pklonowski

This article, and its links, provides a great training ground for new table saw users. Veteran users will benefit from reviewing fundamentals, so EVERYONE should take the time to read ALL of the links. IMHO.

That said, after I left the cabinetry/fine furniture business, I went on to school in a Medical Technology program; one of the things I did there was a rotation in the ER. The ER docs always joked about woodshop DIY injuries: "But I saw Norm do it this way!" Saturday afternoons could be brutal.

Disclaimer: I'm using Norm as only one example... all of the woodshop programs on TV had the same issue, though I've avoided all of them for years, due largely to this shortcoming. Hopefully they've improved.

The problem inherent in TV shows is that, although they may start the programs with a brief comment about the dangers of power tools, and a comment about "the importance of reading, understanding, and following all the safety information that comes with the power tools," that's the ONLY thing they do about safety concerns. If you watch the programs in progress, you'll see "guards removed for clarity," and no end of inexcusable safety faults. This failing leads to people thinking they can do an operation "just like Norm," and be perfectly safe, "just like Norm." Oddly enough, "Norm's" tools have been set up for optimal operation (blade parallel to fence, etc), probably by the manufacturers, who will bend over backwards to get their products seen on these programs. Most home-based tools will never see that kind of care... and the tool that comes out of the crate in "cut ready" condition is rare, at best.

So where does the solution lie? You can't effectively enforce legislation in home shops... it would involve sending safety inspectors into all home shops, which is absurd, given that there was inadequate enforcement in commercial shops, when I worked in them. Do we need to have a license to own and/or operate certain power tools? That's also pretty much unenforceable, without drastic measures.

The real key is in education... People need the basic knowledge to understand hazards & how to avoid them.... and the stones to actually utilize those methods! Demos in retail stores, free to all buyers of power tools, might be a good first step; these need to include "live" kickback demos, as well as pictures from ERs, for emphasis. Another good step would be to get all the "Norm"-type programs to actually USE safety equipment, not just briefly mention them at the start. Given the excellent image quality attainable with even moderately-priced fiber optics these days, the statement "guard removed for clarity" loses any validity it ever had as an excuse.

By the way, FWW magazine also fails to show guards in place, and other safety "violations" (for lack of a better term). I didn't have to look long to find one... Issue 210, p. 50: No guard over the blade; sleeves not rolled up past the elbows. The operator's right hand will pass well within 6in. of the blade. Use of the riving knife is good. BUT... Since the operator is using a stop on the end of the workpiece, is visibility of the cut line really an issue?

FWIW... I have thirty+ years' experience in woodworking, both commercial and hobby level, ten intact fingers, and lots of eyewitness war stories, from both the shop and the ER. You don't want to hear most of them.