Abstract: On September 30, 2002, Employee #1, a lumber handler at a saw mill, was using a chop saw to trim a 2-foot by 4-foot piece of lumber. In preparation for cutting the wood, he placed the lumber up to the stops in order to cut it the correct length. Once in position, he went to withdrawal his hand and stepped on the switch to activate the saw. The tip of his left index finger became caught under the edge of the saw guard and was amputated. The guard acts like a clamp and comes down on the lumber to secure it during the cut. The guard pinched Employee #1's fingertip, and he was not able to pull it out before the saw blade came up. During the accident investigation, Employee #1 stated that he did not know how or why his fingertip was near the saw guard.