Abstract: At approximately 8:40 a.m. on January 15, 1988, Employee #1, of Smith's Sawmill, in Mt. Airy, NC, was struck in the abdomen by a piece of wood that had splintered off from lumber being run through a gang edger. This piece of wood apparently kicked back from inside the edger. The splintered wood entered Employee #1 in front of his abdomen just below the rib cage and exited out his back just to the right of his spine. Approximately 8 inches of the 2 inch by 2 inch by 2 foot long piece of wood protruded out his back. Employee #1 was taken to Northern Hospital of Surry County and then transferred to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. Emergency surgery was required to remove the splinter.