Miami Seaquarium Fined Over Safety Conditions for Killer Whale Trainers

The Miami Seaquarium has been issued a $7,000 fine for allowing trainers to work with a killer whale without sufficient protections.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the citation earlier this month.

The citation is considered “serious” by the federal agency. OSHA said trainers worked with a killer whale in a pool and from the side of a pool without using physical barriers.

OSHA has required physical barriers between trainers and killer whales, or that trainer maintain a safe distance from the orcas, since an administrative judge ruled in a SeaWorld case.

The SeaWorld case stemmed from the 2010 death of trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was killed when the six-ton killer whale, Tilikum, grabbed her and pulled her into the water.

The Seaquarium didn’t return a call seeking comment.