VA claims backlog causes 39psf overload. 1

[paddingtongreen]

Files stacked on cabinets caused the floor to "bow" under a 39psf overload.

http://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-12-00244-241.pdf

Michael.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

 

[BAretired]

Doesn't sound right to me, paddingtongreen, but I have not gone through all of the verbiage. What is your opinion?

BA

 

[msquared48]

Personally, I can believe it with all the Agent Orange claims from Vietnam veterans, let alone the claims from Iraq and Afghanastan.

My claim has not been acted on for over two years now - just sitting there as they have priorities like the Agent Orange claims. Some of the claim folders are super thick, in part from the government asking for the same information ten times.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[JAE]

Well, but deeper in the report it says this:

Members of the team contacted the GSA engineer who
conducted the load bearing analysis because there were some questions regarding the
data used to calculate the structural load.

During the discussion it was noted that the engineer estimated the weights of the file cabinets and the folders on top of them.
The team provided the actual weight of the cabinets to the engineer. The load was recalculated and determined to be 120,
which is within the structural limit of the floor.

The structural analysis is attached. Additionally, the engineer stated that there was
never any danger of the floor collapsing.

 

[msquared48]

I don't believe it.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[dhengr]

It’s so good to see how our tax money is being spent on this kind of stupid crap. Imagine the time wasted on this report at so many different levels of government. And, not one damn word about treating the patents so the files can be closed and put away. It is a shame they can’t devote to same time and effort on treating patients, and reducing the file and patient back log, but that’s not what Assistant Inspectors General for Audits and Evaluations do. “Estimated cost for the project would be $405,000 in GOE funds,” and still not another patient treated or file closed.

 

[dik]

The situation is not likely to get any better...

Dik

 

[hawkaz]

I've seen pictures of this- nearly the entire floor was stacked at least three to four feet deep with paper. They left very little room in between the piles. If this were a private home, they would have condemned it as a fire hazard.

Paper can weigh as much as 94 pcf. It would not be hard to get a 39 psf overstress by stacking paper in this manor.

 

[JedClampett]

I don't see the report as a structural issue. I see it as a political manpower issue. "Wah, you cut my staff, sent me more work and now the floor is failing!!!" "Get me more paper pushers!!!!"

 

[ztengguy]

Why do we pay taxes, its clear that things could be better if privatized. Just sayin.

 

[jgailla]

Yeah, why have government at all? All they do is take our money. If we could only privatize everything we wouldn't have any problems. There haven't been any problems associated with privatizing prisons or schools.

 

[TXStructural]

You can only do as much work as you can do in a day. And the maintenance and storage of paper records is a huge waste of time and money. We should be asking Congress to give VA the money to modernize. It would not only streamline claims handling, it would reduce a huge part of VA expense (storing, retrieving, shipping of records.)

From a structural standpoint, if fire sprinklers were activated (or there was an unnoticed water leak), the stacked files would absorb water that would otherwise run off, and the floor would be compromised under that load. You would also then lose the only copy of the record, which would be catastrophic for the veteran.

 

[msquared48]

As a veteran, you should ALWAYS keep a personal record of any transition. Always trust the at the governemt WILL lose it.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[cvg]

actually, there have been significant incidents with private prisons. But I am certainly not advocating that public prisons are any better.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/08/22/20100822arizona-private-prisons.html

 

[jgailla]

Sarcasm doesn't usually come through in text, but I use it anyway.

 

[ztengguy]

well jgailla, its certainly worth a try.

I guess though, I should look at the postal service. Can anyone here really tell me if they would lose money if mail only went every other day? If you say yes, I cant believe it with the private carriers, email, fax, etc.

 

[jmcoope3]

Geisel Library anyone?