Abstract: At approximately 2:00 p.m. on March 4, 2003, an employee was working as an ironing press operator with Alert Cleaners. This company launders, dry cleans and presses clothes and the employee had been working here for six months. The employee was in the pressing area using a Troy Laundry Machine ironing press, Serial Number SPHP7643362. He was adjusting a pair of pants to be pressed. The press is activated by the operator pressing two red buttons that bring the upper ironing surface (head) down. Then, the green button on the left side of the controls is pressed to release the head. The employee was standing at the right front corner of the press adjusting the pants when the head of the press came down on his left arm and hand. He stated that on occasion, the right red button becomes stuck in the depressed position and that the left red button is always stuck in the depressed position. He stated that he had informed the owner of this condition two days prior to the accident. During the inspection, it was discovered that the two-hand controls were not simultaneous. The left red activation button was found to be stuck in the depressed position with a wad of paper inserted between the button and the collar and the right red button was missing completely. The owner stated that the paper was inserted so that the press could be operated with just one button and that a portion of the right button was present during the accident. He also stated that he did not know who had inserted the paper in the controls. The accident was caused by insufficient guarding since the two-hand controls of the press were not in working condition. Since the controls were not simultaneous, the press could be activated with only one button. When the right button became stuck, and the employee did not pull it out, the press was allowed to activate while his arm was in between the ironing surfaces. The employee was hospitalized with burns to his arm and hand.