Abstract: On July 31, 2002, Employee #1 was placing a board in the cutting path of a Whirlwind chop saw when he inadvertently cycled the saw. The saw's 12 in. circular blade came up from a cabinet below the cutting surface and amputated the upper digit of Employee #1's left index finger. His fingertip was subsequently surgically reattached. A horizontal hood guard that came with the equipment only came down and guarded the width of the wood being cut. The employer had added a wire mesh around the opposite end of the guard, but this still left six inches of the saw's blade area unguarded. The employer was cited for failing to adequately guard the exposed blade area.