Abstract: At 11:30 a.m. on June 1, 2002, Employee #1 was cleaning a machine used for grinding plastic material. Employee #1 was a permanent employee of this employer. The employer manufactures plastic bottles using several different types of plastic processing machines. This accident occurred on a plastic grinder. The grinder is manufactured by Polymer Systems Inc., Model AGRIND-06. The cutting blades on the machine are normally guarded by a hinged hopper but Employee #1 had the hopper in the open position in order to clean it. The power source for this machine was not shut down. Employee #1 stepped on the frame of the machine, near the blades, to reach the top parts. He accidentally stepped on an interlock switch, turning the blades on and his right foot came in contact with the rotating blades. Employee #1 lost three toes on his right foot and the other two toes were also damaged and were later amputated in the hospital. Employee #1 was treated at the UCI Medical Center in Orange, California.