Abstract: At approximately 7:50 p.m. on December 12, 1990, Employee #1 was helping a coworker clear a plastic bottle that was jammed in the trimmer of line #4 of a plastic bottle manufacturing plant. The coworker used a rod to hold open the interlocking guard in front while Employee #1 reached in from the side to pull out the debris. After she had reached in, the rod suddenly dropped and the interlock guard closed. The trimmer blade actuated, amputating Employee #1's fingers. The sides of the trimmer were only partially guarded, which allowed workers to reach over past the guards, although their position would be awkward. Employee #1 had been working at the plant for over 2 years and had received safety training. The sides of the trimmer have since been fully guarded to prevent a recurrence.