BarryO

I have to think this is gonna be thrown out on appeal, don't ya think? Conventional wisdow is that jury verdicts are often based on emotion, and the idea that insurance companies will pay for it Then more-objective heads prevail during the appeals process; that whole "checks and balances" thing.

Ryobi shipped a product fully in compliance with industry standards (UL), and OSHA regulations for use in a workplace. This guy ignored the tool's manual and modified it before use by removing important safety components. Seems to me the fault lies with the operator (for modifying the tool into a dangerous configuration and failing to follow the manual), and the employer (for lack of proper training and enforcement of safe workplace standards).

"Why do you think so many people are hurt using tablesaws?"

I think the biggest reason is demonstrated right here in this article - look at the accompanying photo.

The entire woodworking industry, from Fine Woodworking and the other magazines, to Norm and the other TV show presenters, to the online blog sites, constantly role-model dangerous, unsafe Table Saw practices. When was the last time you saw a Table Saw being used that hadn't been dangerously modified with the removal of manufacturer-installed safety gear; modifications that would be illegal in an OSHA-jurisdiction professional shop?

Hobbyists, especially beginners, get the constant message that "real" woodworkers, especially the "cool" ones, all use their saws in safety-compromised configuration. So they do, too. And 31,000 of them pay the price every year.

BTW, I regard the "guard removed for clarity" as a lame, after-the-fact cop-out, about as effective as the "do as I say, not as I do" style of parenting.