An NDT Inspector has been sentenced to 3 years prison and order to pay $654,000
compensation after admitting to certifying critical welds on submarines without
actually testing them.
Robert Ruks aged 34 was employed as an inspector at the Newport News
shipbuilding yard in Virginia. His worked required him to inspect welds on various
types of navy vessels including critical welds on nuclear submarines.
In 2009 Ruks was interviewed by the US Navy's criminal investigation service after
fellow inspectors had suspected that he was signing off welds that he had not
tested.
During his employment Ruks certified more than 10,000 welds on submarines.
Around 10% of which were hull integrity or SUBSAFE joints involving critical
parts, failure of which could have lead to the loss of a nuclear submarine.
As a result of his actions over 9,500 welds had to be reinspected. During the
retests 14 structural welds were found to be defective and required repairing.
The re-inspection required 18,900 man hours and cost $654,000. As part of
Ruks sentence he will be required to repay that sum to the US Navy.
