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OSHA cites and fines Miami Seaquarium
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Seaquarium To Pay $7,000 for Endangering Trainers
in the Water with Captive Orca Lolita
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Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) filed a formal complaint with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in December 2013, submitting evidence of the Miami Seaquarium's blatant violation of worker safety laws by continuing to allow trainers to swim with Lolita.
OSHA has since investigated, cited and fined the Seaquarium for failing to provide their orca trainers (and other orca staff) with a place of employment free from "recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to struck-by and drowning hazards."
See OSHA's citation and letter here.
See ALDF's press release here.
The Seaquarium has the right to contest OSHA's citation as well as the proposed penalty and/or the abatement date which is August 26th. It will be interesting to see how long their show continues as is, and how long the Seaquarium manages to avoid implementing protective changes to the tank.
This official action certainly contributes to the ongoing fight for Lolita's freedom!
Help Lolita get home!
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