Abstract: At approximately 12:40 p.m. on March 12, 1991, Employee #1 and two coworkers, of Kirkhill Rubber Co., were repositioning the drive gear of a 72 in. rubber mill into a shaft. They used a 3/8 in. chain-link sling that was wrapped around the gear housing and a 60-ton hydraulic jack positioned horizontally to apply pressure on the gear on one end, while the other end of the jack was on the chain. Employee #1 was heating the gear with a welding torch so it would expand and fit. While the gear was being heated, a coworker was pumping on the hydraulic jack. The chain broke at a connecting link and the loose end of the chain struck Employee #1 on the chest. He was transported by paramedics to UC-Irvine Medical Center, where he was hospitalized. The primary causal factor of this accident was the chain being subjected to a load in excess of its rated capacity. To prevent a recurrence of this accident, the employer agreed to mark all slings with their maximum rated capacity and not subject them to excessive loads. Employees will also be trained in the safe use of slings.