# How safe are we really?



## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

I have noticed that the forum "Safety in the Woodworking Shop" gets very few hits compared to other forums on this Lumber Jocks site. Safety is not something we should assume we know and don't need reminding. When there is so much concern over safety recently, I feel I need to speak up to enlighten and educate the woodworker as to safety issues. We all have our own ideas of what safety is or isn't. I will try to address the issue of safety, as it is a very important part of woodworking. Woodworking accidents are growing in numbers due to the influx of new woodworkers and do-it-your-selfer's. One of the most dangerous new trends is the proliferation of U-tube videos. Although there is a lot of good information available, there is unfortunately also a lot of misinformation regarding safety. Anyone watching such a video, can come away thinking it's ok to emulate the video. Most times safety is not addressed, or even implied. Anyone following such a video and ending up on the injury list, could sue the video maker. I would think twice before posting a "how-to" video.

Tool safety is a topic I have been giving much thought to recently. I have been reading accounts of injuries that have been sustained by table saw operators. There appears to be two schools of thought. One school stresses knowing your machine and staying focused on the job at hand. The other school seems to favor safety devices that will protect the user from injury, such as "Sawstop" technology, use of riving knives, blade guards and after market devices, like feather boards, grippers and hold-down devices. Some of these devices do seem to provide a certain measure of safety, but not a guarantee. Used correctly, they can and do provide safety. I have found that safety instructions included with every power tool, if followed 100%, can reduce the chance of injury by 100%. The problem here is, especially with new tool users is to skip the warnings and cautions and get down to the "lets make sawdust". It has been my observation that injuries caused by power tools has been by first time tool users. I don't know how many people read the safety section in an instruction manual, but I would wager a very small percentage. I probably am guilty, but I have read safety rules at some time. Safety rules appear to be the same for any power tool, regardless of type. Some people read the safety rules and others don't. Of those who do read them, many read, but don't comprehend fully the consequences of making contact with a spinning saw blade. If you are a gun person, you know that a bullet can injure or kill you, but you can't comprehend it until you are shot. Power tools, especially tools with spinning blades can inflict serious injury similar to those from a firearm.

On the question of comprehension, a child goes to school; reads his schoolbook, takes a test and fails to give the right answer. The reason why is because the child either didn't study or did study, but failed to comprehend what was read. Adults can and do show the same behavior. Joe DIY'er comes home with his new and first table saw; is anxious to make sawdust, casually glances over the instruction manual, flips the switch and enters the unknown zone. With luck, he gets by without any problem. He may have read the safety instructions, but may not have comprehended them. This is a pretty common phenomenon. I realize in this world of high pressure, people are not able to apply 100% of their attention on the task at hand, as there are other things that require attention. Unfortunately, woodworking and working with dangerous power tools does require 100% of our attention.

We are required to take a test for a driver's license. Some states require gun safety courses, Commercial Drivers License (CDL) applicants have to demonstrate their ability to operate their 18 wheeler. Airline pilots have to demonstrate their ability, as do ship captains. OSHA is there to protect workers in the work place, but there is no one there to protect the home diy'er from power tool dangers that I know of, but maybe there should be. I am certainly not in favor of any agency getting involved in my use of tools, but if left unaddressed, could result in federal intervention, and we don't want to see that. I wasn't aware, but it seems someone is keeping track of injuries caused by power tools as reported by hospital emergency rooms. I don't recall the latest numbers, but it appears it's getting to the point that some congressmen are starting to pay attention. While we don't want to see restrictions placed on us, like in Europe, we must take responsibility for our own safety and work safely.

Enter Sawstop. Although many are opposed to the inventor, Steve Gann, he may be trying to close the gap left by the DIY'ers non-comprehension of safety instructions. The safety instruction are there, but if you choose to ignore them, the resulting injury is your own fault and no one else's. Sawstop steps in and protects us from our own stupidity.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

Pretty safe.


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## Picklehead (Feb 12, 2013)

Can you see the common element in the need to test people for the following licenses: Driving, commercial driving, gun use, airline pilots?

All of those activities have the potential to endanger *OTHER* people.

*MY* stupidity in *MY* workshop endangers *ME*.

The need to protect others from my stupidity is understandable.

The need to protect myself from my stupidity is not.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

It's easy to couch quarterback, you risk nothing. Put yourself out there and teach safety, make your own videos, write your own articles, rather than just preaching how unsafe others are compared to you.


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## InstantSiv (Jan 12, 2014)

Is there any recent developments with sawstop and law? I hear the same thing but it keeps popping up like it just broke.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

Right on, Picklehead! A person has to take responsibility for his/her own safety. I've injured myself a couple of times, and just suffered through it as opposed to suing, say, the school district, when I was 14 and hurt myself on the disc sander in summer school wood shop. It was my own damned fault. 45 years later, the injury is almost invisible. There are other unintended self-inflicted wounds that don't bear mentioning, and didn't involve suing anyone, since I was the responsible party.


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

I read, comprehend & follow all the safety rules of the tool I'm using….
I also wear these…. safety glasses!!!


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## DanielS (Feb 4, 2013)

I tend to try to work as safely as possible. I use handtools almost entirely. I use the same safety skills that I learned in school for safe lab practice and (not always common) common sense. No matter what type of tools that I'm using, I find keeping my work area clean and taking my time are the biggest factors in staying safe.
I will get cut sometimes, luckily never too badly. My girlfriends daughters working with me adds another level of safety prep. Things that I would assume no one would ever do are around every corner. The rule that seems to help is, everything in the shop can cut your fingers off, so keep them out of the way.
I also wear safety religiously (that doesn't mean just on Sunday).


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## roadguy (Jun 1, 2014)

Mr. Ron,

I'm a new member to this forum and proud owner of my first table saw. I also survived a chainsaw to forehead (20 feet up in a tree) when I was a young, fearless (stupid) man so I know a little about what you speak. Fortunately I had a rope and a really good plastic surgeon. And no, I did not sue anyone.

I just want to say I second your thoughts about safety. This machine I bought can slice through fingers in an instant, and I don't think anyone can over emphasis the need to "be careful out there."

Picklehead posted about the need to protect others from our own stupidity but not from our own. That's where I must respectfully part ways. There are any number of dangers in society where we have to protect people from their own stupidity. Think airbags, cutoffs on lawnmowers, chain brakes on chainsaws.

Does anyone really think these were bad technological advances or that manufacturers were wrong to implement them? The societal costs of not implementing them (whether voluntarily through the marketplace or legislatively) became prohibitive in terms of product liability litigation, medical costs, lost productivity etc. None of us lives in a vacuum.

Sure the guy may loose a finger (or two or three) in a saw. Let's assume he doesn't sue the manufacturer. Instead he's disabled and possibly out of work (and on unemployment and medicaid). Do we care? You bet we do, we're paying for it!


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

*roadguy*, but there are also some things that no number of safety warnings will ever fix and that is utter stupidity, for example;

putting you miniature poodle in the microwave to dry it after a bath
using a hair dryer in the showers or bathtub
cleaning the exhaust chute of a snow blower while it is running

Need I say more?
Some people do not understand how things they are using every day work so they do not know how to use them safely or properly. Power tools are no different, if you don't know how these tools work, you cannot use them safely and properly.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

I agree with the thought that everyone needs to be safe in their own shop. I have been fortunate. I have received a couple small "dings" from equipment. Nothing major, but incredibly good learning experience. I choose the safest route I can.

I think there is too much "video game mentality" in the world. They feel if something goes wrong they can just restart the game. In the real world, that doesn't happen. Doctors cannot always sew it together again. But I don't like the idea of the government mandating safety devices. We don't need more regulations and you should be responsible for your own actions. If you are making bad decisions with the tablesaw, then you are making bad decisions with other tools as well. We need to use all of our tools properly.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

oldnovice, When I lived in the Boston area in the 60's, my across-the-street neighbor did exactly that; clean the exhaust chute with the snow blower running. He lost several fingers. I remember that day. I was sitting in my living room and I heard a scream come from across the street. I went to investigate and found him. He had just gotten the machine and was just trying it out. I suspect he didn't bother to read the manual through.


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## oldretiredjim (Nov 14, 2011)

MrRon thanks for the write-up. 399 views means 399 people at least opened the file. Safety is personal until some insurance company is stuck with the bill. Then all our rates go up. Cutting off one's hand or having a close encounter with energized equipment has lots of secondary implications. It doesn't hurt any of us to occasionally think safety. Thanks again.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

A thank you to MrRon….I hope that many people will stop and think about safety. Yes, the addition of such things as riving knives, blade guards and other things such as SawStop provide additional safety. However, one can not emphasize the importance of the human part of the safety.

I worked for 40 years in a very heavy industrial environment where the majority of the operators had 35 or more years. We still had accidents that should have been avoided. We developed procedures on how to do things safely, created safety committees with the majority of those on it being operators. We still had accidents where either someone failed to follow the procedures or just had a distracted moment. It on only takes a second to have a serious accident.

An accident does not only effect yourself….your wife, kids and others that depend on you are also effected by your injury and potential loss of being able to work.

Take a second before you turn on a machine and ask yourself if what you are doing is safe or if there is a better way of doing it.

One thing that did seem to help reduce accident rates was meeting just before a shift and discussed a current safety issue and allowed everyone to discuss safety. Each of us should take a second or two and thing about what they are doing in the shop and the potential accidents and how to avoid them. Just going in and starting equipment up while your mind is somewhere else is not the way to avoid accidents.


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## knotheadswoodshed (Jun 14, 2012)

I think Monte pretty much nailed it (no pun intended).


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

The woodshop is as safe as you are! end of story.Some woodworkers immediately employ a safe working life long attitude and retire without a blemish on their record.It helps me to be responsible purely for myself and only myself.Of course everyone should be safe and I hope we do all take it very seriously.However I have seen some things in books and videos that are shameful to say the least. Alistair


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

To address the title comment and the original statement, "I have noticed that the forum "Safety in the Woodworking Shop" gets very few hits compared to other forums" It is because the safety discussions all happen in Threads with the word "*SawStop*" in them. 

(Also safety tips VERY often happen in the threads concerning certain tools or procedures  IME that is, and IMHO a good place for them as well.


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## SuperCubber (Feb 23, 2012)

The problem with your post is that the folks here aren't usually the ones that need to heed your warning. Generally, the novice DIYers aren't heading over to a site like LumberJocks to learn more about what they are about to do.


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## JADobson (Aug 14, 2012)

I think one reason why I find it difficult to read the safety sections in owners manuals is because of the over cautiousness our litigious society requires. Hammers come with big warnings to always use safety glasses (no one does though). I suppose when people read the manual they can have trouble distinguishing between what is proper safety and what is manufactures ass-covering.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

I bring the same awareness to the shop that I do riding my motorcycle. When I'm on the bike, I assume that everybody else on the road is deaf, blind, and actively trying to run me over. I pretty much look at my power tools the same way, as something that is doing its level best to try to hurt me. I never crank up a power tool of any type unless I am rested, fresh and very, very afraid.

For example, on two separate occasions the switch on my vintage Shopsmith has failed to turn the machine off, which leads me to believe that it could have come ON by itself.

I cleaned and adjusted the switch the first time, second time I replaced it.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I have only had one serious accident but fortunately it didn't injure me. It was a kickback. However, I have found that I am tempted to get in a hurry sometimes and I always try to catch myself when this happens. You just have to stop and relax and take a break when this happens. When you are tired just stop.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

Good write-up, Mr. Ron. As well as for Redoak49.

Of course YouTube will never be a substitute for in-class learning of safety and common sense by a good teacher/instructor - but this seems to be the trend for future generations at this rate.

From what I read and see about serious carpentry workshop injuries - it's usually about table saw use, followed by hand-held circular saw use, then maybe band saw and lathe use?. And it's usually about someone not paying attention, working late and tired, and/or rushing a job. So IMO those are the real issues that need the most safety training or preaching about. And yes, using a Sawstop is not a substitute for safe table saw use - I think I can safely say most of us already understand this, so I wonder why the Sawstop debate keeps popping up.

I'd also classify a secondary category of safety issues that would include finishing products storage (fire safety), compressor safety, breathing safety (dust collection/filtration) and the like.

Beyond those, I did accidently belt sand my thigh once while wearing shorts. It was 80 grit. I don't recommend the experience. Otherwise, I have been lucky so far.


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