Abstract: Employee #1 was performing his normally assigned task of operating a pressure cooker during a carrot processing operation. This required him to manually pull a hopper over the 16 in. diameter opening of the cooker, load the cooker using a gravity feed system, pushback the hopper back, and manually close and secure the approximately 30 to 40 lb lid. He would then apply steam to the cooker, vent the steam, open the lid, and activate a control that tilted the cooker, dumping the product onto a conveyor. Employee #1 had already performed this operation several times during his shift. At the time of the accident, he was closing the cooker lid when he inadvertently placed his right hand near the gasket and dropped the lid on his little finger, amputating it at the second knuckle. Subsequent investigation determined that Employee #1 was adequately trained and that no unusual situations existed prior to the accident.