A table saw is often identified as one of the most dangerous power tools used in a woodworking shop. Following these basic safety guidelines will make your work much safer.

1. Use a guard

Use a safety guard whenever possible. Guards are put on power tools for a reason, for the user's safety, and are designed to keep the operator's body parts safe from injury. Because of its traditional bad design, some woodworkers remove their table saw guard to carry out the operation without hindrance. If your current guard is getting in the way or hindering visibility buy a better onethat doesn't.

2. Use a zero-clearance throat insert

Usually table saws are sold without this accessory, but by adding a zero clearance insert you can avoid trapped pieces of waste trimmings and reduce tear out.

3. Use a push stick

A push stick is a safety item designed to keep your fingers intact when feeding through materials smaller than 6 inches (152mm) wide. You can purchase a push stick or make one yourself from scrap materials. Keep it located on the fence ready to pick up and use for those small fiddly jobs. If it gets cut you can always make another one but fingers you can't replace, well not in proper working order anyway.

4. Keep your work space tidy

By keeping your table saw clean and debris free is not only a good work practice but a good safety initiative. Never be reaching out in front or behind the blade to move things out of the way, you are asking for trouble. Your focus should be on passing the wood through the saw blade. You cannot solely concentrate on that while trying to clear debris away.

5. Keep the saw tuned and aligned

Many of the blunders that occur on table saws are owing to sheets of board being pinched between the blade and the fence. The fence must be running parallel to the blade and perpendicular to the saw table. Alignment is critical. Always check the alignments before each project and do so with the machine turned off.

6. Don't stand behind the blade

When your saw is in operation, never stand directly behind the blade. This zone is known as the kickback zone, and if you neglect to pay attention to this area you will get injured.

7. Turn the power off

When your table saw is not in use make sure it is switched off. When caryying out any set up or alignment checks, cleaning and maintenance duties or changing saw blades make sure the machine is turned off.

8. Eye, ear and nose protection

Always wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris or sawdust being thrown up in the air. Also use proper industrial ear muffs to protect your ears from the excessive noise of the table saw which will, in time, cause irreparable ear damage. And also use dust masks which cover your nose and mouth to protect you from breathing in fine sawdust particles.

9. Clothing and hair

If your hair is long make sure it is tied back and out of the way and make sure your clothing is suitable; no loose sleeves, neck-ties or jewellery that can easily get caught up in saw blades.

10. Install dust collectors

Make sure that some type of vacuum dust collecting system is connected to your table saw. This will remove most of the sawdust generated by your saw, reducing the amount of dust you ingest, creating a healthier workshop environment.

If you keep these safety tips in mind while working with your table saw you will keep healthier and prevent accidents from happening.

Learn more about this author, Janette Peel.
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