# Which power tool causes the most injuries?



## Dadoo

One of the Jocks recently brought up a safety question regarding tablesaws. This got me to thinkin' that there are a lot of power tools out there, which one could be the worst? What do you think?


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## jpw1995

I had a pretty good chunk taken out of my left ring finger by my table saw a couple years back, and I "nicked" a couple more in the same incident. I only call them nicks becasue compared to the big chunk that's all they were. I think I read something somewhere that said the router and the bandsaw cause a ton of injuries.


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## rikkor

They all have potential to seriously bite you. You cannot be casual with anything designed to eat or slice wood.


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## TomFran

If I'm not mistaken, the *table saw* accounts for 40% of all woodworking injuries. This is in part due to the fact that it's also one of the most owned/used machines in the shop.


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## MsDebbieP

I haven't heard of any other piece of equipment shooting wood through walls


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## alindobra

The main reason the table saw is so dangerous is the fact that you need a lot of knowledge to understand where the danger is. For most tools, if you do not put the hand in the blade there is no danger (most cutting tools). Putting the hand in the blade is probably only a minor contributor for table saw injuries. The problem, as MsDebbie points out, is that the table saw is a cannot first and a saw second. Maybe the question we should ask is what is the second most dangerous tool. Surprisingly (I read this somewhere but cannot remember where), chisels account for a large portion of ER visits (might be more than the table saw). Using chisels properly is even harder than understanding how the TS works.

The thing to learn with the TS is to never let go no matter how bad things get. The only serious accident I got in 3 years of woodworking was with a bad tablesaw because I let go too early (the guard was missing mostly because I could never align it with the blade). I immediately purchased a contractor saw and have been safe ever since. I do get myself cut regularly with the chisels (no ER visits though).

Alin


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## Blake

Probably the hammer.

How many of you have hit your thumb with a hammer?

Ooooooh, power tools. Sorry. Yea, table saw.

But you know what else is nasty? Drill press + gloves. Thats a bad combination. Gloves get sucked into the chuck and make Jello out of fingers.

Another one is circular saws ("skill saws"). They kickback just like table saws, but… it is the running saw and saw blade which goes flying toward you instead of just a chunk of wood. We get a lot of contractors coming in to our tool store with missing digits from circular saws.


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## Karson

I little blood and some missing flesh when I touched the side of a table saw blade as I was bringing my hand back to the front of the saw.

A very sharp veneer knife.


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## Russel

I think the table saw can cause the most serious damage, it's pretty unforgiving. My most common boo boo comes from my belt/disc sander combo when I'm holding a small piece and I end up removing finger prints along with wood.


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## MikeLingenfelter

I would say the hand drill. How many of you have you have a Phillips Head shaped scare on one of your fingers . Ok, I don't' have a scare, but it sounded funnier.


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## leonmcd

I'd vote for the radial arm saw. Even more dangerous than a table saw. The whole blade is mostly exposed and it has this scary climb cut feature where the blade is forced toward the user.

It can also throw things quite well. I had it knock my grinder off a table with a 3" x 3" x 6" block of pine. By my estimate it was going about 300 mph when it left the saw.


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## TomFran

leonmcd,

I agree that the radial saw is more dangerous than the table saw, but due to the fact that less people have them, there are less accidents with them. I had a radial saw years ago, but ended up using it only for cutting long stock down to usable dimensions.

Everything you do on radial saw is more dangerous, as you said, because the blade is right there. For almost every process, the table saw is safer.


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## Brad_Nailor

You would think a drum sander would be pretty safe. We were sanding raised panel cabinet doors with a Grizzley dual drum sander, and my partner cranked the handle down too much (in a hurry) and the sander shot the next door he fed into it out the front and across the room, finally crashing into a glavanised trash can bending it in half. I was catching, but walked away from the front of the machine to get a set of dial calipers. That would have been a serious injury if I was in the path of that door. Yes, table saws are dangerous but ANY power tool has the ability to hurt you.


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## DanLyke

I went out looking for real numbers, and found The Consumer Products Safety Commission Hazard Screening Report: Power Tools and Workshop Equipment. It doesn't give as much of a breakdown as one might like, but for the period 1997-2002 it puts "Bench or table saws" at 31,884 ER room visits, 64,651 medically treated injuries, third behind "Manual Workshop Tools" and "Miscellaneous workshop", but well ahead of categories like "Saws, not specified", "Grinder, buffer polisher", or "Welding, soldering, cutting torches".

Obviously there are likely reporting issues and other problems, and none of these numbers are broken down per hours of use, but for a whole bunch of reasons table saws continue to scare me.

However, table saws have a "$0" millions in death costs, whereas those torches and lifts and jack stands will kill ya. Maiming and disfigurement generally beats death, but it's still a matter of "sucks less".


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## tooldork

I agree that a table saw has the potential to be the most dangerous tool for a number of reasons already stated (prevalence amongst users) but I think lack of proper safety precautions and complacency due to heavy use probably play just as big a role.

I've heard that the router is probably the most dangerous because the damage inflicted by a saw blade is relatively "clean" as opposed to a router that will take chunks of flesh instead of a cut. Also, once the bit hits something to cut, it "grabs" on.

Either way, it is important to respect the tools.


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## Chip

I'm thinking the most dangerous tool is the one being used at any particular moment. They're ALL dangerous when not respected. I've seen some pretty nasty fingers on framers that just use a hammer all day (I know, I know, that doesn't count). Probably right about the tablesaw though. At least those framer's fingers were still on their hand.


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## TomFran

Quote from Fine Woodworking small booklet entitled, "The Small Shop:"

"By far and away, the tablesaw is involved in more serious hand injuries than any other woodworking tool or machine. It was responsible for 42% of all the injuries reported, followed by the jointer at 18%, the radial-arm saw at 7%, and the bandsaw at 6%. Although several other power tools - the shaper, chainsaw and circular saw, for instance - seem more hazardous, all figured in fewer accidents than even the hand chisel, which accounted for 4% of the total."


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## Betsy

In my humble opinion the most powerful "power" tool in the shop is the old noggin. If you don't use your head when using any tool, electric or not, you'll get hurt. My goal whenever I go in the shop is to come out with what I went in with, all my digits and all my blood.

I've never had an in shop injury and I hope to keep that in tact by using my head. Only time will tell if I can keep this record going. I've been dabbling in woodworking since 1989 and got serious about it about 5 or 6 years ago. I hope that LJ's will be here when I've completed my 50th year of woodworking so I can report back!

Martin - 50 years - I hope you can keep this going that long!


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## lazyfiremaninTN

As a paramedic, the most injuries I have seen have been from circular saws. I have also met seveal people that have lost fingers to table saws.

Adrian


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## leonmcd

My bad, I just noticed that the title of this topic is "Which power tool causes the most injuries".
One of those senior moment things.

My previous answer was to the question "What is the most dangerous tool". I still think I have the correct answer to that question.

Luckily very few people use radial arm saws ( for good reason ) so the total number of injuries is low.


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## LeeJ

I have to agree with Betsy;

That uncommon thing called common sense will prevent most shop accidents. Most people interviewed after injuring themselves blame the injury on themselves, not the machine.

Pay attention, think things through, if it doesn't seem safe, don't do it.

Repetitive tasks account for a number of injuries, as the mind starts to wander and you find yourself working on auto pilot.

And by all means, always use a spiltter / antikickback devce on tablesaws. I'm amazed at how many people don't use one. This is flat out looking for trouble.

While table saws account for the most injuries, those sustained by a shaper are far worse. Using a power feeder on these machines is HIGHLY recommended.

Stay save ;

Lee


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## DannyBoy

This makes me beg the question, how many hear have had serious accidents with tools (power or otherwise)? That's probably a question for another thread…

I (knock on wood) haven't had any thing more than a scrape, cut, or bang from any of my tools so far. My wife is a bit to nervous for me to take any unnecessary chances. However, last year I did learn the hard way not to feed a piece through a router table between the bit and the fence. Shot out of my hand and flew out my open garage door, over my wifes car (thank God), and out into the middle of the street. I was lucky enough to feel it happening and let go so my fingers didn't go with it. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

~DB


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## MyronW

As a side note, one of the problems encountered in shop class is the blur of a spinning blade. Younger students tend to think of blurry things as "soft", so there is an inclination to test that notion by touching it. Shop teachers need to spend a lot of time teaching safety with clever demonstrations, in order to really drive home the potential for disaster.


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## USCJeff

Wasn't it a Toolcrib's survey that ranked the "user" as the most dangerous tool. Most accidents are things that we all know shouldn't have been done, but were done nonetheless. Using tools for uses they are not intended for has to account for many as well.

I find myself in trouble when forcing a screw with a drill or something similar. I should drill the proper pilot, but I try and muscle it. Bit in the finger.

My biggest real fear is kickback. I respect my tablesaw and take the right steps in being safe, but things can still go wrong. I had a board kickback and break a solid wood panel in half. Work safe all.


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## woodnut99

I think, being a sculptor w wood mixing power-tools in the pictures is plain dangerous all together but I do it. When I just have to make stuff, and the proper power tools aren't available like a chain-saw or table saw. I've jammed thumbs trying to cut trunks in chop saws, seen spikes of wood fly by from table saws, still have a bottle of wood glue that was behind me that a shard of ipe wood pierced it like a sword stuck w, one end out each side lucky it wasn't my fore head. seen co- worker get caught from a grinder pull his t shirt up to his neck, another 1/2 inch…man. good topic


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## toyguy

My vote goes to the radial arm saw as well, I have both a radial and table…...But it's that radial arm that scares me the most….. Like already said, that big spinning wheel is coming right at ya…
I hear ya about small pieces on the sanding belt…....I almost never have to cut my nails..

The fact is, no power tool is safe if misused…they all command respect.


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## Dadoo

Well guys, I've done a little research into this question and find that the #1 accident causing tool is the grinder. They didn't reinterate whether this was a bench grinder or a hand held unit though. The injuries caused were to the eyes mostly (45%) and to the soft tissue (44%). Here's some other tidbits to consider:

About 125,000 serious injuries due to power tools occur annually.

90% of those injuries are lacerations and similar type injuries.

Around 32,000 table-saw related injuries occur every year.

COMMON CAUSES:

Innattention through repitition.

Unexpected event.

Inexperience, or overconfidence.

But the stats state that the most tool injuries come from simple hand tools. So whether it's a hand or power tool, we gotta be careful!


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## USCJeff

Thanks for the stats Dadoo. On the topic, I've been sanding some small intricate parts using drums as well as a benchtop belt/disk sander. I was a little lazy and decided to just hold the small part. No big deal, but a did touch the sandpaper twich which made for a very smooth index finger! Should've used a hand screw, clamp or pliers to hold the work.


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## TomFran

Dadoo,

I assumed that we were talking woodworking related accidents. I guess your research was based on any/all tools.


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## wooddon

I( agree the radial saw is dangerous but if you realize that and use it correctly it is a GREAT TOOL. I would not give it up for anything.


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## boboswin

I've been watching Norm Abram for the better part of 20 years and he still has all his fingers and both eyes,
I could go on but I think I can rest my point here. <g>
Have a merry x-mas guys.

Bob


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## TomFran

Good point Bob. I do think that although it's not a very "happy" subject, it's good to remember when we walk into our shop, that we have to be careful with all these machines and tools.


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## dennis

I'll add my ladder to the list. That might be more home constuction than shop work but I can get real comfortable standing on that "do not stand above this step" warning.


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## CaptnA

Great topic and a great chance for us all to mentally smack ourselves and remember some of the "dang that was close" events over the past year(s). Too many of us seem to forget the immortal words of Norm - be sure to read understand and follow the directions that come with your tools and to ALWAYS wear these - safety glasses!
Having been responding to people's "oops" events for over 30 years I've seen the results of many accidents of every nature you can imagine. Chainsaws although not often thought of as a 'shop tool' are indeed used in many shops and by a lot of wood workers. Few woodworkers don't have a table saw. I can't think of a woodworker that doesn't have a drill(or 12)... sanders routers, the list seems endless. The catch word being POWER - more power - and we just are no match for it. 
The tool you're using right now is the most dangerous one at a given time. That (Lord help me) wobble head dado in the drawer isn't going to spring out and attack you ~ 
Inattention, tiredness, , children, poor maintenance, lack of skills, dull edges, misuse - the causes go on and on…
Most of the accidents come down to one basic cause- WE did something wrong. 
I am getting better at preventing accidents. ( about time) When I'm done for the day - I'm tired and am ready to go so every time I go into my shop I start the coffee and spend a little time cleaning, putting away, vacuuming sawdust etc. 
How often do we examine our tools? I have a friend whose dad was running a grinder when the wheel came apart. I'll save the gore but after 4 surgeries he lived. Worst part of the story - the day before- the grinder was knocked over- wonder if the wheel got cracked…
The frequency of injury is so underreported- who do you tell when the sander reshapes your fingerprint or the lathe drive finds your knuckle? Look at the numbers posted above and just think how many dozens of oopses happened for each er visit. 
Trust me I'm not meaing to be up on a soap box, I'd likely fall off! I've oopsed myself too many times! Perhaps we all can do our part to NOT be a statistic or require a visit from the local Fire/EMS crew.


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## roman

I still have all my fingers and all my toes but I doubt if its due to brains but rather luck.

I was at a shop when a guy some how managed to circumsize himself with a stationary grinder….....dont ask. I've seen so many fingers go flying, almost always a TS. Sometimes the shaper (and its the only tool that to this day makes my adreneline pump) reshapes the fingers and palms but for the life of me

everytime I use my foredom power carver with a big Kutzel steel bit I manage to grind a portion of a finger into hamburger pate'

I probably couldnt count the amount of times the nail gun put a nail through my finger.

Cheers


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## miles125

I've seen the jointer get quite a few people. Table saw has to top the list though.


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## odie

It's not the tool…It's us. Where our minds are at time we defy the rules to work by, god only knows. A table saw and a router table both bit my fingers once. Both accidents were do to stupidity or the mind wondering.

Where I live though, the most dangerous tool, hands down, is the change saw. The weekend firewood cutter keeps our hospital emergency room full in the spring.


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## Pimzedd

As a "shop teacher of 34 years" the worst accident by a student operating a machine was on a radial arm saw. Student was cutting multiple pieces with a stop block attached to the fence and cut off the tip of his thumb past the nail. I will never forget his scream. He just got in too big of a hurry.

I team taught with another teacher and he had two table saw accidents by students, one serious. He also had one serious jointer accident by a student.

All student accidents occurred due to the failure to follow a known safety rule on which the student had been tested.

By the way, I have 9 1/2 fingers myself, lost part of one to an plastics molding machine while reaching around the guard!!! It does not pay to get in a hurry and take shortcuts!


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## odie

I hate that…did I write "change saw" instead of "chain saw"?


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## Radish

Considering the topic, Odie, change saw was probably more at the truth than chain saw.


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## TreeBones

I would saw the table saw first and the shaper second. *Safety First*


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## MsDebbieP

the grinder… my husband was a mechanic and welder and we made many visits to the emergency room to get pieces of rust/metal out of his eyes. The one visit, I was about 8 months pregnant… they had me in a wheelchair and half way to the delivery room before I could say that it wasn't me that we were there for! Fastest service we ever received in emergency-I almost wanted to take them up on it because they were so nice! ha.


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## CoolDavion

As a novice, I will tell you that I have a healthy respect for my table saw (and other power tools).

I think that with anything, power tools, cars etc. it all boils down to the user not having that respect.

I recently added a featherboard to the fence, just for my own safty/piece of mind. It is not a substitute for or loosing that respect, but wanting to keep all 10 fingers.


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## scottb

you know, my circular saw scares me more than my table saw. I know where to stand and where to put my hands with the table saw. Use push sticks or a sled. But if a circular saw decides to kick back, it's coming straight at you no matter where you are. Head, chest, leg or crotch… not good… especially if you're up a ladder, on the porch roof…


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## North40

Scottb - that reminds me of building my new shop this spring. It's a pole building, and one of the holes was too deep so the pole was shorter than the others. We decided to half-lap a short piece on the top to make up the difference. Guess who got elected to take the worm-drive saw up the ladder to cut a half-lap over his head in a 6×6 pole?


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## jockmike2

When I still worked in the foundry they were having trouble with sand sticking in the castings. At the time I was working as an inspector on the end of the line. Of course Goodyear at this time owned the plant I worked in, so they sent down some engineers to find and fix the problem. To us that worked there we knew already that the shaker at the end of the mold castings wasn't long enough. But what did we know. Anyway one day these three engineers were standing at the end of the line watching the castings come out of the shaker and the guy there grab the casting, a brake drum, with a hook and hang it on a chain that ran up through the top of the shop, back and forth, to cool off, they came out of the shaker at around 800 degrees F. Hence the guy at the end picking them up with a hook. Well after watching this guy pick up these casting for around 15 minutes one of the engineers reached over and picked one up with his bare hands. Then stood there looking at all of us frozen as if he could'nt move. Finally the guy with the hook grabbed it out of his hand. Now this guy knew this was a foundry, he knew this was the end of where they had just poured moulten iron 2800 degree brake drums he knew they were hot, yet he reached down and picked one up. I guess my point is some people are stuck on stupid and no matter what you can't help them until they loose a couple digits.
And thats my 2 cents. I've seen some crazy stuff in the shops I've worked in. Another case in point, they brought in an OSHA fellow, thats before they were MIOSHA, a young guy had lost fingers in a press accident, you guessed it, the OSHA guy had someone show him what happened and the same thing happened to the OSHA guy. I swear its true. You can't regulate stupidity. Because a person goes to college, does not give them common sense. mike


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## GaryK

Anything sharp that you aren't paying enough attention to.


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## karatewood

I have been a professional woodworker for 38 years and have never been injured on a woodworking machine save eye dust. I have seen hands ripped off, fingers cut off, arms severed, people impaled by severe kickback from gang rip saws and ect. If you ever get in a hurry turn off the machine or device and take a walk somewhere else and think about how saving a few seconds can cause ghost pains in fingers or limbs that are not there anymore. Take the time to set up properly then double check yourself before hitting the start button. I cannot stress enough set up right. If you do not know right then take the time to find out what right is. I run just about every type woodworking machine industrial sized in our own company and do take walks from time to time because I kind of like my fingers and hands. 3600 rpm is 60 cuts a second with a 1 knife tool 120 with 2 knife, a 2 wing moulder head at 6000 rpm is 200 cuts per second and is made to pull you in if you make contact with the knife. Do yourself and your family a favor think it thru before using it.
A good friend of mine was cutting short blocks on the sliding table saw, the river was not attached behind the blade. This was soft maple prone to internal stress 5×8 inch pieces. One short piece had a lot of tension and pinched the blade and the back of the blade sent it flying with so much force it ripped most of his hand off. Now he has half a thumb, 1 full finger and 2 very short ones. The blade was never contacted this was kickback force alone from a 16 inch saw blade. This was a production enviroment with getting it on the truck in mind not personal safety. Weather you are a hobbiest or professional with 40 years experience you can still get hurt seriously. Work like you will live for 1000 years and enjoy yourself safely.


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## RAH

I feel most vulnerable when I am doing something repetitious and get in a zone. I usually stop and take a break.


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## Frank

....I would have to say that blaming tools, (power tools//hand tools) for accidents, injuries and death….is like removing the responsibility from the one using those tools!

Up here where I live we get a lot of snow and so when it snows, do the number of accidents go down or up for that given day, compared to a day without snow….you do the math. Snow does not cause accidents, injuries or death, but speed does and so when folks refuse to slow down what can one expect, but sudden impact with whatever gets in their way.

This is the same with any kind of tool out there….ignorance is no respecter of a persons attitude, whether it comes to being a part time woodworker or a full time woodworker. Be ignorant of the tool you are using, and what can go wrong, and you are only a number waiting to happen in some hospital room or grave yard marker.

One chooses to be ignorant by not understanding the tool they are using, how many times….and I can no-longer remember the number of times, that folks have come and asked me about how to use a tool, after they have already used it and failed to get the results they thought the tool would bring them. And then the times of silence that follow when I ask; "did you read the owners manual?"....duh, like whats that.

How many times can I say over and over again…."if you don't take responsibility to know your tool and respect your tool….then when you draw that last bit of air, don't blame your tool, blame yourself!!!"

Everyday, before I use whatever tool I'm using….power or hand, I first will take the time to examine the tool and if that tool is not up to '*righteous standards of integrity*', then I don't use the tool. Does that mean that I am not going to proceed with what I had planed to do, until the problem with the tool is fixed….yes, I will stop and proceed no farther. What the numbers and statistics fail to take into account, is the ignorance of attitude that many have with their tools. What I have seen with chainsaws, makes me not want to repeat, since the response is usually "how could anyone be so dumb as to do that, as they go off and do the same dumb action."

If you are not planning on being safe by being informed on the tool you are using….and that also includes respecting your tool, yourself, the person working with you, your spouse and your children then you should just put your tools away and give up woodworking….since in essence what you are really doing, is planning to have an accident, injury or cause a death. I have stayed alive, with all body parts still attached and working, by *planning to be safe and planning to stay safe*. Woodworking is not for those who have no-time to learn the rules….the tool you dis-respect will be the one that stands up and kicks you in your face. This is a rule I have taught, and so whenever I am working with someone who does not respect their tools, I will send them packing….no-second chance. I have heard others talk of their mistakes and near misses with power and hand tools and this makes me sad, for one of the hardest things is to try and tell someone why they should plan on being safe, when they have already had a near miss. And make no-mistake, having a near miss and then living to tell about it does not give one 'bragging rights'. This is like telling someone about the dangers of kickback on a 7 hp chainsaw….and forget about thinking the chain brake is going to save you in that less than one second, and they've already survived some kickbacks with a 2-3 hp chainsaw. Ignorance has a way of making one think that, because I survived to tell the story….I've learned my lesson and it won't happen again. The only problem with that kind of thinking is that the graveyards are full of these types and more folks are dying to get in the same way.

If what I'm writing here sounds hard….then so be it, because if I can change one persons thinking about safety….and that means not safety first, which just amounts to some nice sounding words, but first, *plan to be responsibly safety minded and then the tools you are using, whether they are power or hand, will in like manner follow after your example!*

The best information one can ever receive about that new tool they just got, is before doing anything with that power cord or action of hand….read the owners manual and then take some time by examining your tool, and this is even after putting it together….take some time and think about what can go wrong and how will I prevent that from happening, plus what will I do in case, one day….my sky falls in….and remember, power and hand tools do not cause accidents, injuries or death….but attitude and ignorance in the minds of people do!

Now having said all this, let me say that I am not saying anything bad about anyone who has written here or elsewhere on LumberJocks….so if my words have offended any, then forgive me as this is only my opinion and I mean no-dis-respect to any….however if I can offend any enough, to change their attitude on the tools they are using and therefore cause that one, (and yes, even if just one) to further live out their life with fullness of body parts, then stoning me by the multitudes I will accept. However, I might add that I have all-ready planned on being safe from stoning and know what to do if that should ever happen….LOL.

....only my two cents worth, but that two cents has the power to make one "work smart, work safe, and live, to work the wood…."

Thank you. 
GODSPEED,
Frank


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## USCJeff

I would venture to say that more experienced woodworkers are more likely to have an injury. Not because they use their tools more often, but rather they have been lulled into a false sense of security after years of no accidents. Many operations still scare me despite having knowledge of how to operate safely. I actually am a bit thankful that as I think about my actions and methods in relation to my desire to keep all my body parts attached!


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## matter

I have had one serious shop accident. TS when I was 15. I was ripping 1" x 5" sections of parquet flooring, and like most 15 year olds, was cocky and started ripping away. The part started to shake, and I stuck my finger down right on the blade to stabilize the part. Smart, Eh?

Big shapers make the biggest mess- I saw a guy split from the web of his thumb, halfway to his elbow from a De-sta-co clamp from a kickback

Jointers leave the least to put back on- I have seen the remnants of a wedding band glinting from a pile of gore and sawdust

Like a few others said, the woodworker is the most dangerous tool in the shop. All of these accidents were avoidable.

Matt


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## TREEBOY

No serious injuries yet but I generally draw a bit of blood everyday. I agree about the cordless drill with a robertson bit. My scariest has been table saw fly back and chainsaw kick back while standing on scafolding. People who buy wood craft have no idea how good of a deal they are getting!


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## robscastle

My Table saw gives me a nose job










I was squaring timber on my table saw and went to move the fence not realising there was an off cut at the back.

Upon the fence pushing the offcut onto the rotating blade it propelled it up and out straight onto my nose.
It was so fast I didnt even realise what had happened, but sure felt it.

The next day after I had recovered I repeated the event again to find out what actully happened.

Here is the projectile









Here is the impact area some distance away (see the helmet on the floor)









To my surprise the projectile landed inside my garage some distance away.

Why is my saw guard modified?

I needed to use my saw without the anti kickback claws damaging the material being cut.
I needed to bring my saw blade within 2mm of the edge of the blade
I still have to remove it completely when doing closed rebates.

So the situation arose where the guard could stay off all the time, bad move.

So I made the perspex top and added the hinge at the rear to hold a rare earth magnet enabling the anti kick back claws to be held up out of the way when cutting material the claws were damaging or scratching, like cutting perspex.

I hindsight I should replace the perspex with another piece twice as thick to increase the mass and hopefully prevent it being forced up.

Robert Brennan


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## RH913

Years ago when I went to a furniture frame shop with my father, I asked the owner, who was a friend of my dad'd, which saw was best for a home shop.
His response was, "that all depends on which finger you want to lose." 
There wasn't a man on the line that had all their fingers.

BE VERY CAREFUL


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## Ripthorn

I don't know which, but I just cut my pinky pretty good on the bandsaw last night. I occasionally get a decent flesh wound that reminds me just how dangerous these things are and what kind of respect they deserve…


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## kepy

I would agree with the table saw because it is the most commonly used but my experience was with the router and I have a dead finger with some of the bone missing from that episode. So yes any power tool is dangerous if not used properly.


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## BillWhite

Well, my REALLY stupid accident happened when I tipped my bandsaw over on me. Didn't break me, but it sure trashed the front cover of the BS.
I'm still afraid of my TS.
Bill


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## b2rtch

Any tool if not used properly can be dangerous.
If you are afraid of using a tool, do not use it; it will be even more dangerous to you just because you are not comfortable using it.


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## Dal300

I wonder how many accidents are reported as opposed to unreported. An ROS road rash accident is just as bad as lopping off a finger if it get's infected. 
I ripped my wrist open in 5 places once by dropping a Craftsman sawblade out of it's packaging. I didn't get stitches, I used Super Glue to pull the meat back together, along with some Hydrogen Peroxide and a liberal dose of Bag Balm. I have scars, but no other problems from that one.

I never reported this to anyone other than my wife who then whupped up on me for not going to the ER. My answer was why? I've been cut worse with Barbed Wire and used the same or similar method to clean it and go on with work.

In the 1960's I had a job, (at 12 years old), riding fence on a ranch of 15,000 acres. this involved following every fence line and repairing any breaks in the wire or weak posts. I rode a horse and the line shacks were about 12 miles apart. Staying at a line shack was great.. there was firewood and canned food left by the support guys that came out once a month or maybe every 6 weeks. Many times I would be working on 5 or 6 fences in the area so I would be out from the line shack for a couple of days at a time. If I got hurt, I had to fix it myself. If I found a cow in distress from birthing, I was expected to take care of it.. (Do you know what a calving chain is?). Not all calves are born in the spring and we had a lot of Brown Swiss cows with several wild multi breed bulls. I know in one section I found 4 Brahma mix bulls that were all torn up and about 50 Brown Swiss cows ready to calf….. in late May.
Trying to catch and subdue a wounded bull is no fun for a 12 year old. Sometimes I would have to shoot them. I have been torn up by bull hooves and by bull horns, it wern't NO Fun! 
Pulling a calf from a cow with a small 'orifice', when they have a huge calf cross ways ain't no fun either…. I've had my nose broken a couple of times by a cow hoof.

I always took care of it and none of it was ever reported to an official agency. Why would it? The same with wood working. Stab yourself with a chisel, and you fix it yourself, do you report it?


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## Jeff28078

I have been injured by a table saw. Luckily only a scar remains. The only other power tool that has hit me is the drill press. It's an exposed cutting tool that's hard to put a guard on.


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## timber715

from a reputable powertool company, the most dangerous tool would be the "Angle Grinder". It is because the blade or disc is often blunt and gets little respect unlike bladed tools.


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## CyberDyneSystems

If we answer the topic question without any disclaimers, the answer is the tablesaw.
But again, this is due to ubiquity and ignorance more than anything else. 
I don't consider this an accurate indicator of which tool is the most dangerous to use.

IMHO, attempting a RIP cut on the Radial Arm Saw (RAS) has the highest likelihood of causing injury of any woodworking machine.

Like the tablesaw, the RAS also has the potential, even higher in fact, to turn a strip of wood into a meat seeking missile. It's tendancy to do so was one of the reasons RAS have had a bad rap from it's inception.

The tablesaw gets the higher statistics because everyone has one and or uses one. Many people these days have never touched a radial arm saw, they are a dieing breed.

Getting a RAS set up so it cuts accurately, and using it safely takes a LOT of additional know how. Much more time and effort needs to go into it than a tablesaw. Multiply this fact by the additional issue that most RAS saws made after the late fifties/early sixties were not as well set up out of the box, and that tolerances slipped,. dramatically.. and it gets harder and harder to find one set up for safe accurate work. Most of them found in the field are accidents waiting to happen.

Today there is only one RAS saw being made that is worth considering, and it is a rebuild of an older DeWalt made by "The Original Saw Company"


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## joebloe

Out of REPORTED injuries it is the table saw.there is no telling how many injuries go unreported.I don't talk about putting a drill bit threw my finger,or hitting a finger with a hammer.or nicking a finger with a box knife.Every piece of equipment in our shops can get you one way or another.


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## mikema

One statistic I would like to see, is the number of injuries per type of machine, though that would probably be impossible to track. When compared to other stationary/bench top power tools there are a lot of table saws out there that tend to be the most used machine. I definitely think the statistics out there are skewed towards the fact that a TS is likely used more then any other machine in a shop. They are still a dangerous machine when not used correctly, but that doesn't make them the most dangerous machine in the shop. I would rank a RAS/Shaper right up there with them.

Also, as for kick back, any machine that has spinning or moving blade can cause some degree of kickback. I have even seen a band saw launch a small piece of wood that got wedged between the blade and insert. Any tool with a spinning/moving blade can be equally dangerous when not using common sense.


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## Milo

I've routed my thumb (doc had to super glue the pieces back in place), been bitten by the table saw, put a screw drive through my hand, and thought my throat was torn open by a flying piece of kickback.

What was the common denominator???

Stupid, stupid me….


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## darinS

I don't know if it has been mentioned, but the lathe can be a bit dangerous. I warn you now, this link is graphic so if you have a weak stomach or just don't want to see, please don't click.

http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=41444


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## knotscott

The one that causes the most injuries is likely the one that gets the most use…..


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## Stormy

The one between your ears. You know the one that told you not to do what you were doing because it was dangerous. Worst thing about getting hurt, is the stupid feeling you get because you really know better.


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## MR_Cole

Tip of my finger came off in a table saw a couple weeks ago. Defiantly a table saw because there are so many factors that a tiny mistake will send wood flying at you at 100 mph.


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## CyberDyneSystems

Lathes already terrified me! I really did not need to see that! ( yes I did actually )

We have a pretty sizable woodworking lathe in the shop, an Old delta 46-525, 55" bed (40" between centers)
and I've had a few scary moments with it.

The thing about wood Lathes, ( different from metal working lathes in this regard ) ...in my opinion you simply cannot learn to use a lather WITHOUT having those scary moments.

The tools are hand held, and require developing a feel for them to get good results.

You can read a pile of books and get good instruction prior to ever touching one, but I can not believe it is possible to get the feel of how to use the tools, especially the Skew, without having some simply horrifying blunders along the way. Hopefully of course these blunders damage no more than your project,. usually this is what happens and we learn to avoid it.


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## TedW

Answer: The one with which you become overly complacent.

A table saw is less dangerous, when you pay attention to what you're doing, than a screwdriver in the hand of a negligent fool.


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