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Thread: Tablesaw Injuries

  1. #1

    Tablesaw Injuries

    A link to the first study on non-occupational table saw injuries (i.e. hobbiest) in the US http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0113172150.htm

    31,500 per year and, of these, 10% resulted in amputation.

  2. #2
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    "Most of the table saw-related injuries resulted from contact with the blade of the saw. In cases when the mechanism of injury was documented, kickback was the most common mechanism (72 percent)"

    I believe that kickback is the most common, but doesn't that contradict contact with the blade?

    Still pretty bleak; glad I got my Brett Guard up. I have had one kickback with it, and it just swallowed it.

  3. The issue is when a kickback happens and throws your hand into the blade. My FIL lost a few fingers to that one.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Hildenbrand View Post
    The issue is when a kickback happens and throws your hand into the blade. My FIL lost a few fingers to that one.

    That is exactly what I think they are saying. So my take would be if you eliminate kickback totally you will reduce TS injuries by aorund 70%. The silver lining for me is that kickback is a really approachable issue for anyone with a TS, there are lots of things you can do for free or a lttle cash!

  5. #5
    My biggest kickback incident happened when the wood shot back right past me (I was keeping off to one side) and put a nice dent in my car door. It kinda wedged itself between the blade and guide, the blade caught it and tossed it.

    I keep TS operations to a minimum on the big saw. I'm much happier with either band saw or my mini table saw (proxxon) That little thing is a peach!

  6. #6
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    While I've, so far, managed to escape serious kickback, and injury, I feel I've only done so in part by knowing well how others have not fared so well. So I find this kind of research a very valuable read.

    As I happen to have the full text of the original article and statistics, feel free to PM me if you are really interested in the full text or have any questions. (clearly, I won't just post the journal here for copyright reasons)

    The best advice anyone ever gave me about kickback was to hang onto that board for dear life as soon as it all starts to go wrong (being mindful of course of where it would suck your hands if it actually went) As a result, I have a few boards with the tell-tale rotate saw grooves, but I've yet to loose control of one.

  7. #7
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    Jon, thanks for the info.

    Gary, I have a question regarding the kickbacks you've experienced.

    Were you using a splitter or riving knife at the time?

    In over 30 years, I've never experienced a single kick back on a table saw, however I use a splitter whenever possible.

    Maybe I've been fortunate.

    Regards, Rod.

  8. #8
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    I've never had a true kickback on a tablesaw, but I did have a piece get wedged between the blade and the insert once. It slung it down into my dust collection bin once it grabbed. Sent the piece through a 1/2" thick piece of plywood used to "funnel" sawdust to the collection port.... I can just imagine the damage that could have happened had it hit me.

  9. #9
    Just for additional info, here's another data base - this one of ER visits. Put "table saw" in the search field to find TS related accidents. But it's just raw data, no analysis like the study referenced earlier.

    There are some interesting entries, other than TS related. ER docs must see all kind of things - probably shake their heads sometimes.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  10. #10
    Interesting. Also, "tablesaw" and "table saw" yield different results.

  11. #11
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    I've been running table saws for over 25 years without a single kickback or injury. I've used a splitter or riving knife as far back as I can remember. I've never used an over blade guard because it blocks my view of the blade. I agree with the poster that said kickbacks actually pull the hand into the blade; if folks understood this concept there wouk be fewer accidents IMO. BTW, the closest I've come to serious injury was on my CMS: I was foolishly holding a small piece of cornice trim close to the blade. Before I had time to realize what happened, the blade caught the wood and pulled it into the fence gap along with my hand. To this day I don't know how I avoided losing fingers...not even a cut. I was lucky.

    If you follow some basic rules of common sense, your chances of injury are minimal:

    1) never place your body directly behind the stock you are cutting; always assume the wood will be kicked back and stand off to the side.

    2) always check to make sure your saw fence is tuned properly and not biased in toward the blade at the rear of the cut

    3) always take the time to set up featherboards. I use the earth magnet type which are quick and easy to set up

    4) always use push sticks/paddles when working close to the blade

    5) use a splitter or riving knife

    6) never run small stock with the throat plate removed

    7) always maintain a clean floor that is clear of debris

    8) never lean over the blade

    9) always pause and ask yourself if the cut you are about to make is safe BEFORE you turn on the power. If it doesn't feel right, it isn't. stop and take the time to come up with a better/safer method.

    10) never be in a hurry

    11) never work when stressed or fatigued.

    12) don't ever forget that power saws are mean, nasty meat eaters. they don't have feelings and don't give a darn about your fingers. keep this in mind everytime you flip on the power.

    I'm sure you can add other safety tips of your own.
    Scott Vroom

    I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Lon Crosby View Post
    A link to the first study on non-occupational table saw injuries (i.e. hobbiest) in the US http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0113172150.htm

    31,500 per year and, of these, 10% resulted in amputation.
    A study, but not the first - there's publicly available information on this subject here, with a detailed tablesaw injury survey in Appendix A of this report.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by scott vroom View Post
    1) never place your body directly behind the stock you are cutting; always assume the wood will be kicked back and stand off to the side.
    I've only had one kickback in 40 years, but it was an unforgettable event

    As I recall, though, the board flew up and back to the left. If I had been standing off to that side, it would have nailed me square in the chest.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lon Crosby View Post
    A link to the first study on non-occupational table saw injuries (i.e. hobbiest) in the US http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0113172150.htm

    31,500 per year and, of these, 10% resulted in amputation.
    "children as young as 6 years were found to be injured while operating a table saw"

    6???!?!?!? holy smokes.


    Agreed that kickbacks are a BIG issue with table saws. I had one kickback - it flipped a small piece of plywood up past my ear and across the basement. Scared the daylights out of me.
    I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger....then it hit me.

  15. #15
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    I see a lot of folks advise that one should not stand directly behind the workpiece being cut.

    But in every demonstration I've seen of kickback, the wood is flung slightly to the left. Of course, it can still nail you, especially if it's a longer piece and it's spinning as it flies by. Actually to be honest I'm not sure if it would be better to be hit squarely or by the end - probably doesn't make much of a difference anyways.

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