An employee was helping a crew to remove some malfunctioning valves from a ballast tank on a ship for repairs. While rigging gear was lifting the valve to the next level in the ladder way, the employee was helping to guide the valve up the ladder and was keeping the valve from striking the steps. When the valve reached the top step, the employee helped lift it over the lip of the ladder way. He then lost his balance and fell forward a little, inadvertently shifting his hold on the valve, which placed his fingers along the surface of the valve opening. At this same moment ,the valve came in contact with the deck, causing the spring to dislodge from the stuck position and to close on two of his left-hand fingers. He was wearing leather work gloves that lodged in the pinch point along with his two fingers. As his coworkers tried to open the valve, he pulled his hand out of the glove, which was still lodged in the pinch point. He amputated his left middle and ring fingertips at the knuckle closest to the fingernail.