Abstract: At approximately 8:00 a.m. on January 14, 2003, an accident took place at A-1 Metals Recycling, a metal reclaiming company that buys scrap metal from the general public and industrial sources. Trucks that deliver the scrap metal dump their loads in designated areas of the yard based upon the type of metal that is to be reclaimed. The scrap is loaded onto a conveyor and sent through a shredder where it is converted into bales before being shipped out. An employee told the maintenance mechanic that a can shredder located in the northwest section of the yard was making strange noises and jamming up. The maintenance mechanic removed a 6-foot long expanded metal screen that guarded the motor unit that had a V-belt and pulley. While repairing a 2-HP motor, the maintenance mechanic's left hand made contact with the running V-belt, and his left index finger was pulled into the pulley. The employee was taken to Northridge Hospital where he was treated for an amputated finger