Safety Specialist/Auditor

The University of North Texas, Department of Engineering Technology College of Engineering, Certified Walkway Safety Specialist meeting the qualification requirements of ASTM International Guide F2948-13 for walkway auditor. Also meets the requirement of a “qualified person” by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Certification provided training in how to interpret and use tribometer readings to evaluate walkway safety, identify, suggest remediation for, and offer a resolution for slip, slides, and fall hazards on walkways, apply the principles of walkway safety, slip prevention, and risk assessment to comprehensive walkway safety management programs. Training includes a background in the bio-mechanical human gait cycle and gait mechanics.

Coefficient Of Friction Field Testing

Owners and factory trained operator of the ASM 825A and ASM 925 slip meters capable of coefficient of friction field operations as required for both Static and Dynamic Coefficient of Friction testing. The ASM 925 meets the standard testing protocol of the ANSI A326.3 standard test for hard surfaces.  Also completed training and Certificate of Training holder as a BOT-3000E Operator by Regan Scientific Instruments, Inc.  

Construction and Insurance Industry Background

Over 50 years of combined construction and insurance industry experience. Obtained a California (B) General Building Contractors’ License (1976) and subsequent General Electrical (C-10), Fencing (C-13), Flooring (C-15), Lathing & Plastering (C-35) Roofing (C-39), Tile (Mosaic) (C-54). Past licenses as well as a general contractor in Arizona, Nevada and Washington.  Hands-on experience in all phases and trades of construction both residential and commercial, including: site-work, concrete, masonry, framing, waterproofing, insulation, roofing, flashing and sheet metal, doors & windows, flooring (all types), lath & plaster, gypsum board (drywall), acoustic treatment, painting, ceramic tile, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, steel, fencing, furniture fixtures and equipment, food service and equipment.  Remodel and restoration of medical facilities, restaurants, military facilities, high rise interior and exterior, major department store remodeling, industrial retrofitting, retail and commercial tenant improvement and residential projects.

National and International Assignments

Work and consulting experience includes: California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, New York, and Canada

OSHA

Federal Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainer (retired) authorized to teach the 10 hour and 30 hour OSHA training courses.

In addition, the following awareness topics are also included:

• Inspections, citations, and proposed penalties
• Recording and reporting occupational injuries and illnesses
• General industry standards
• Fire protection and prevention
• Material handling, storage, use, and disposal
• Welding and cutting
• Scaffolding
• Helicopters, hoists, elevators, and conveyors
• Motor vehicles, mechanized equipment (including forklifts), and marine operations
• Concrete and masonry construction
• Underground construction, caissons, cofferdams and compressed air
• Demolition
• Rollover protective structures; overhead protection
• Diving

• Toxic and hazardous substances
• Power transmission and distribution
• Blasting in the use of explosives
• Personal protective and life saving equip.
• Signs, signals, and barricades
• Tools hand and power
• Electrical
• Fall protection
• Excavations
• Steel erection
• Demolition
• Stairways and ladders
• Toxic and hazardous substances
• Cranes and Derricks in construction

LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS & AUTHORIZATIONS

•  ICC (International Code Council) Certified Accessibility Inspector/Plan Examiner#1064803-21
• ICC (International Code Council) Certified Building Inspector #1064803-B5
• ICC (International Code Council) Certified California Commercial Building Inspector – I1 #1064803
• ICC (International Code Council) Certified California Residential Building Inspector – J1 #1064803
• Licensed California General Building Contractor  – #324138, since 1976 (B, HIC)(Inactive)
• Licensed California Electrical Contractor – #324138, C-10 Classification (Inactive)
• Licensed California Fencing Contractor – #324138, C-13 Classification (Inactive)
• Licensed California Roofing Contractor – #324138, C-39 Classification (Inactive)
• Corporate California General Building Contractor’s License #806851 (B & HIC) (Active)
• Licensed California Electrical Contractor – #806851, C-10 Classification (Active)
• Licensed California Fencing Contractor – #806851, C-13 Classification (Active)
• Licensed California Flooring Contractor – #806851, C-15 Classification (Active)
• Licensed California Lathing & Plastering Contractor – #806851, C-35 Classification (Active)
• Licensed California Tile (Mosaic and Stone) Contractor – #806851, C-54 Classification (Active)
• Licensed California Independent Insurance Adjuster #2C21206 (Active)
• Licensed Arizona Building Contractor – #133192, B Classification (Inactive)
• Licensed Nevada General Building Contractor – #0046477 B Classification (Inactive/not renewed)
• Licensed Nevada Roofing and Siding Contractor -# 0046476 C15 Classification (Inactive/not renewed)
• Licensed Washington State Construction Contractor – #VARDICS169OD (Inactive/Archived)
• U.S. Department of Labor – OSHA certified GPO 865-164 (1974)
• U.S. Department of Labor Federal OSHA Authorized Construction Trainer #C 0068225 (Retired)
• Former CSLB Arbitrator under Cal Business and Professions Code §7085.5
• Former certified Emergency Medical Technician IIB
• Certified Walkway Safety Specialist – The University Of North Texas Department of Engineering Technology College of Engineering (Active)

EDUCATION & TRAINING

• 1972 – Long Beach City College, Associate Of Science – Architectural Design
• 1997 – UCLA Extension, Mediation – Certificate
• 1998 – Pepperdine University School of Law – Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution – Mediation  Certificate
• 2002 – Certificate of Completion – Environmental Microbiology Laboratory, Inc. – Fundamentals of Mold, Biological Sampling and Report Interpretation
• 2012 – Certified Completion of California Adjuster Earthquake Training DOI #272548
• 2012 – California Fair Claims Law Certification
• 2015 – California State University Dominguez Hills – Certificate – OSHA 510 – Standards For The Construction Industry
• 2015 – California State University Dominguez Hills – Certificate – OSHA 500 – Train-The Trainer
• 2017 – Regan Scientific Instruments, Inc. – Certificate of Training – BOT-3000E Tribometer – Operator Proficiency
• 2019 – The University Of North Texas Department of Engineering Technology College of Engineering – Walkway Safety Certification
• 2021 – International Code Counsel (CEU) – 2018 IBC Means of Egress
• 2021 – International Code Counsel (CEU) – 2018 Commercial Accessibility

In addition to the above education on-going, attendance at numerous seminars, training and lectures.

Expert Trial and Deposition Testimony

Personal Injury Cases:

• Slip, Slide, Trip and Fall
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) codes and regulations
• Personal injury accident reconstruction
• Falls through skylights
• Falls through glass
• Falls through open floor
• Falls associated with roof hatch
• Trench plate safety and personal injury
• Forklift safety
• Hand truck safety
• Shopping mall and retail center premises liability, maintenance and safety
• Floor safety (including coefficient of friction, light level, elevation difference, material safety)
• Garage door & closer function, inspection, installation and safety
• OSHA regulations & Safety standards 
• Power tool safety
• Scaffolding safety
• Electrical Safety
• Conveyor belt safety procedures including lockout/tagout protocols
• Floor mats
• General floor safety
• Habitability
• Gates and fences
• Wheel stops
• Building Codes
• Fire Injury Cause and Origin
• Wrongful Death – Falls, Fire, Machine Operation, Traffic Control, Railroad Crossing Guardrail, Electrocution, Excavation Failure, Construction Accidents

GIDON R. VARDI’S DEPOSITION AND TRIAL TESTIMONY

GIDON R. VARDI’S COURT APPEARANCES AS QUALIFIED EXPERT

Los Angeles County Superior Court
Riverside County Superior Court
San Luis Obispo County Superior Court
San Francisco County Superior Court
San Diego County Superior Court
Sacramento County Superior Court
U.S. Federal District Court – San Francisco

Stanislaus County Superior Court
San Bernardino County Superior Court
Santa Barbara County Superior Court
Orange County Superior Court
Ventura County Superior Court
U.S. Federal District Court – Los Angeles