An Alberta oil and gas producer has been ordered to pay $312,500 in connection with a 2023 workplace drowning. The case is a reminder that water hazards do not get the same attention as falls or caught-in equipment, yet they can be just as deadly when they are not properly assessed and controlled.
Birchcliff Energy Ltd. pleaded guilty on Aug. 14 in the Grande Prairie Court of Justice to three occupational health and safety offences, as reported by CBC and the Edmonton Journal. The charges stemmed from the death of David Olesiuk, 43, on Oct. 10, 2023. Olesiuk was collecting water samples at a hydraulic fracturing pond near Baytree in Saddle Hills County when he fell into the reservoir and drowned.
The company admitted that it failed to ensure the health and safety of the worker, failed to ensure he was protected from drowning, failed to ensure the contractor had appropriate equipment, and failed to create a safe collection strategy for reservoir sampling. Under Alberta's OHS Act, the court imposed a creative sentence: $200,000 will go to Energy Safety Canada to develop industry awareness and training focused on serious injury and fatality risks in surface water operations, and $112,500 will go to Saddle Hills County Protective Services for surface ice water rescue training and equipment.
For Alberta construction and trades employers, the practical takeaway is broader than oil and gas. Any pond, dugout, water-filled excavation, or reservoir can create a drowning hazard. The same hazard assessment and control logic that employers already apply to falls, trenches, and moving equipment should also be applied to open water.
Start by identifying where a worker could enter the water, then control access and plan the work so nobody has to approach an unprotected edge. Provide suitable equipment, such as life jackets or retrieval systems, and ensure that anyone working near water has a clear rescue plan. If a contractor is doing the work, verify that the contractor has the right equipment and a safe procedure for the task.
Reviewing your site-specific hazard assessment and safe work procedures is a practical first step. It is also worth ensuring workers are trained on the actual task and the emergency response before anyone is sent near open water.
Water hazards can be overlooked until an incident happens. If you want help identifying and controlling drowning risks on your site, start with a review of your safety program or book a free discovery call through our contact page.