An electrician was found dead last month at an ethanolo plant in Cedar Rapids, Ia. Brett Brown, an employee of Acme Electrical, was found outside between two buildings near a power distribution area. He appeared to have been electrocuted, according to Rich Good, assistant business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 405,
KCRG.com out of Cedar Rapids reported that Brown was in an area where he could have been exposed to high-voltage, although the exact cause of death was under investigation.
Brown was assigned to Penford and directed electrical work at the plant, serving as a liaison between Penford and Acme. Acme was working with the Occupational Safety & Hazard Administration and Penford to determine what led to Brown's death.
Brown was born Sept. 17, 1969, in Cedar Rapids. He attended Coe College for a year before entering the electrical apprenticeship program with Local 405. He was placed with Acme Electric during the program and continued with them after he was certified. He has been with the Local 405 since 1991.