Abstract: Employee #1, a mentally disabled man who had been trained, was assigned to remove 2 in. by 4 in. by 4 ft boards that had been cut on an Industrial Woodworking Machine Co. crosscut power saw, serial #N510R-3-114088. The blade on the saw was 18 in. in diameter and located under the table. There was an adjustable guard over the blade that also acted as a clamp for the material being sawed and a small fixed guard in front of the saw blade area. The saw was equipped with a two-hand control that replaced a foot control. When the two-hand control is activated, the overhead guard comes down, clamping the material being cut, and then the saw blade comes up, and saws the material. Employee #1 and the operator were cutting two 2 in. by 4 in. boards together, making a cut at about 4 in. by 4 in. in the material. The overhead guard was 1 1/2 inches above the material, leaving the front of the blade unguarded. Employee #1 reached into this unguarded area to remove the boards. When the operator pushed the two-hand control to trim the ends of the boards, the overhead guard caught Employee #1's hand and the saw came up. Two of his fingers were amputated completely and another was amputated at the second joint. He was taken to the hospital, where he stayed for four days. The employer failed to report the serious accident to CAL/OSHA and was cited. A citation also was issued for failing to guard the saw properly.