Abstract: At 8:40 a.m. on March 2, 2002, a serious amputation injury occurred at the Northwest Pipe Company. The employer is primarily engaged in manufacture, cement mortar coating, shipping and distribution of steel pipes utilized for potable water transmission lines. Employee #1 was greasing sprockets and sprocket chain drives of the feeder belt assembly of a "small cement coater" machine and sustained the amputation of his right thumb. The cuff of the glove on Employee #1's right hand got caught by the moving top sprocket and sprocket chain drive, pulling his right thumb into the moving gears of the gage wheel. The machine was not deenergized or stopped prior to greasing the feeder belt assembly of the cement mortar coater machine. Employee #1 was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, California for treatment and was treated and released. A couple of surgeries were performed at a later date.