Abstract: At approximately 2:30 p.m. on October 19, 2001, an experienced bag-machine operator, employed by a company that manufactures and prints plastic bags, was removing a piece of dry ink from an in-running roller system. The machine involved in the accident was a bag machine, Utelo Biflex Model Number IL112. After he performed his routine machine inspection, checking for the proper placement of guards, ink levels, and other operating machine parameters, he started the run of plastic bags that required ink on both sides. When the "lead packer" brought to the employee's attention that the bags had a stripe running down the middle, the employee stopped the machine to clean the roller's ink container, and then started running the bags again. Since the problem continued, he took it upon himself to check the tension roller for dry ink while the roller was in motion. When the employee did not find any ink on the tension roller he reached under the ink roller to check for dry ink. As soon as he touched the ink roller his right index finger was pulled into the nip point of the in-running rollers. The tip of right index finger was amputated. The employee was taken to Western Hand Center where he was treated and released the same day of injury. The employee failed to follow proper lockout procedures established by the employer.