GENERAL POWER SAW TIPS
Table Saws:
Adjust the table saw blade to project about 1/8 inch above the wood.
Make certain the work piece is out of contact with the blade when starting or stopping the saw.
Keep the body out of the way. Use a push stick when ripping narrow strips.
Lower the saw blade below the table top when work is finished.
Radial Arm Saws:
When cross-cutting wood, lay the stock solidly on the table and against the back guide. The saw blade should rotate downward as viewed by the operator. Pull the saw with one hand while the stock is held with the other hand.
Never reach across the line of cut.
When making miter cuts, secure the locking devices to prevent the saw from changing angles or digging in.
Return the saw to the rear position after completing a cut.
Band Saws:
Keep the saw blade set evenly and with the correct tension. Push the stock through the blade with the hands on both sides of the line of cut.
Hand-Held Circular Saws:
Do not work in wet areas unless standing on a dry surface and make certain the saw is properly grounded. Do not clamp or wedge the
guard in the open position. Keep your finger off the trigger when carrying the saw. Do not cut the power cord. Wait until the blade stops before laying down the
saw. When finished, unplug the saw and put it out of the reach of children.
Saber Saws:
Select the proper blade for the job. Make sure it is sharp, undamaged and securely tightened in place. Do not turn on the saw when the blade is in
contact with the work piece. Hold the saw firmly with one hand and steady the work with the other. Keep your hand and other objects clear of the blade.
Portable Circular Saw Safety Precautions
Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields complying with the current national standard and a full face shield when needed. Use a dust mask in dusty work conditions. Wear hearing protection during extended periods of operation.
Don't wear loose clothing, jewelry, or dangling objects, including long hair, that may catch in rotating parts or accessories
Don’t use a circular saw that is too heavy for you to easily control
Be sure the switch actuates properly. It should turn the tool on and return to the off position after release.
Use sharp blades. Dull blades cause binding, stalling and possible kickback,
Use the correct blade for the application. Check this carefully. Does it have the proper size and shape arbor hole? Is the speed marked on the blade at least as high as the no-load RPM on the saw's nameplate?
Is the blade guard working? Check for proper operation before each cut. Check often to ensure that guards return to their normal position quickly. If a guard seems slow to return or hangs up, repair or adjust it immediately. Never defeat the guard to expose the blade by, for example tying it back or removing it.
Before starting a circular saw, be sure the power cord and extension cord are out of the blade path and are long enough to freely complete the cut. Keep aware of the cord location. A sudden jerk or puling on the cord can cause loss of control of the saw.
For maximum control, hold the saw firmly with both hands after securing the work piece. Clamp work pieces. Check frequently to be sure clamps remain secure.
Avoid cutting small pieces that cant be properly secured and material on which the saw show can't properly rest.
When you start the saw, allow the blade to reach full speed before contacting the workplace.
When making a partial cut, or if power is interrupted, release the trigger immediately and don't remove the saw until the blade has come to a complete stop.
Portable Circular Saws
www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs/oa05000.html
All portable, power-driven circular saws having a blade diameter greater than two inches must be equipped with guards. The upper guard must cover the saw to the
depth of the teeth. The lower guard must also cover the saw to the depth of the teeth, except for the minimum arc required to allow proper retraction and contact
with the work. When the tool is withdrawn from the work, the lower guard must automatically and instantly return to the covering position.
Switches and Controls
www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs/oa05000.html
All hand-held powered circular saws having a blade diameter greater than two inches must be equipped with a constant pressure switch or control that will shut off
the power when the pressure is released.
Miter Box Saws and Chop Saws
http://siri.uvm.edu/ftp/ppt/handsafe/sld040.htm
Stay alert to keeping hands and fingers away from the blades path as it has a downward cutting motion
Be sure all guards are in place and working. If a guard seems slow to return to its normal position adjust or repair it immediately
Use only recommended size and RPM rated blades
When installing or changing a blade, be sure the blade and related washers and fasteners are correctly positioned and secured on the saw arbor
From NIOSH
www.cdc.gov/niosh/elcosh/docs/d0100/d000021/d000021.html
Cuts and amputations. Make sure the saw blade is not touching anything before you turn on a saw.
Do not drop-start a chainsaw. To start a saw with a starter cord, put one foot on the back handle, put
one hand on the top handle to keep the blade off the surface, and use the other hand to pull the cord.
OSHA says a circular saw must have a guard above and below the base plate. Keep the blade guard and
other safety devices on the saw. Make sure the blade guard goes back to the fully guarded position
after you cut.
Hold a saw with both hands. Do not use your leg to prop up a saw. To prevent kickback, hold your
forward arm straight and do not cut above chest height.
After you turn off a saw, hold it away from you until the blade stops turning. Do not prop the saw on
your leg while the blade slows down. Turn off a saw before you carry it anywhere.
1. University of Maine Cooperative Extension Power Tool Safety: Choose the correct tool for the job. Power Tool Safety Bulletin #2329 by Dawna L. Cyr, Farm Safety Project Assistant, and Steven B. Johnson, PhD
Rosemont, IL; May 4, 2005— The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) recommends that individuals take the proper precautions to prevent hand-related injuries while tending to Spring projects. Each year, thousands of people suffer maiming or amputations of their fingers or hands due to improper handling of power saws.
In a 2001 study, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found that over 50,000 people were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with table saws, band saws, miter saws, or redial arm saws in the calendar year. Contact with the saw blade was the major hazard to power saw operators, followed by being hit by stock or cutting material. An injury sustained from a power saw could quickly and suddenly have devastating consequences involving severe lacerations and fractures. Nerve, tendon, vascular injury and amputation are possible as well. Fingertip injuries are the most common with the thumb being the most commonly injured digit. It has been determined that a circular table saw can sever a human forearm 6 centimeters in diameter in just 40 - 60 milliseconds depending upon the feeding power of the saw.”Power saw injuries are usually very serious, often requiring delicate surgery followed by weeks or even months of rehabilitation,” said Jeffrey C. Wint, MD of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. “"Even with treatment an injury may result in permanent changes to the function of the injured hand and upper extremity."
An inexperienced operator is more likely to be injured with a power saw than with other tools. These injuries are likely to be more severe than with other tool injuries. While tool design may be responsible for some power saw injuries a primary source of injury comes from failure to properly use the equipment and exercise sound safety principles.
To prevent hand injuries, the ASSH suggests the following safety tips when using a power saw:
• Never look away from your work.
• Never use your hands to clear the scraps from a sawing worktable, instead, use a long stick.
• Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry around the wrists.
• Keep your finger off the trigger when carrying a portable power saw.
• Use the correct blade for the application.
• Use sharp blades. Dull blades cause binding, stalling and possible kickback.
• When starting, let the saw reach full speed before cutting and support the work firmly so it will not shift.
• If the saw stalls, switch off the power and unplug the tool before trying to restart it.
• When working with metal, secure the metal materials with clamps or in a machinist’s vise to keep it from moving.
• Check for proper blade guard operation before each cut.
• When starting or stopping the saw, make sure the work is not touching the blade.
• Lower a table saw blade below the table top when finished.
• Keep a clear head, concentrate, and DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL before using a power saw!
Whether removing tree branches, building a deck or working on another Spring project, use caution when operating a power saw. If you are injured seek prompt medical attention. Delay in treatment can lead to a higher risk of infection or tissue loss. The damage done to a finger, hand or any site often exceeds what may be initially apparent due to the force of these types of injuries. Make the safety tips presented here common knowledge and practice in your home and workplace. Know your equipment and its limits
taken from contents of ASSH press release of 5/4/05 at www.assh.org for www.handctr.com and www.safehand.org
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