Abstract: On January 8, 1994, Employee #1, a machine operator with six years of service with the employer, Temtex Products, was involved in an industrial accident. Employee #1 was operating a 65-ton Niagara punch press. He had been assigned to this work station two days prior to the accident. During an interview with Employee #1 (an interpreter was required since he spoke no English) he related that he had worked at that station for three days. This particular press had a "two hand" concurrent operating "mushroom" start buttons to actuate the press. Employee #1, through the interpreter, told that he operated the press by defeating the two button system. Employee #1 used a 1-inch by 3-inch wooden stick, placing the stick across the two control buttons, and operated the press with his left hand while feeding materials with his right hand. At 10:00 a.m. on the third day of operating the press, he was feeding materials with his right hand and tripping the press with his left hand, using the stick to defeat the button. The press cycled, catching his right pointing finger, cutting it off and smashing the third and fourth fingers of his right hand.