BONNYVILLE – In 2023, 165 people died in Alberta due to work-related injury or illness, according to information from the Workers' Compensation Board – Alberta.
April 28 was the National Day of Mourning, and the Town of Bonnyville held its annual Day of Mourning Ceremony on April 26.
Tracy Ghostkeeper, executive assistant for the Town of Bonnyville, spoke about her nephew, Gregory Podulsky, during a somber ceremony on Friday morning.
“Gregory was taken from us far too soon at the young age of 29,” she said to the crowd, which included members of the community, local politicians, and members of emergency services. “Greg was not just a statistic. He was a vibrant, passionate young man who lived his life to the fullest.”
Ghostkeeper says her nephew worked as a welder and he was passionate about his work and had a love for his family and friends.
He had “an infectious laugh that could have brightened even the darkest days.”
Podulsky lost his life in a workplace accident in Slave Lake while preparing to weld a tank that had been cleared for work. The tank should not have been released, said Ghostkeeper.
The tank exploded and Podulsky, along with a co-worker, lost their lives.
“Greg’s death serves as a painful reminder of the importance of workplace safety. No family should have to endure the heartache of losing a loved one due to preventable accidents,” she said. “We owe it to Greg and all those who have lost their lives to ensure that every worker returns home safely at the end of the day.”
Ghostkeeper asked everybody to renew their commitment to creating safer workplaces.
“We gather together to remember and honour those who have been injured or tragically lost their lives due to a workplace accident.”
Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr thanked Ghostkeeper for sharing her story.
“I can say that Tracy’s story rings true,” said Cyr, having grown up in Slave Lake himself. “It was common in my dad’s time to see injuries and deaths, and they were called accidents, and families were clearly impacted.”
On top of mourning, families who lost their loved ones also had to deal with the loss of income as a tragic consequence, added Cyr.
“How can we prevent [a workplace death] from ever happening again?” asked the MLA.
Cyr said workplace accidents should not simply be dismissed as inevitable, due to equipment failure, for example, but rather viewed as opportunities to improve safety measures.
“When we find and we learn from these mistakes, this is how we ensure that doesn't happen going forward.”
Coun. Bill Parker from the City of Cold Lake was also present during the ceremony. Workplace safety is also personal for Parker.
“[The Day of Mourning] has been a very important day for me,” says Parker. During his time working with the RCMP, “I lost two members.” One was a roommate and the other a good friend.
“I had another person that was a member... now handicap for the rest of his life,” he added. Another friend, who happened to be his neighbour in Cold Lake, “was transferred out and a week later, he was killed.”
On behalf of the City of Cold Lake - but also as an individual - he urged everyone to evaluate every incident, whether it be at home or at work, to ensure tasks can be done safely and without injury.
Prevention
Kingsley LeBlanc, Corporate Safety Manager at the Town of Bonnyville, said understanding causes of workplace fatalities, implementation of preventative measures, and fostering a culture of safety are essential steps in mitigating workplace fatalities.
“Organizations must recognize that protecting the lives of other employees is paramount, and cutting corners on safety protocols can have devastating consequences,” said LeBlanc.
Bonnie Van Hollen, Director of Operations in the Town of Bonnyville, shared similar sentiments. Van Hollen first joined the Town as a safety manager in 2014 and had the Town’s departments get together to discuss workplace safety and what can be done to improve it.
They established core values incorporated into the Town’s employment policy, centered around people, integrity, teamwork, cooperation and innovation, communication, and prioritizing safety above all else.
“All of our staff are important, and I always encourage them to speak up if they feel unsafe. If I have to shut down an entire block if they need to do street repairs, then that's what I'll do,” said Van Hollen.
She said she would rather take complaints from people because of road closures instead of “calling somebody telling them that their spouse or their child is at the emergency - or worse.”
Everyone is a safety leader “and we need to own it,” said Van Hollen.
After the ceremony, the Town of Bonnyville lowered its flags and had a moment of silence.
