Abstract: At approximately 9:45 a.m. on March 10, 2000, Employee #1, of Kruse and Son, Inc., was in the packaging room, cleaning the hydraulic cylinder shaft of a Cashin Systems Dan-D-Shaper bacon press, model 5050, serial #1003. This shaft moved the tray that ejected the product from the machine; the shaft support was approximately 3 ft 3 in. high. The press was running and had just ejected some bacon when Employee #1 began to wipe the cylinder shaft. The cylinder retracted and the shaft support caught his right index finger and pulled it toward the press. His finger became caught between the shaft support and press frame and was amputated when the cycle completed. Employee #1 was transported to Irwindale Industrial Clinic where he was treated and released the same day. He had not stopped the press, de-energized or disengaged the power source, or attempted to use an extension tool to clean the cylinder.