Unfortunately, many splitters are integrated with the blade guard and get removed. Remedy: A splitter with anti-kickback pawls or a riving knife is your best bet in preventing kickback in the first place. In the unfortunate circumstance of the blade binding, the wood lifts up and is thrust back towards you, potentially driving your forward hand across the blade from behind. While guiding a board by hand on a rip cut, you may think your hands are out of the danger zone once they have passed the leading edge of the blade. The consequences of having a sheet of plywood flung into your torso may be obvious, but the potential consequences to your hands may not.
Four Common PitfallsĪlthough no two injured hands are identical, there are some common ways people get into trouble.ģ. The majority of the injured are experienced professionals and advanced hobbyists, both of whom develop a level of comfort with their tools and spend more time with them. I have found that beginners rarely get injured, in part due to healthy fear. The lesson: More experience does not translate into fewer injuries. I could see in his eyes that his spirit was nearly broken.
Although he has returned to woodworking, the recovery process was a real trial for Robert. Ultimately, the index finger was not salvageable and the middle finger was severely compromised by the injury to the nerves and joints. Indeed, in a momentary lapse of caution, Robert had passed his hand across the blade to remove a scrap, partially amputating his index and middle fingers. As I unwrapped the blood-tinged gauze to make my initial assessment, he warned me that the injury was fairly serious. When Experience Leads to Lax Safety Practices, Watch Out!Īt age 70, “Robert” had spent the better part of the last 40 years making award-winning, decorative boxes. Because the table saw, the centerpiece of most shops, ranks as the biggest culprit, I’d like to delve into the four most common pitfalls on this tool and how to remedy them.
In each case, I ask for details on how the injury occurred to assess the mistakes made and the precautions that should have been taken. After more than a decade of clinical work, I have seen injuries with almost every major tool. As an avid woodworker, I truly empathize with my fellow craftsman lying on a hospital gurney trying to cope with his feelings of fear, disbelief, and regret after a workshop mishap. As a practicing hand surgeon in a large metropolitan area, I often find myself in the emergency room trying to salvage the end result of man versus power tool.
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