Applejoe

Great comments and suggestions. I have been fortunate over the 40 years of using a table saw with one notable exception. I reached over next to a spinning blade to remove a scrap and WHAM, the tip of my left index finger made contact! Stupid, dumb mistake, easily avoidable and so on. Painful, lost a tiny bit of tip of finger but no lasting disability. I was fortunate. Lessons learned or remembered...many:
1. I was in a hurry. Not good. Slow down and think. No project is worth a serious injury
2. I was tired. Regardless of your occupation or activity fatigue increases the chances of mistakes and injury.
3. Use jigs and push sticks. Yes, I had plenty of these devices handy but did not always use them. That has changed big time.
4. Familiarity breeds contempt. Contempt of the basic, elementary rules of safety often times.
I was lucky. I could have easily messed up my hand and needlessly jeopardised one of my most rewarding activities. Hope this helps.