Safety instructions for table saws

  • Keep guards in place. Guards must be in working order and be properly mounted. A guard that is loose, damaged, or is not functioning correctly must be repaired or replaced.
  • Always use saw blade guard and riving knife for every through–cutting operation. For through-cutting operations where the saw blade cuts completely through the thickness of the workpiece, the guard and other safety devices help reduce the risk of injury.
  • After completing a non-through cut such as rabbeting, restore the riving knife to the extended-up position. With the riving knife in the extended-up position, reattach the blade guard. The guard and riving knife help to reduce the risk of injury.
  • Make sure the saw blade is not contacting the guard, riving knife or the workpiece before the switch is turned on. Inadvertent contact of these items with the saw blade could cause a hazardous condition.
  • Adjust the riving knife as described in this instruction manual. Incorrect spacing, positioning and alignment can make the riving knife ineffective in reducing the likelihood of kickback.
  • For the riving knife to work, it must be engaged in the workpiece. The riving knife is ineffective when cutting workpieces that are too short to be engaged with the riving knife. Under these conditions, a kickback cannot be prevented by the riving knife.
  • Use the appropriate saw blade for the riving knife. For the riving knife to function properly, the saw blade diameter must match the appropriate riving knife and the body of the saw blade must be thinner than the thickness of the riving knife and the cutting width of the saw blade must be wider than the thickness of the riving knife.

  • DANGER: Never place your fingers or hands in the vicinity or in line with the saw blade. A moment of inattention or a slip could direct your hand towards the saw blade and result in serious personal injury.
  • Feed the workpiece into the saw blade only against the direction of rotation. Feeding the workpiece in the same direction that the saw blade is rotating above the table may result in the workpiece, and your hand, being pulled into the saw blade.
  • Never use the mitre gauge to feed the workpiece when ripping and do not use the rip fence as a length stop when cross cutting with the mitre gauge. Guiding the workpiece with the rip fence and the mitre gauge at the same time increases the likelihood of saw blade binding and kickback.
  • When ripping, always keep the workpiece in full contact with the fence and always apply the workpiece feeding force between the fence and the saw blade. Use a push stick when the distance between the fence and the saw blade is less than 150 mm, and use a push block when this distance is less than 50 mm. “Work helping” devices will keep your hand at a safe distance from the saw blade.
  • Use only the push stick provided by the manufacturer or constructed in accordance with the instructions. This push stick provides sufficient distance of the hand from the saw blade.
  • Never use a damaged or cut push stick. A damaged or cut push stick may break causing your hand to slip into the saw blade.
  • Do not perform any operation “freehand”. Always use either the rip fence or the mitre gauge to position and guide the workpiece. “Freehand” means using your hands to support or guide the workpiece, in lieu of a rip fence or mitre gauge. Freehand sawing leads to misalignment, binding and kickback.
  • Never reach around or over a rotating saw blade. Reaching for a workpiece may lead to accidental contact with the moving saw blade.
  • Provide auxiliary workpiece support to the rear and/or sides of the saw table for long and/or wide workpieces to keep them level. A long and/or wide workpiece has a tendency to pivot on the table’s edge, causing loss of control, saw blade binding and kickback.
  • Feed the workpiece at an even pace. Do not bend, twist or shift the workpiece from side to side. If jamming occurs, turn the tool off immediately, unplug the tool, then clear the jam. Jamming the saw blade by the workpiece can cause kickback or stall the motor.
  • Do not remove pieces of cut-off material while the saw is running. The material may become trapped between the fence or inside the saw blade guard and the saw blade pulling your fingers into the saw blade. Turn the saw off and wait until the saw blade stops before removing material.
  • Use an auxiliary fence in contact with the table top when ripping workpieces less than 2 mm thick. A thin workpiece may wedge under the rip fence and create a kickback.

Kickback is a sudden reaction of the workpiece due to a pinched, jammed saw blade or misaligned line of cut in the workpiece with respect to the saw blade or when a part of the workpiece binds between the saw blade and the rip fence or other fixed object.

Most frequently during kickback, the workpiece is lifted from the table by the rear portion of the saw blade and is propelled towards the operator.

Kickback is the result of saw misuse and/or incorrect operating procedures or conditions and can be avoided by taking proper precautions as given below.

  • Never stand directly in line with the saw blade. Always position your body on the same side of the saw blade as the fence. Kickback may propel the workpiece at high velocity towards anyone standing in front and in line with the saw blade.
  • Never reach over or in back of the saw blade to pull or to support the workpiece. Accidental contact with the saw blade may occur or kickback may drag your fingers into the saw blade.
  • Never hold and press the workpiece that is being cut off against the rotating saw blade. Pressing the workpiece being cut off against the saw blade will create a binding condition and kickback.
  • Align the fence to be parallel with the saw blade. A misaligned fence will pinch the workpiece against the saw blade and create kickback.
  • Use a featherboard to guide the workpiece against the table and fence when making non-through cuts such as rabbeting. A featherboard helps to control the workpiece in the event of a kickback.
  • Support large panels to minimise the risk of saw blade pinching and kickback. Large panels tend to sag under their own weight. Support(s) must be placed under all portions of the panel overhanging the table top.
  • Use extra caution when cutting a workpiece that is twisted, knotted, warped or does not have a straight edge to guide it with a mitre gauge or along the fence. A warped, knotted, or twisted workpiece is unstable and causes misalignment of the kerf with the saw blade, binding and kickback.
  • Never cut more than one workpiece, stacked vertically or horizontally. The saw blade could pick up one or more pieces and cause kickback.
  • When restarting the saw with the saw blade in the workpiece, centre the saw blade in the kerf so that the saw teeth are not engaged in the material. If the saw blade binds, it may lift up the workpiece and cause kickback when the saw is restarted.
  • Keep saw blades clean, sharp, and with sufficient set. Never use warped saw blades or saw blades with cracked or broken teeth. Sharp and properly set saw blades minimise binding, stalling and kickback.

  • Turn off the table saw and disconnect the power cord when removing the table insert, changing the saw blade or making adjustments to the riving knife or saw blade guard, and when the machine is left unattended. Precautionary measures will avoid accidents.
  • Never leave the table saw running unattended. Turn it off and don’t leave the tool until it comes to a complete stop. An unattended running saw is an uncontrolled hazard.
  • Locate the table saw in a well-lit and level area where you can maintain good footing and balance. It should be installed in an area that provides enough room to easily handle the size of your workpiece. Cramped, dark areas, and uneven slippery floors invite accidents.
  • Frequently clean and remove sawdust from under the saw table and/or the dust collection device. Accumulated sawdust is combustible and may self-ignite.
  • The table saw must be secured. A table saw that is not properly secured may move or tip over.
  • Remove tools, wood scraps, etc. from the table before the table saw is turned on. Distraction or a potential jam can be dangerous.
  • Always use saw blades with correct size and shape (diamond versus round) of arbour holes. Saw blades that do not match the mounting hardware of the saw will run off-centre, causing loss of control.
  • Never use damaged or incorrect saw blade mounting means such as flanges, saw blade washers, bolts or nuts. These mounting means were specially designed for your saw, for safe operation and optimum performance.
  • Never stand on the table saw, do not use it as a stepping stool. Serious injury could occur if the tool is tipped or if the cutting tool is accidentally contacted.
  • Make sure that the saw blade is installed to rotate in the proper direction. Do not use grinding wheels, wire brushes, or abrasive wheels on a table saw. Improper saw blade installation or use of accessories not recommended may cause serious injury.