SeaWorld fined for second time over safety issues
The US government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has fined SeaWorld for a second time for failing to meet strict safety standards. This latest financial penalty relates to worker safety violations and the continuing close and dangerous contact with orcas by trainers during performances.
SeaWorld continues to fight an initial fine from OSHA which followed the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in February 2010.
In both cases OSHA has demanded that SeaWorld provide physical barriers (or equivalent) or greater protection for trainers working with orcas (also known as killer whales), or prohibit the trainers from working in close proximity to them altogether. As a result, the trainers are no longer swimming in the water with the whales, but SeaWorld seems to have ignored every other safety request by OSHA since the legal action began nearly three years ago.
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