Abstract: At approximately 10:35 p.m. on June 3, 2003, Employee #1, a press operator, was working for Ameristaff Consulting, Inc., a temporary employment agency, at AC Hoffman Engineering Inc. (Hoffman) located at 5876 Republic Street in Riverside, California. Hoffman is a manufacturer of a wide variety of customized precision rubber products, packaging, and shipping for medical and commercial industries. Employee #1 was operating a 230.1 Molder hydraulic power press which was located in the Mold Department of Hoffman. During the downward movement of the bottom platen, Employee #1 inadvertently placed his left gloved hand on the bottom frame of the press opening. His left hand got caught between the frame and the moving bottom platen and caused a serious crushing injury. The employee was taken to the Parkview Community Hospital in Riverside, California for treatment and was later taken to the Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, California where he underwent surgery. Employee #1 was hospitalized for four to five days. The gap between the bottom frame and downward movement of the bottom platen constituted a shearing/ pressing hazard and it was not guarded.