Anyone who has ever operated a table saw knows just how dangerous it can be. One wrong move and you lose a finger in seconds. Each year, table saw blades sever over 4000 fingers from hands, while over 67000 injuries relating to skin wounds, cut veins, broken bones, electric shock, burns, nerve damage and injures to other parts of the body, caused by objects flying from the rapidly spinning blade, are sustained. 

We at Gölz have put together a list of important table saw safety tips, which if paid attention to, can help you avoid accidental limb amputation and keep yourself, and those around you safe. Remember! Do not override table saw safety procedures; they exist for your protection.

1. Read the instructions manual.  This guidebook is there to help you operate and store the equipment correctly. It outlines a list of safety precautions that you need to be aware of. 
2. Never look away while operating a table saw. That is the fastest way to lose an appendage. If you can’t see what you’re sawing, you might do something dangerous.
3. Do not use your hands to clear scrap bits or sawdust from your sawing table. Rather use a push stick that is 15cm in width or less as a clearing device. 
4. Don’t remove the blade guard. It prevents you from accidentally touching the blade. If you are cutting wood, the splitter keeps the material from pinching on the blade and kicking back. 
5. Never operate a table saw while wearing gloves. You could lose grip power and tactile sense. 
6. Always wear proper eye protection such as safety glasses and noise-cancelling headsets that prevent hearing loss. Eyes need to be protected from damage caused by projectiles and standard eyeglasses do not the job. 
7. Wear short-sleeved clothing that is not loose fitting while you saw. Along with dangly jewellery, loose-fitting workwear might get caught in the blade and yank you into it before you can react. 
8. Use proper positioning and stance. Stand comfortably, with your feet far enough apart for good balance and wear footwear with non-slip soles.  
9. Keep the floor in front of your saw free of cut-offs and piled up sawdust. These could cause you to trip or slide into the saw blade.
   
10. Use the correct safety equipment as well as respiratory protection. 
11. Only cut safe materials that your table saw is designed to cut. Some materials are twisted, have oddly shaped edges or may not be suited for saw use, which can cause kickback that results in broken bones and more.
    
12. Make sure that the saw blade is not moving before you adjust the saw blade.
    
13. Always disconnect the table saw from its power source before changing the blade or performing any other maintenance operation.
14. Never make free-hand cuts on a table saw. A  saw’s teeth move extremely fast and have a lot of torque. Without the support of a fence or mitre guide, you will be unable to guide your workpiece with the precision necessary to avoid kickback, or worse. 
15. Use common sense. Ask yourself if an action or behaviour is potentially unsafe. Consider the possible repercussions and if any manifest in your mind, avoid them. Using common sense can go a long way with table saw safety, so don’t discredit it.