Abstract: Plastic pellets feeding an HPM injection molding machine (Model No. 200-IX14) had melted and then solidified at the entrance to the heating barrel on the machine, where the plastic was heated and melted to a temperature of at least 200 degrees Celsius for injection into the mold. The solidified plastic clogged the machine, so the machine operator climbed onto the barrel to chip away the solid plastic, as he had seen his coworkers do. As he was chipping the plastic, a large piece fell into the pool of melted plastic inside the barrel, causing the melted plastic to splash onto the machine operator. The splatter struck the employee's face, ears, shoulder, and fingers. The employee was hospitalized for more than 24 hours for second- and third-degree burns.