Governement: To save the world from table saws

[Erik Sine]

And here they come, to save us from ourselves once again and drive up cost!

Govt looks for ways to reduce table saw injuries

The Associated Press

Published: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 - 8:41 am

-- With about 10 people losing a finger or mangling a hand in a table saw each day, the government has decided to take a closer look at the saws and how to make them safer.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has voted unanimously to begin writing a rule aimed at reducing injuries from table saws.

Chairman Inez Tenenbaum says the "injuries resulting from the use of table saws are, in many cases, particularly gruesome."

The agency estimates that consumers suffered about 67,300 medically treated blade-contact injuries annually in 2007 and 2008.

The industry says those numbers don't reflect the newly designed guard systems that manufacturers started putting on saws in 2007 as way to shield woodworkers and others from injury.

[Rocco]

TBH, table saws are pretty dangerous, especially when the guards are removed. In fact, I can't remember being in someone's shop who hasn't removed the guard. My father lost part of two fingers to a table saw by being careless so I know first hand (no pun intended) that the results of a table saw accident really are gruesome. What Big Brother will eventually come up with will surely add to the cost of these saws. However, if it adds $50 (or even $250) to the average saw cost it will probably end up as a net win given the huge cost of health care, especially emergency room fees. When I get back later today I'll have to find MY guard and put it back in place. Thanks for the reminder.

IIRC there is a product that will stop a saw in mili-seconds if the blade comes in contact with a body part. And no, I don't recall how they made it work. They had a video showing someone touching a hot dog to spinning blade and the saw stopped without cutting through the doggie. I think the cost was around $250 as an add on, but would be much cheaper if produced in mass quantities. I'll have to try to remember to research it and post a link here. Keepinig all my fingers will be worth the money to me.

[shooter]

"When table saws are outlawed, only outlaws will operate them" I think that they should require people who operate them to attend a training course so they can be licensed and bonded in tablesaw operation. Anyone caught operating a tablesaw without this piece of paper should be immediately locked up. Maybe something similar to the requirements in your state for building and installing signs would be appropriate. This will ensure that the public is protected, and that no one finds a finger in their sign.

[UFB Fabrication]

Has anyone bought a new gas can. It has a safety switch then a lever to hold open. The only problem Is that you cant put the nozzle in what you are trying to fill so it takes two people or pour gas over what your filling until you hit the hole.

I also had a circle saw that took two hands to turn on then with the saw running you could cut a board.

Lastly a guy was improperly using our iron worker and cut the tip of his finger off. When the paramedics looked for the tip it was just below the warning sign with the picture that you could cut a finger off.

[dave C.]

I remember seing an old episode of "Twilight Zone", "Outer limits" or some such where a doctor who had become a drunk stumbled upon a surgery kit from the future. In it was a scalpal that would cut through tissue but would not cut a blood vessel. Thus allowing him to operate on tumors, etc. Why don't the goverment just mandate that the medical community come up with that one. Then we could really save some lives.

[Brian]

here is to silly government regulations

[SignQuarters]

Mangled a finger off in a log splitter once. It took 3 surgeries and 2 years of pain to get the finger to work again. They did re-attach it. My own fault completely but cost over $8,000.00 in medical bills. If a $50.00 additional charge could have prevented that, it would have been well worth the savings in the long run.

[Brian]

I bought a push mower and it had a disclaimer not to use it to trim shrubs! If you are so stupid you need to be told (with pics) not to trim shrubs with a push mower mabye you need to have your head chopped of so you can't reproduce!

[inkjetgenius]

http://www.sawstop.com/

Interesting video

[Brian]

Neat show but how does it work?

[shooter]

Neat show but how does it work?

Probably senses moisture? How do I add a pic, or did I lose that privelege with my rabble rouser status?

[Brian]

Good thing they used a Oscar Meyer weiner! LOL I wonder if the inventor trusts it enough to use "his" weiner!!!! HAHAHA

Edited October 13, 2011 by chubbygumby

[eng0270]

I bought a push mower and it had a disclaimer not to use it to trim shrubs! If you are so stupid you need to be told (with pics) not to trim shrubs with a push mower mabye you need to have your head chopped of so you can't reproduce!

Chubby a push mower is one thing ... but a riding mower is a whole different story!

Edited October 13, 2011 by eng0270

[eng0270]

I bought a push mower and it had a disclaimer not to use it to trim shrubs! If you are so stupid you need to be told (with pics) not to trim shrubs with a push mower mabye you need to have your head chopped of so you can't reproduce!

Chubby a push mower is one thing ... but a riding mower is a whole different story!

Sorry ... I can't seem to attach photos???