Abstract: At approximately 2:00 p.m. on March 13, 1998, Employee #1, who worked as a machine operator, was performing cleaning operations. The business of Employee #1's employer was manufacturing and folding of paper boxes. The machine involved in the accident was the Cellophane Machine (Cello Machine), located in the Finish Department. The Cellophane Machine was manufactured by Gladiator-The Sperry Corporation, S.G. Staude Division, Saint Paul, MN, Serial Number 1367. Employee #1 had four years of experience as a Cello Machine Operator. At the time of the accident, Employee #1 was cleaning a rubber cylinder using a bare hand. Employee #1 soaked a rag with solvent to clean the glue built-up on the cylinder. Accidentally, Employee #1 placed his hand too close to a set of gears on the side of the machine. When Employee #1 jogged the gears, the machine caught the rag and pulled it into the pinch points along with Employee #1's hand. Employee #1 sustained degloving injury of the right thumb and index fingers. The distal phalanx of the right thumb was degloved to the interphalangeal joint volar surface. The right index finger was degloved to half of the distal phalanx. After the accident had happened, Employee #1 was transported to the Stacy Medical Center, where he was treated for his injuries.