The Saskatchewan engineering association APEGS, which governs engineers in the province, has suspended engineer Scott Gullacher for 18 months. He designed the Dyck Memorial Bridge which collapsed hours after it opened in the Rural Municipality of Clayton in 2018.
This rural municipality is located approximately 300 km east of Saskatoon.
Earlier this year, Scott Gullacher was found guilty of three counts of professional misconduct by a committee of theAPEGS.
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Engineer Scott Gullacher, who is in charge of the Dyck Memorial Bridge project, was found guilty of three counts of professional misconduct by an APEGS panel.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Kirk Fraser
According to the association, Mr. Gullacher had not acted carefully and diligently
in his work on the Dyck Memorial Bridge because he had not carried out a site-specific geotechnical analysis and had not provided adequate engineering plans for the foundation of the piles.
In addition to this suspension, Mr. Gullacher must pay a maximum fine of $15,000 set by theAPEGSas well as an amount of $32,000 to cover the costs of the association’s investigation.
During the course of the investigation, Scott Gullacher claimed to have paid an amount of $250,000 out of his pocket for repairs to the Dyck Memorial Bridge.
According to information provided by theAPEGS, Scott Gullacher currently lives and works out of province. However, the association specifies that he wishes to return to Saskatchewan and resume his work as an engineer.
Mr. Gullacher’s suspension has been in effect since June 8, 2022, the day he was ordered to cease all professional practice in Saskatchewan.
After the suspension period ends, the engineer will be banned from working on bridge projects in Saskatchewan for five years.
Mr. Gullacher will also be subject to direct supervision for a period of three years. He will have to take a five-hour ethics training course every year for these three years.
With information from Will McLernon
