Here we go, CPSC wants safer table saws

[pelligrini]

The current blade stopping tech doesn't always work just to save fingers. A few years ago I stopped by a custom millwork place around the corner from our office. During a brief conversation & tour with one of the workers I noticed a nice looking SawStop. I asked him how he liked it and he said it was a nice saw, but the downtime due to false positives was not so good.

I would love to have the tech on a saw, if it could be had at a lower cost. I'm not sure if I would be singing the same tune after a few trashed WW-IIs. I'd probably still like to have it though. I just don't like the way it's being pushed.

Riving knives were mentioned earlier. My saw didn't need legislation ordering it to have one. It was already on there long before it was mandated.

[mpc]

No imagination necessary - airbags have been mandatory since 1998.

In 1998, FMVSS 208 was amended to require dual front airbags

Huh. Last time I checked it was some sort of "passive restraint" was mandatory - at the time either airbags or moving-mouse style automatic seatbelts were acceptable though the law didn't limit it to those two items - they were just the two that so-far had been accepted.

Airbags make a good case study for "you will have item xxxx on your product" regulations: when first considered, airbags sounded like the greatest thing for safety. The original requirements basically called for protecting a large male not wearing a seat belt: "if a little airbag is good for safety, how about a big one! Let's protect as big a person as we can!" mentality. Until shorter folks, particularly women, were getting busted ribs and other chest injuries from over-powerful airbags. Or getting serious eye injuries because the airbag busted their glasses. Oh... and it turns out airbags + baby seats are a bad combination too so gotta make new regs that say put kids only in the back seat or have some sort of switch to disable the passenger side airbag when children have to be in the front seat (e.g. pickups). As Woodtuner's link says, the airbag laws had to be updated - reducing the airbag power so it wasn't so dangerous to smaller folks. I knew about those changes - the "depowered" airbags and the ones that use sensors to detect the size/weight of a seat occupant and try to adjust the bag appropriately. Hopefully they got the regulations "right" on the second try. The airbag case study shows that what initially appears to be a good idea can have all sorts of unintended and unexpected consequences/problems/issues. Don't rush into things until you're sure you really understand it all!

mpc

[LCHIEN]

IIRC some guy patented airbag concepts back in the 50's.
Unfortunately for him he outstripped the technology and before practical airbags were producible, his patent expired. I think the electronic sensors, and the rapid inflation technology just wasn't there for him.

[Black wallnut]

I remember at Expo '74 in Spokane, WA GM had their own pavilion as did ma bell, NW Orient, LDS, and quite a few foreign countries. IN GM's building they had a rather large IIRC display along with video of driver's air bag safety systems. This was at a time where shoulder belts were usually an option if available at all. Cars have become safer. Safer cars is good; safe, attentive drivers is better. We needed to make cars safer to mitigate circumstances beyond the control of the driver. I don't see the same compelling need for table saws. I believe we are already at the point where we should say enough, at least for non-commercial and non educational saws.

In the same time frame tablesaws have become safer too. I doubt there are many of the inverted circ saw tables in use these days.

[BobSch]

According to this article http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/...94&rid=3356959 from Pop Woodworking there's been a patent filed for a system that will explosively drop the blade without jamming anything into it. It also mentions the system can tell the difference between wet wood and human flesh.

[3thumbs]

I have looked at the SS at Woodcraft, and have seen the weenie demonstration. It is a good, expensive saw. But suppose I go out and buy one for my shop......I'd still have the table mounted router, which I think has the potential to be a real danger. The band saw would still be there, the miter saw, the jointer, and the planer too. There is heavy stuff on high shelves, which create a danger of falls. There are chemicals in there too. Paint, varnish, thinner and a heat source! The whole shop could be a dangerous place to work. I think that shop safety has more to do with being careful in every operation we do and planning ahead for every contingency.
Accidents will still happen, and no amount of nanny state intervention will make us any safer.
Dave

[Uncle Hook]

This discussion reminds me of our nations health care dilemma. The quality and cost of basic health care has gotten so high that a significant number of citizens can not afford it.

I am sure we could save lots of fingers by banning power tool woodworking. The cost of freedom is that people without means are allowed to do things which may be harmful or not good for them.

[LCHIEN]

I have looked at the SS at Woodcraft, and have seen the weenie demonstration. It is a good, expensive saw. But suppose I go out and buy one for my shop......I'd still have the table mounted router, which I think has the potential to be a real danger. The band saw would still be there, the miter saw, the jointer, and the planer too. There is heavy stuff on high shelves, which create a danger of falls. There are chemicals in there too. Paint, varnish, thinner and a heat source! The whole shop could be a dangerous place to work. I think that shop safety has more to do with being careful in every operation we do and planning ahead for every contingency.
Accidents will still happen, and no amount of nanny state intervention will make us any safer.
Dave

I agree that there are lots of shop dangers, but I think that realistically speaking, even when adjusted for the high percentage of shops that have table saws vs. other tools (router, miter saws, band saws) and high percentage of use, still the TS accounts for I'd venture to guess 80% of serious injuries because of the size of the blade and the fact that we hand feed the wood a long distance sometimes.

Idiot proofing TS alone would greatly reduce shop injuries.

[Relative]

Another way to cut down on the injuries:

http://cherryridgewoodworks.com/2010...events-injury/

Mike

[BobSch]

Another way to cut down on the injuries:

http://cherryridgewoodworks.com/2010...events-injury/

Mike

You did notice the date on that article, right?

Right?