The injured employee was assisting in the off-loading and stacking of plastic pipe using a backhoe and sling. A piece of pipe was lowered to the ground. While the injured employee attempted to remove the strap from the backhoe bucket lifting hook, the backhoe operator rolled the bucket to release tension on the strap and his right hand was crushed between the backhoe piston and bucket causing injury to three fingers. The employee suffered a severed tendon and a fracture to the ring finger.