The table saw is one of the most amazing tools when it comes to cutting wooden materials and at the same time, it is the most dangerous tool compared to the other tools. If you get distracted for a single second, you might end up injuring yourself. But if you carefully use a table saw by taking all the safety measures, you’ll be able to enjoy the blessings of this tool. You will know the table saw safety measurements with tips and tricks gradually in this article.
Why is it Risky?
A table saw is a very dangerous tool and if you don’t use it with caution, you can hurt yourself severely. Here are some of the reasons why it is a risky tool:
Losing control due to the speed: Operators like table saws use tremendous force to cut through the material. Sometimes, because of this excessive speed and force, various incidents can occur. For example, the blade can fall down, the user can lose control over the saw, etc. any of that is extremely dangerous and can cause severe damage.
Slipping and cutting through the clothes: Clothes can be a matter when you’re using tools as a table saw. If you’re wearing a loose t-shirt or a flowy garment, your garment might come under the sawing machine. As the table saw cuts with extreme force and speed, it is much likely that you might end up cutting your flowy clothes and end up harming yourself.
Harming eyes and other body parts: This is one of the most common ways of injuring yourself while using a table saw. The majority of the people get injured in this way. Whenever you’ll use a tool as a table saw, there will be a lot of sawdust, wood chips and small sharp pieces of the material. These sharp elements can easily cut through your skin and harm your eyes.
Slipping and sliding: If your material is damp or wet, there are higher chances that the table saw will slip and slide. As a result, you might hurt yourself badly.
Table Saw Safety Measurements with Tips and Tricks
These are some of the ways through which you can end up hurting yourself and this shows how dangerous a table saw can be.
Safety Tools to Use
- Here are some of the safety tools which you can use to avoid the risks:
- Use safety goggles or safety glasses. You can also use a face shield instead of a safety goggle.
- Use an ear protector that can be adjusted with the frequency and level of noise caused by table saws.
- Use working boots to protect your feet.
- Wear guards like respiratory protection to protect your face.
- Use a sharp blade. Select a blade that’s suitable for the material you’re cutting.
- Clean the blade and sharpen it before using. Use a blade sharpener.
- Every saw comes with a guard. Use that guard to protect your saw from getting damaged.
- Use a higher guard to cover the blade especially when it’s tilted or angled.
- Don’t use a glove as it can make you lose the grip
- Use a push stick.
- Use a fence to protect the area.
- Use a guard that has an anti-kickback finger.
Precautions
Precautions can help you prevent damages to a great extent. Here are some of the precautions that you can easily take:
Wearing protective gears beforehand: Using safety goggles and face shields to protect the body from any type of possible wounds. Besides, a face shield will protect the eyes from specks of sawdust and wood chips. On the other hand, your hearing can be affected due to heavy noise. Wear a hearing protector to save your ears.
Wearing a working boot: Having a strong grip is very important while using tools as a table saw. If you wear a good working boot, it’ll not only protect your feet from accidents, it’ll also give you stability and grip.
Maintaining a good position: If you stand in a straight line with the table saw, then there are higher chances that the sawdust and wood chips will end up hitting your face. Maintain a little distance and look at your position before starting to cut the material.
See the blade’s height: When you place your blade before starting the process, make sure that it’s not higher than 6 mm. This a suitable height. Otherwise, if the blade is too high, it can slip and cause an accident.
Safety while Working
There are some things that you’ll need to be aware of while working with a table saw. These are:
Installing the blades guard: Blade guard must prevent sawdust, nails and wood chips. So, make sure you properly install the blade guards to prevent any kind of accidents caused by sawdust and so on.
Turn off the power before making any adjustments: There will be a time when you’ll need to make some adjustments to the blade. A lot of the time you’ll understand the requirements after starting the table saw. But never reach for the table saw when the blade is moving. Turn off the table saw first, make sure that the power is disconnected and then reach for the blades.
Avoid free-hand cutting: A lot of people try to cut free-hand but you should always use a miter gauge which will act as a guide towards your material. You can also use a fence as an alternative. Typically, a fence or a miter gauge acts as a barrier that prevents the saw from twisting. Nevertheless, it prevents kickbacks.
Make sure you use one of the tools. Don’t use the fence and miter gauge together as it’ll be dangerous. Fences are meant for rip cuts and on the other hand, miter gauges are suitable for crosscuts. However, crosscut-saw is a unique tool to do the crosscut jobs only.
Maintain the right posture while working: When you are using a table saw, make sure that you’re maintaining your posture. Balance is a key while working with tools as the table saw. Try to stand at an angle with the blade. Do not stand directly before the blade. This will keep you safe if there’s any kickback.
Safety after Finishing the Work
Once you’re done with the table saw, make sure you turn off the power. A lot of people tend to check the cuts without turning the saw off. They just keep it aside and proceed to check the cuts. If you keep the saw turned on while doing something else, there are higher chances that it’ll lead to a dangerous accident. So before, you move on with anything, turn off the table saw. Unplug the saw and then check the areas where it’ll need some adjustments. If you find any places where it’ll need some work, measure the areas. Use a fence or a gauge and then plug in the table saw. Maintain a safe distance throughout the time. Finally, when you are done, clear the table. Remove the sawdust and clean the material.
Safety Tips and Tricks
- Never approach your hands with the moving blade.
- Do not advance the piece of wood faster than the maximum speed of the saw.
- Do not let a saw run unattended. Turn off the power and make sure the machine has stopped working before leaving the area.
- Do not wear gloves while performing a cutting operation.
- Do not stand just behind the blade, but stand slightly to the side to avoid injury in case of rebound.
- Do not press too hard on the workpiece. Work with calm and regularity.
Bottom line
By now, you already have read different types of table saw safety measurements and safety tools. Sometimes, a table saw can be quite risky depending on the way you use it. If you take all the safety measures, carefully take the precautions and follow the safety tips and tricks, you’ll surely end up having a smoother experience.