The Eastern Irrigation District has been penalized $365,000 after pleading guilty to an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) violation related to a diver's death in 2022.
The company admitted to failing to ensure an intake mechanism was locked out before the dive began. The sentence was handed down on February 19 in the Brooks Court of Justice, while nine other OHS charges were withdrawn by the Crown.
The fatal incident occurred on October 19, 2022, at the Lake Newell and Rolling Hills Reservoirs, south of Brooks. The diver was assessing, inspecting, and working on reservoir gates when they sustained fatal injuries.
Under a creative sentence, $300,000 of the penalty will go to the Central Alberta Rescue Diving Society for equipment and training, while $65,000 will be directed to the Alberta Underwater Council for a diver safety campaign.
Alberta’s OHS Act allows fines to be redirected to safety initiatives rather than paid as standard penalties. Both the irrigation district and the Crown have 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalties.