Abstract: On June 9, 1998, Employee #1, a press production trainee, was working on printing press #34-1. For the previous two months this machine had been used to handle larger than normal sized paper by applying a continuous trimming process that used a slitter to remove 1/4 in. from the edge of the paper. These 1/4 in.-wide strips were being continuously generated and removed through the inlet/suction of a California Air Conveying Paramount radial flow blower with a #5 fan, serial #124. The 4 1/2 in. diameter discharge end of the blower was coupled to a flexible pipe. At the time of the accident, the paper trimmings had caused a jam as they accumulated at the discharge end and then in the flexible pipe. Employee #1 unhooked the flexible pipe end from the blower discharge end while the blower was running, found the jammed paper clippings at the blower discharge end, and used his left hand to clean them out. He was trying to unclog the discharge end even deeper and was reaching up further when his left middle finger contacted the rotating impeller and was amputated. Employee #1 did not stop or lock out the blower before clearing the jam.