Abstract: On July 14, 2004, Employee #1 was operating a Lavatec Press. The Lavatec Press was a fully enclosed press with an access door that received washed linen and compressed the linen to remove excess water. The Lavatec Press was equipped with an internal electric eye to detect if any linen was out of place before the press activated. During operation, the Lavatec Press stopped and a warning light on the machine came on. The electric eye had become covered up with a pillow case causing the press to go into fault-mode. Employee #1 opened the door on the machine, put his left hand on the press and removed the pillow case from the electric eye with the right hand. As soon as the pillow case was removed, the press activated and amputated Employee #1's left index finger. The interlock on the press door had been disabled approximately one month prior to the accident. Employee #1 was hospitalized.