The Post-Gazette's April 13 editorial, "Showers of Peril: Report Shows the Extent of Dangerous Iraq Wiring," demonstrates a lack of understanding of the electrical issues in Iraq and KBR Inc.'s level of responsibility as a contractor working there. Further, the piece mischaracterizes the September 2008 "report compiled by a military safety team." The editorial implies that the report finds fault with KBR. That is false.

KBR's name does not appear once in the report upon which the editorial is based. One contractor is mentioned, but that contractor is not KBR. The report expressly states that "the main source of electrical shock" in Iraq is "uncertified electrical devices" provided primarily by "local vendors," not by KBR, as implied.

Most importantly, the report states that "varying electrical codes and standards have resulted in many instances of improper grounding and bonding." Nowhere in the report does it state that such varying codes, standards and improper grounding and bonding were caused by KBR.

The report itself and an attachment to the report establish that eight electrocutions involved contact with power lines and that other electrocutions were the result of "inattentiveness" or "inadequate planning" by the military personnel involved. KBR had no involvement with or responsibility for those electrocution incidents.

KBR also had no maintenance responsibilities in connection with any of the facilities at which electrocution deaths occurred, with one exception where KBR had only limited, reactive, maintenance responsibilities. For that one facility that housed Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth, KBR was not authorized under its contract with the military to perform the re-wiring of the building that would have been necessary to properly ground and bond the electrical components in the building.

Conditions in a war zone such as Iraq and the challenges faced by the military in housing personnel are very different from those in the United States. Except for temporary facilities, the buildings discussed in the report were constructed by Iraqis without grounding or bonding. Simply put, the "dangerous Iraq wiring" noted in the editorial was just that -- dangerous wiring installed by Iraqis, not KBR.

KBR has not been charged with any crime and is not aware of any facts that would support a finding of any responsibility, criminal or otherwise, in connection with any electrocution in Iraq, including that of Sgt. Maseth. A military "investigation" does not constitute a finding of responsibility, as the editorial implies.

Sgt. Maseth's accidental electrocution was an unfortunate and tragic event, but it was not caused by KBR. KBR worked quickly to remediate problems when authorized to do the work.

KBR remains proud of the work it performs in Iraq. Our employees perform their jobs in austere, unpredictable conditions at great sacrifice to themselves and their families. We remain committed to engaging in a transparent and, more importantly, a fact-based dialogue on this issue while pledging continued full cooperation and support to the military.