Abstract: At approximately 1:30 p.m. on October 5, 1994, Employee #1, of Western Farm Service, had been assigned to repair a loose tie rod for the front end steering of a John Deere tractor (#5), model 2555. He had repaired tie rods before but never on a John Deere 2555. He was trying to get a 1 in. diameter pin back in the holes but was having trouble lining up the holes. He asked a coworker to help. The coworker was prying with a bar to help align the holes when the bar slipped. Employee #1 had put his left index finger into the hole at the same time the pipe slipped. The movement at the two holes amputated his fingertip. He was taken to a medical center but not hospitalized. Employee #1 did not know how to release the pressure on the ram so that the holes could be aligned easily. The other tractors were not like this one and he knew how to align the holes easily on the other tractor. A general citation was issued, even though this was a serious injury, because the employer had no knowledge that the employee would stick his finger into the holes. Employee #1 should have used a tool instead of his finger.