Abstract: On October 30, 2002, Employee #1, a sheet metal fabricator, was framing a sign frame and one side piece was long, so he used a shear notcher machine to trim it off. He placed the aluminum side piece, which was approximately 2 inches wide, 8 inches long, and 0.125 inches thick, on the shear press to trim approximately 0.125 inches off the end. While positioning the side piece into the point of operation, he noticed that he placed it in too far. He tried to pull it back, but he stepped on the foot pedal to activate the cut before he could withdraw his fingers out of the point of operation, amputating the tip of his right ring finger. He was first transported to a local clinic then later transferred to Western Hand and Orthopedics in Downey, California, for finger re-attachment surgery.