Abstract: Employee #1 worked for a company that made and assembled iron works such as rails and stairs for the construction industry. He was using a Whitney Rockford hydraulic punch press, model 791056, to punch 13/16 holes from 6 ft long channels. Having finished the operation, he was instructed by his supervisor to punch 15/16 holes on two metal plates for another job. He was about to change the machine's upper die when he noticed that a scrap piece from the channel hole he had last punched out had become stuck on the lower die. Not having any other implement to remove the stuck piece, he engaged the machine so the upper die could punch out the piece and send it into a holding box. As the upper punch came down, a portion of it came in contact with the top portion of the lower die, causing a 1/16 in. wide by 1/2 in. long piece to fly into the left side Employee #1's neck and become lodged. He was hospitalized for treatment of puncture injuries. The main causal factor of the accident was the absence of and the failure to enforce the use of hand tools for freeing and removing stuck work or scrap pieces. A contributing factor was the employer's failure to train employees on the hazards of the punching task. The press was not guarded. The employer was cited for a serious accident-related violation of T9CCR 4197(a)(2).