An employee was changing out a cutter head on a planer and was using a lifting device to hoist the 100-pound blades from the machine. The lifting device has an adjustable balance so the blades can be tilted as they are removed from the machine. As the employee was removing the blades, his left hand was on the hoist between the collar and the end plate. The collar slid back toward the end plate, pinching and crushing his index finger between the collar and end plate. His index fingertip had to be surgically amputated.