Abstract: At approximately 9:00 a.m. on October 9, 2003, Employee #1, a machine operator with Robert Manufacturing Inc., in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, was operating a Kingsbury #14 internal thread tapping machine to thread brass pipe coupling parts (bulbs) for plumbing fixture attachments. The tapping machine was pneumatically operated and equipped with two separate controls, one for operating the collet closer (part holder) and one for threading the parts. The 0.25-in. bulb was placed in the collet closer manually while the collet closer was pressed. Then the threading control was pressed to start the ram downward to tap threads into the bulb. The ram was to retract itself automatically after completing the threads. After Employee #1 had placed a bulb in the collet closer, and while his left index finger remained on the part, he inadvertently pressed the threading control. His finger became caught between the downward moving tap and the collet closer. After being transported to the Concentra Medical Center in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Employee #1 was transferred to Doctor's Hospital in Montclair. He was hospitalized for amputation of the finger.