Larry Frank
06-16-2011, 9:30 PM
After reading a large number of threads and posts concerning table saw safety, I did some searching about accident rates. I was surprised by some of the results and not surprised by others. Below is a list of some of the things that I found interesting.
1. Estimated number of medically treated table or bench saw injuries was about 64,000 in 2001.
2. About 86% of the injuries occurred while ripping a board generally smaller than the top of the saw. There are some interesting statistics about what was being done when an accident happened.
3. Estimated number of medically treated injuries due to hand tools was 333,884 in 2001. This is the statistic that surprised me the most at first. However, thinking about the cuts that I have done to myself, it is not really a surprise. Just because it is a hand tool does not mean that you can not get badly injured.
4. Lawn mowers account for over 200,000 injured per year and a significant number are children.
5. Somewhere along the way, I saw that in 2006 the land speed record for a lawn mower was set at 80 mph.
None of the above should be a surprise to any of us except the land speed record. We deal with sharp tools and spinning sharp tools and they cause injuries. The best thing to prevent injury is to maintain our equipment, use it properly and most important to think and not do things that we know are on the edge of being safe. There are many times when I start to do something and have a nagging feeling that I should not do it. I need to listen to myself and find a better way.
1. Estimated number of medically treated table or bench saw injuries was about 64,000 in 2001.
2. About 86% of the injuries occurred while ripping a board generally smaller than the top of the saw. There are some interesting statistics about what was being done when an accident happened.
3. Estimated number of medically treated injuries due to hand tools was 333,884 in 2001. This is the statistic that surprised me the most at first. However, thinking about the cuts that I have done to myself, it is not really a surprise. Just because it is a hand tool does not mean that you can not get badly injured.
4. Lawn mowers account for over 200,000 injured per year and a significant number are children.
5. Somewhere along the way, I saw that in 2006 the land speed record for a lawn mower was set at 80 mph.
None of the above should be a surprise to any of us except the land speed record. We deal with sharp tools and spinning sharp tools and they cause injuries. The best thing to prevent injury is to maintain our equipment, use it properly and most important to think and not do things that we know are on the edge of being safe. There are many times when I start to do something and have a nagging feeling that I should not do it. I need to listen to myself and find a better way.