Abstract: At approximately 11:15 a.m. on October 4, 2001, Employee #1 amputated his right thumb at the nail bed while spot welding wire mesh. Employee #1 was employed full time and had been working on the spot welding machine for approximately 1 year. On the day of the incident, Employee #1 was assigned to finish work left over from the day before. The work had originally been assigned to an ill coworker. Employee #1 was usign a 240-Volt ACME Spot Welder, with Serial Number 4413, spot welding wire mesh to a metal ring. The spot welder arm was actuated by a foot pedal. When welding, the operator had to press down on the petal. When the operator was not welding, the operator would let up on the pedal, and the arm would rise. As Employee #1 was working, the tip of the spot welder became stuck to the metal ring. He leaned in, resting his right hand on the side of the spot welder as his left hand dislodged the tip. As he let up on the pedal, the arm came up, severing Employee #1's thumb in the pinch point created by the rising arm mechanism and the frame of the spot welder. Employee #1 was hospitalized.