Abstract: At approximately 2:15 p.m. on April 21, 2005, Employee #1 was working with a wood board that was 5.5 in. wide and 82 in. long, and which required a start and stop flute. He was using a jointer machine without the safety guard because it was not feasible to do this type of work with the guard in place. The start of the flute was 3.25 in. from the end of the jointer machine horizontal blades. Employee #1 placed a bar clamp on the end of the jointer table to hold the board he was working on, while he lowered the other end of the board into the cutter head to start the flute. Employee #1 was using both hands. He was holding the board with his left hand in front of the cutting head and the right hand in the back of the cutting head. Thus, the board was on top of the cutter head between both hands. When Employee #1 applied downward pressure to start the cut, the end of the board that was kept in place by the bar clamp slipped from the clamp. The board was thrown out by the blades, and the momentum took Employee #1's left hand into the cutter head, amputating his left pinky. Employee #1 was not hospitalized.