Garages can be dangerous. From garage doors falling when they shouldn't, to the presence of numerous fire hazards, to the whole range of sharp objects and power tools lying around, this is a space where safety needs to be honored.
But perhaps one of the most dangerous objects frequently found in garage workshops is the table saw. According to a report by Patrick McCombe at FineWoodworking.com, a study recently published in the Journal of Trauma found that an average of 31,400 people per year receive emergency room treatment for table saw injuries. That's about 86 ER visits per hour, with 10 percent of them involving amputations. And this is just for people injured in home workshops, not on the job.
I've known a fair number of those unfortunate victims over the years, but I'm glad to report that I haven't been one of them. Before I got involved in woodworking and carpentry, I worked for a number of years as a machinist. All that experience with big, powerful, metal-cutting lathes, milling machines and boring machines made me very aware of the damage that a split second of inattention or sloppiness can cause.
Table saws are extremely useful tools, and I believe that they can be operated safely year after year if a user shows the proper respect. The article cited above contains links to several useful sources of information on table saw safety, as well as contributions from a number of readers about their thoughts and experiences.
If you have a table saw in your shop, it's probably worth giving yourself a refresher course on safe handling from time to time. And if you are thinking about getting a table saw, make sure to make safety your first concern. There just aren't that many woodworking projects that are cool enough to compensate for a lost thumb.
Photo © karindalziel, flickr/Creative Commons
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