Abstract: At 2:30 p.m. on March 23, 1998, Employee #1 was working alone operating the Brausse Die Cutter. The die cutter is an auto-feed machine; once it is properly set up the parts are automatically placed on the cutting table and removed after the cut has been performed. Employee #1 had been running the machine and noticed the part was not being fed correctly onto the cutting table and the cut was being done off the material. The part being fed was not slipping under the clip that held the part in place. Employee #1 stopped the die cutter by pushing the "stop" button. He then reached in, with his left arm in between the die and the cutting table. Employee #1 states the die cutter started and closed on his arm. The die cutter did not continue to cycle through; it closed and stopped. Employee #1 had to jog the machine to open the two tables. The machine does not have a reverse and had to be jogged forward to remove his arm. Employee #1 had not de-energized the machine prior to performing his adjustments. The guard on the machine was designed to discontinue the run cycle if opened. It had been altered to run continuously if the guard was opened. The machine would still jog with the door opened when set up properly. Employee #1 was hospitalized for treatment of his crushed arm.