Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard:

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that zookeepers were exposed to the potential for aggressive grabbing, pulling, and biting actions of bonobos when approaching metal mesh holding (bedroom stall) barriers having openings large enough for some of the animals to be able to reach portions of their hands, their whole hands, and portions of their forearms through the barriers. a) On or about 10/25/2024, and times previous, zookeepers in the Jungle Trails Department routinely came within grabbing distance of female and juvenile bonobos when performing certain feeding and medication tasks near holding barriers, such as holding #7, having metal mesh openings large enough for the animals to reach through. This condition exposed these employees to bonobo grabbing, pulling, and biting behaviors capable of causing serious harm to the zookeepers.