Companies to pay $550K for safety programs after deaths of two welders on Alberta oil and gas site
A pair of oilfield companies has agreed to pay more than a half-million dollars to fund worker safety programs after a deadly accident at a northern Alberta oil and gas site.
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Greg Podulsky, 29, and Darcy Schwindt, 47, were killed Nov. 12, 2022, while welding a tank in the Marten Hills oil and gas field near Slave Lake. The tanks had not been properly cleaned and exploded when the men began to weld on them, legal documents state.
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On Wednesday, Tamarack Valley Energy and Peace Pipefitting Inc. admitted in Slave Lake Court of Justice to a single count under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Tamarack agreed to pay $500,000, with the majority going toward workplace safety training and victim support services.
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'He won't just be 'that welder in the explosion,' and I'm not going to be just 'that welder's mom,'' she said. 'Eventually that will fade, and he'll have a legacy, and we'll know that he didn't die in vain.'
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Tamarack, the prime contractor on the site, admitted it did not adequately establish a system to ensure compliance with health and safety laws — specifically in the aftermath of its amalgamation with Deltastream Energy Corporation. It also admitted its rules around welding on equipment that previously contained hydrocarbons — known as 'hot work' — were inadequate.
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As part of the plea, Tamarack agreed to a 'creative' sentence aimed at preventing future incidents.
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Around $225,000 of the penalty will go to CAREERS to create a welding and explosion safety awareness training program for high school students. The program will include a virtual reality simulator to teach students about identifying safety hazards in hot work areas and confined spaces. VR headsets will be made available at trade fairs and school programs across the province. The money will also fund welding safety scholarships.
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