Negligence caused soldier's electrocution

Originally Posted by bost1751

I have to first say I strongly think KBR is at fault and liable for this. I am working on a government construction contract in India right now and what I se is criminal in my opinion, and nothing will come of it other than the normal numerous law suits over money.

From my understanding, the major contractors in iraq hired Indian labor because it is ridiculously cheap not to mention totally unskilled. The subs that performed the work were the pinpoint ffault for this uncalled incident. With that said, the general contractor is responsible for them.

What about the electrical engineer for the DOD that observed the work and signed off on it? Whose signature accepted the facility?

Placing blame will not bring these soldiers back. what it can do, in my opinion, highlight those unqualified workers, inspectors that failed to do their job and the general that probably paid off someone or bodies that caused this mess. Even if the arcitectural firm that designed the project omitted some things that should have been included, the government reviewed the plans and accepted them. then what about the RFIs and request fro modifications?
All
This think is a goat screw from every angle one can view it. All those that are responsible from the electricians, government electical engineer, inspector, wignatur accepting the facility and the owner/superentindent of the sub conpany and of course KBR need to be made an example of.

The company's name says it all for me.. Kellog BROWN AND ROOT. In the union construction industry they are synonomous with unskilled non union labor and crappy construction. I knew that back in the 1970's. It is a shame that they have the financial where with all to lobby Senators that have the ability to award these contracts. I wish the US Army would sue the pants off this company. They owe the Army for the training it expended on on SF guy, and they owe the ARmy for shoddy construction. Will it happen... probably not.
The family will get paid off, how much is one persons life worth anyway.. not enough in my book. It will be business as usual. Any corner that can be cut to get the job done they will take..

As the mom of a soldier, It makes my stomach turn to know that my son, and all the others around him and those who serve have this same potential to be harmed by one company's deliberately negligent behavior.

All the money on the planet won't make that young man come back from the grave.. RIP ssgt.. my heart goes out to your mom.
AM

[swpa19]

Re: The investigation of the death of Ryan Maseth:

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbur.../s_637341.html

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by swpa19

Re: The investigation of the death of Ryan Maseth:

Looks like justice will have to be pursued in civil court.

TR

[Ret10Echo]

Dingy Harry....

Reid asks for investigation into electrocution
September 14, 2009


By KIMBERLY HEFLING
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Monday asked the State Department and Pentagon to investigate the electrocution of a 25-year-old private security contractor while showering in his dormitory in Baghdad.

Reid said he wants to know whether Adam Hermanson's death resulted from faulty electrical work. Hermanson, who died Sept. 1, grew up in San Diego and Las Vegas. Reid is a Nevada senator.

Electrical wiring has been an ongoing problem in Iraq that the military has been trying to fix with widespread inspections and repairs. At least three troops have been electrocuted while showering since the start of the Iraq war, and others have been electrocuted elsewhere.

Reid made the request Monday in letters to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Hermanson served three tours in Iraq with the Air Force. He'd recently left the military and was an employee of the Herndon, Va.-based private contractor Triple Canopy at the time of his death.

A request for comment was referred to the military in Baghdad, where the request was not immediately returned. Darby Holladay, a State Department spokesman, said Reid's letter had not yet been received.

[Sigaba]

Debbie Crawford, a member of the IBEW, worked for KBR in the Green Zone for two years. She blogs as Ms. Sparky <<LINK>> and has kept track of this and similar cases.

Her posts related to SSG Maseth's death and subsequent litigation are available here.

[Ret10Echo]

Almost six years later, this is STILL an issue.

Pentagon IG shows pattern of fire, electrical hazards at overseas bases

By Jared Serbu

December 26, 2017 8:05 am

The IG’s latest report, describing a detailed health and safety inspection at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, found examples of warehouses and other buildings that the Air Force accepted from building contractors even though they didn’t meet DoD’s own standards for building safety, such as having fire sprinklers installed. Some of the failures to comply with construction requirements were in mission-critical facilities, including the base’s Combined Air and Space Operations Center and Wing Operations Center

Link here