Abstract: Employee #1 was a sheet metal press operator for a manufacturer of commercial mirrors, corner guards, and stainless steel specialties. On August 21, 1998, he was using a Cincinnati mechanical press brake, model #9048, serial #14859, to work on small, approximately 2 in. by 1 in. corners. Employee #1 had begun this work at about 7:30 a.m. By 10:00 a.m., he had finished cutting the parts for an order, and at 10:15 a.m. he began bending the corners. At approximately 11:30 a.m., Employee #1 dropped one of the parts. As he bent over to pick it up, he lost his balance and grabbed onto the lower part of the press brake with his right hand. At the same time, he inadvertently stepped on the unguarded pedal switch. The press cycled, crushing the middle and ring fingers on his right hand and partially amputating the tips of both fingers. A coworker took Employee #1 to Del Amo Medical Clinic; he was then transferred to the Western Hand Center, where he was treated as an outpatient.