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Violation Tracker Individual Record

Company: Feld Entertainment/Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Current Parent Company: Feld Entertainment
Penalty: $7,000
Year: 2015
Date: April 23, 2015
Offense Group: safety-related offenses
Primary Offense: workplace safety or health violation
Violation Description: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, will implement ongoing safety enhancements in aerial acts to protect employees against injuries like those sustained by its aerialists during a May 4, 2014, performance in Providence, Rhode Island. Feld Entertainment Inc., headquartered in Palmetto, Florida, owns the circus. The proactive measures are part of a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor concerning a citation issued to the circus by the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration in connection with a 2014 incident in which eight employees were badly hurt. They were performing an act called a Hair Hang when the carabiner used to support them failed and they fell more than 15 feet to the ground. The aerialists, along with a ninth employee who was struck by the falling workers, sustained serious injuries. OSHAs inspection determined that the carabiner used to lift performers was not loaded according to manufacturers instructions. The agency cited the circus for one serious violation of occupational safety standards and proposed the maximum fine of $7,000. The circus initially contested its citation and penalties to the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The circus will also pay the full OSHA fine and submit documentation that the hazard has been corrected and preventive measures put in place. The settlement will become a final order of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission on May 13, 2015.
Level of Government: federal
Action Type: agency action
Agency: Occupational Safety & Health Administration corporate-wide settlements
Civil or Criminal Case: civil
HQ Country of Current Parent: USA
HQ State of Current Parent: Virginia
Ownership Structure of Current Parent: privately held
Major Industry of Current Parent: entertainment
Specific Industry of Current Parent: entertainment
Source of Data: (click here)
Source Notes: If an online information source is not working, check the Violation Tracker Data Sources page for an updated link.
Current parent company note: Parent-subsidiary relationship is current as of the most recent revision listed in the Update Log.