Abstract: Employee #1 was using a Hitachi mitre saw to cut 60 degree point ends on 2 by 2 stakes. The saw's telescoping guard hung up at the 60 degree position and did not retract freely because of the saw and guard design. The solution was to manually lift the guard until it cleared the work, at which point it would operate freely. Employee #1 released the trigger and the saw blade wound down. When he thought the saw was about to stop, he reached to move the guard with his left hand. The decelerating blade caught his hand, pulled it into the saw and severed all of Employee #1's fingers. The severed fingers and a portion of his hand were jammed between the blade and the upper guard on the left side. The portion of his hand and three fingers were reattached; the thumb was amputated because of shredding damage; his forefinger was too badly shredded to re-use.