A caretaker of an elephant sanctuary had died after apparently being stepped on. According to reports, owners of the elephant sanctuary will not be cited by federal workplace safety regulators.

On March 4, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) wrote a letter to Hope Elephants, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation and conservation of elephant. In the letter, the agency of the United States Department of Labor recommended that workers should not be in the same unrestricted space as elephants except in rare circumstances. On Friday, the letter was given to The Associated Press.

James Laurita, founder of Hope Elephants, had died in September in an enclosure. That time, the death was ruled as accident. After that, OSHA issued an alert. Ted Fitzgerald, OSHA spokesman, said that the hazard alert was a warning for all businesses that work with large animals.

Maryann Medeiros, OSHA's area director for Maine, said Laurita's death was a tragic incident. It was an example for those who do not follow industry requirements. That incident proves that employers should take necessary steps to protect their employees, Medeiros added.

Medeiros said, “The care and management of elephants and other wild animals can be a rewarding profession but not if it comes at the cost of a worker's life”.

Tom Laurita, co-founder of Hope Elephants and brother of Laurita, said the future of the now-closed refuge is doubtful. According Tom Laurita, he didn’t know anything about OSHA's recommendation and has not seen them yet, but he was aware that the agency was working on them. He didn’t say anything on the recommendation.

After the death of James Laurita, two elephants that were living in the refuge returned to their former home in Oklahoma. According to Tom, he found that the elephants are thriving in their former home.