Feed: Life Underwater - AggScore: 45.5

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Seaworld moves to remove “trainers” from the water for “the health and safety of employees.” Does that include the whales? Isn’t it time to stop treating whales like circus acts? What do you think?

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/05/31/ruling-may-leave-seaworld-trainers-dry-after-killer-whale-accident/

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/05/31/ruling-may-leave-seaworld-trainers-dry-after-killer-whale-accident/

Killer whale trainers may be out of the water for good at SeaWorld after a judge ruled the park must protect its employees from any future accidents.

KNX 1070′s Tom Reopelle reports the ruling could end a longtime tradition at the popular San Diego attraction.

Physical barriers between trainers and killer whales are a viable way to prevent hazards to workers at SeaWorld, an administrative law judge ruled in a decision that also reduced a federal fine against the theme park in a trainer’s death.

Administrative law Judge Ken Welsch issued the decision obtained by The Associated Press Wednesday in response to Sea World Orlando’s appeal of two citations issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for the death of Dawn Brancheau in 2010.

He said OSHA’s recommendation that SeaWorld use the barriers to protect trainers working with killer whales was “feasible.”

Department of Labor spokesman Michael Ward said SeaWorld can appeal the judge’s ruling.

“It’s up to SeaWorld to produce a plan that is acceptable to OSHA,” said Wohl. “The focus on this is the safety and health of the employees at SeaWorld.”

The judge also said prohibiting trainers from swimming with killer whales during performances would reduce the risks inherent in working with the animals.

SeaWorld had said its safety protocols were sufficient to protect trainers. The judge said that while the theme park’s safety training program was highly detailed and intensive, “it cannot remove the element of unpredictability inherent in working with killer whales.”

The order could prevent trainers from performing with the whales in the water during shows, a move SeaWorld and its trainers have opposed.

“There’s not an awful lot we’re going to be able to say about the training, at least beyond the general contours of it, until we have reviewed” the decision, said SeaWorld spokesman Fred Jacobs.

The judge also reduced OSHA’s fine against SeaWorld Orlando to $12,000 from $75,000 and changed a “willful” citation to “serious.” A “willful” violation indicates an employer acted with intentional disregard or indifference, and that wasn’t the case with SeaWorld, the judge wrote.

“The record demonstrates SeaWorld constantly emphasized safety training and was continuously refining its safety program,” Welsch said.

Brancheau, a 40-year-old veteran trainer who adored whales, had just finished a show on Feb. 24, 2010, when she began rubbing a 22-foot male whale named Tilikum from a poolside platform. He suddenly grabbed her ponytail in his jaws and pulled her in. Witnesses said the whale played with Brancheau like a toy. An autopsy showed she died of drowning and blunt-force trauma to her head, neck and torso.

Tilikum also was involved in the death of a trainer at a marine park in British Columbia in 1991. In a separate incident, the body of a man who had sneaked into SeaWorld was found draped over Tilikum in 1999. The man either jumped, fell or was pulled into the frigid water and died of hypothermia, though he was also bruised and scratched by Tilikum.

Friday Sharkomic…

Did you see “Hatfields & McCoys”? How’d you like it? Kevin Costner’s missing — guess what he’s doing. He’s off the coast of Africa on a treasure dive!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2012/05/hatfields-mccoys-kevin-costner.htm…l

Not only is History’s miniseries “Hatfields & McCoys” a smash hit, but it’s earned star Kevin Costner glowing reviews while giving his career, which has hit a few bumps in recent years, new life and vibrancy.

But Costner is not exactly basking in the acclaim. In fact, he’s doing just the opposite.

Leslie Greif, CEO and founder of Thinkfactory Media, the key driving force behind “Hatfields and McCoys,” has been reaching out to Costner to congratulate him on the project’s huge success, but he’s been unable so far to connect with the Oscar winner.

“He’s MIA, he’s out of the country, he’s incommunicado,” said Greif, who is also executive producer of the miniseries. “No one can reach him. We’re all desperate to reach him. He has no idea what’s going on.”

But don’t panic. Greif has a pretty good idea where Costner is.

“He’s off the coast of Africa somewhere,” Greif said. “He has a company that goes on explorations, and he’s on a treasure dive in parts unknown. He’s diving for treasure.”

Costner has always been around for the premiere of his movies. The only other time he’s missed an opening was with his epic “Dances With Wolves” in 1990.

And we all remember what happened with that film — it pulled down a bunch of Oscars, including one for best picture and a directing award for Costner.

“So this is a good omen,” Greif said.

Tuesday, the second night of the three-night miniseries about the 19th century family feud, attracted 13.1 million viewers, only a slight decline from the massive audience of 13.9 million viewers who tuned in for Chapter 1 on Monday.

“Hatfields & McCoys” has been a passion project for Greif for 30 years. He first tried to produce at the height of popularity of network miniseries, thinking it would be an instant hit.

“I never wavered,” he said. “Someone asked me if I feel vindicated. But I really feel validated more than vindicated. It’s a story that’s timeless.”