Universal Orlando has been fined more than $10,000 by the federal government following an investigation into the electrocution death of an employee.
The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued two citations for serious violations and another for a minor one in the Nov. 8 death of Leopoldo Buenaventura.
Buenaventura’s body was found in the rafters of the Men in Black: Alien Attack ride. The District Nine Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of death accidental electrocution.
The OSHA investigation found that Universal employees were using metal studs to stand and walk on as they maneuvered through the area, and fall protection was not provided. Universal corrected that during the inspection. The proposed penalty is $5,432.
OSHA also determined that Universal did not provide employees safe access when they entered and exited a confined space area from the catwalk. The proposed penalty for that was also $5,432. The violation must be abated by June 21.
A minor violation was that portable fire extinguishers were not mounted, located and identified so that they were readily accessible without subjecting the employees to injuries. No fines were proposed for that violation.
Universal has not appealed the citation but still has time to do so, according to the Labor Department.
Universal declined to discuss the fines.
Buenaventura, 60, had worked as a Universal ride technician for 12 years.