An employee was attempting to tack weld and repair a tubular steel livestock gate. The gate was in a bind due to a broken component and was positioned in such a way that a gap was present between the broken component and anchoring rail. As the employee placed the left hand on the anchoring rail, it dropped, pinching the soft tissue of the employee's left index finger between the component and anchor. As the employee pulled the hand back, the employee's left index finger was amputated (without bone loss).