Saskatchewan Engineer is Prohibited from Practicing and Given Further Orders

The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS), the regulator of engineering and geoscience in Saskatchewan, has suspended Scott O. Gullacher, P.Eng., for 18 months, with three years of supervision thereafter.

As outlined in the final order that APEGS’ hearing panel provided to Gullacher on July 12, 2023, Gullacher’s registration to practice engineering in Saskatchewan is suspended for 18 months commencing June 8, 2022, at which time he was first ordered not to practice professional engineering. Following the 18-month suspension period, all engineering work performed by Gullacher is subject to direct supervision for three years, and Gullacher is not permitted to practice professional engineering with respect to bridges and bridge projects for five years. During the period of direct supervision, Gullacher must successfully complete five hours of verifiable ethics training each year. Gullacher is required to pay the maximum fine of $15,000 and pay $32,000 toward APEGS’ investigation costs.

Gullacher was found guilty on three counts of professional misconduct by a panel of the APEGS discipline committee as outlined in its written decision sent to Gullacher on January 24, 2023. The three counts of professional misconduct relate to the RM of Clayton’s Dyck Memorial Bridge, and five municipal bridges, one located in each of the RMs of Scott, Caledonia and Mervin and two located in the RM of Purdue.

On September 14, 2018, the Dyck Memorial Bridge collapsed. Gullacher was found to have not practiced in a careful and diligent manner by not employing a site-specific geotechnical analysis and by not providing adequate engineering designs for the helical pile foundations. The designs prepared by Gullacher for the five municipal bridges lacked relevant design information, including inaccurate representation of bridge designs, numerous Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code deficiencies, lack of critical detail on plans for welding details, among other deficiencies. This resulted in five superstructure designs which were inadequate to carry the minimum loads required by the code.

The panel’s decision and interim order as well as the final order can be found on the APEGS website under Complaints and Enforcement, Discipline Hearings & Notices.

APEGS establishes and upholds standards of professional practice and ethical conduct for the professions of engineering and geoscience in Saskatchewan. APEGS can determine that, if an engineer or geoscientist has breached the professions’ standards, it can act through a comprehensive investigation and discipline process to ensure public safety.

For media inquiries, contact:

Sheena August, Director of Communications and Public Relations
saugust@apegs.ca
(306) 540-3914