Lazarz's Case

The employee, a boy of sixteen, lost a finger in the gears of a machine. The gears were completely enclosed in a large solid metal gear case, sometimes called box or cage, with a sliding door opened by a knob. When first employed, eight days before the injury, as a sweeper and cleaner, the employee received printed rules for the prevention of accidents, and promised in writing to read and obey them. He signed also the following statement: “I am familiar with the rule prohibiting removal of gear cages and cleaning gears in motion . . . .” He was shown an open gear case, and was told of the…