Reply by 8iowa

I’ve been woodworking since ‘83 and the saw guard is on all the time. Thru the years upgrades have given me anti-kickback pawls and a riving knife. The only time the saw is used without this guard is when dadoing or making non-thru cuts. Then I use a push block. I can’t even recall any “close calls”.

Apparently, most emergency room visits are made by experienced woodworkers and professionals. Disaster can happen in a split second, often with a chain of minor events and distractions. Murphy’s law is always in place.

-- "Heaven is North of the Bridge"