Company fined $90K after oilfield worker badly burned on job

An oilfield consulting firm has to pay $90,000 for failing to protect a worker who was burned on an oil site near Valleyview in 2021.

The worker was severely burned when liquid from a decommissioned pipeline ignited and overflowed from a portable flare stack, according to Alberta's occupational health and safety (OHS) department.

O’Reilly Oilfield Services Ltd. pleaded guilty to one count of failing to take necessary precautions to protect the health and safety of its workers and was sentenced on Monday in Grande Prairie.

The fine includes the 20-per cent victim surcharge.

The company and the Crown both have a month to appeal the conviction and penalty.

The Crown withdrew five other charges against O'Reilly Oilfield Services, plus 15 charges against Canadian National Resources Ltd., related to the same incident.