Abstract: At 3:40 p.m. on February 10, 2004, Employee #1, a mechanic at the facility of a scrap nonferrous metal recycling company, was working on a Komatsu forklift, Unit Number 41, Model Numbers FD 40ZT-4 Type D, Serial Number 101155A, 8,000-lb capacity. Prior to the accident, Employee #1 repaired a hydraulic leak on the forklift. The forklift's hydraulic system enabled the forks to move up and down, move in and out, and rotate 90 degrees. During the repair, Employee #1 had the forks elevated and used a chain and lock to secure them in an elevated position. Following the repair, Employee #1 removed the chain. He discovered that the forks would not fully descend, stopping about 3 ft above the floor. While determining why the forks did not descend to the floor, he stood on the forklift's dashboard, examining the 3-piece mast. His right hand was resting on one piece of the mast. The forks suddenly dropped to the floor, and another section of the mast passed by that point when the forks dropped. Employee #1's fingers were smashed, and then two phalanges on the middle finger of his right hand were surgically amputated.