Abstract: At about 5:28 p.m. on March, 22, 2004, Employee #1, working for Robinson May Department Store Service Center in Industry, CA, was operating a pallet jack to aid a coworker in activating the dock plate of a trailer. The coworker had previously attempted several times to activate the dock plate by pulling on the ring handle, but it did not fully extend, raising a total of about one foot. Employee #1 suggested that a pallet jack be used to raise the plate. At the time of the incident, Employee #1 was operating the pallet jack and his coworker was inside the trailer. As Employee #1 was getting ready to raise the dock plate, he heard a noise signifying the release of pressure from the pallet jack. Employee #1 tried to pull his hand out, but was unable to fully clear his hand of the plate's path. He suffered a crushing injury to his left middle finger and was transported to the Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa, CA. Employee #1 normally worked as a conveyor belt operator but also worked one or two weeks per month in the dock area when his usual work load was small. Employee #1 had performed this routine for twenty years prior to the incident. The employer was not aware that the ramp was not working properly.