THE INJURY THREAD. Post your wounds here.

[Xraywolf]

Circular saws are probably the safest of the saws that can maim, mostly due to their typical use. If it starts to bind you can instantly feel it and back off, or worse case it starts to come back at you which is no problem so long as you have a good grip on it and let off the trigger immediately.

Cutting small parts can be the most dangerous of all on all saws, I absolutely hate cutting small parts on a table saw and avoid doing it like a plague, but sometimes you have to. I always subconsciously put my chin towards my chest, specifically to avoid a throat shot ,, And of course safety glasses are mandatory no matter what, I never cut anything on the job or at home without them, even using a dremel I use them.

I never was much into the residential end, mostly industrial for me but I have done my fair share or roughing/framing over the years and I still do on the side occasionally.
I know guys that take their circular/chop saw blade guards clean off as a nuisance, I refuse to use them and have taken to bringing my own power tools when I work on the side just so I don't have to use some idiots stricken tool. Powerful, exposed, sharp spinning blade, not a question of if but when something bad will happen.

 

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[FreeBirdTim]

There's a simple rule with chainsaws and circular saws to prevent serious injury. Always keep your left arm straight out with your elbow locked. That way, kickbacks won't slice into your neck or some other vital part of you!

 

[kcm]

Xray - right on!!

As for tablesaws, probably the ost likely culprit of kickback isn't the wood, not the blade, nor the operator. The main reason for kickback is that the rip fence doesn't lock perfectly parallel with the blade. If the rear of the fence locks outward from the blade, this is relatively safe. But if the fence locks slightly in towards the blade, ANY BOARD WILL BIND!! Before I use ANY tablesaw, I ALWAYS check the rip fence. First I see if it locks tight. To do this, lock the fence and then forcibly try to move the rear of the fence. On many tablesaws (including top brands), the fence will/can move slightly-to-a-lot. If it locks tight time and time again, then the next thing to check repeatedly is to see if it always locks parallel with the blade. ONLY THEN will I trust a tablesaw!

As for miter saws, make your cuts slow and smooth. Let the blade run its full course before releasing the trigger. Allow the blade to come to a full stop. That said, just as with the tablesaw, MAKE CERTAIN the fence cannot move, even under quite a lot of pressure. My Dad had bought a Delta miter saw. ...Yes, Delta. First time I went to use it, the blade caught a nail hidden in the wood and moved the fence. Everything only took a split second, but that's all that was needed. I checked the bolts and they were dang near ready to strip out from being so tight!

Make sure you use 1) a sharp blade and 2) the correct blade. Is best not to use a general cut blade in a miter saw. Use a crosscut blade. With tablesaws, I also do not use a combo blade, but will change blades between ripping and cross-cutting.

And finally, in my opinion, the most dangerous saw is a radial arm saw. They're wonderful and amazing and versatile machines, but far too easy to screw up if you're not paying attention.

Learn to read wood grain and learn the characteristics of any woods you use. Doing so will help you foresee any potential problems with wood under tension.

Avoid cutting knots, even if they're tight, if at all possible. I've had many tight knots go flying off into the distance.

 

[Xraywolf]

Words of wisdom kcm - You are correct, even a slight misalignment or wobble of the fence is a problem. At worse it can cause serious injury, at best your cut is not going to be square and you might also be putting unnecessary stress/wear on blade and machine.

As far as the most dangerous saw, can be hard to quantify.
It would seem that table saws account for a large majority of injuries, but they are likely the most widely used by the most inexperienced people.

Stats from the link I posted earlier state that:

"In 2003 the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that “93,880 saw-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms”.
Of these 52,000 (55%) involved stationary saws (table saw 38,000 (73%), miter saw 7,640 (15%), band saw 4060 (8%), and radial arm saw 2,300 (4%). The average age of injured party was 51 years old. The average size of the work piece was 2 ft long x 6 in wide by 1 inch depth.
The vast majority of accidents occur while ripping. There does not seem to be a correlation on the type of blade being used at the time the accident occurred."

I'm surprised bandsaw injuries are so high. True they are very potentially dangerous and the larger models can slice off an arm with ease, but I always felt you have to be a real dolt to get injured by one, and I would suspect that every single bandsaw injury is due to operator error.

I would say that, pound for pound, a chainsaw has the most potential to do serious injury in short order, and they didn't even make the list - Probably, again, because of relatively limited use, and most people who do use them know what they are doing and are alert to the danger.
They are very powerful, chain is unguarded by nature of their duties. They are prone to bind and kick without warning, chain can also fly off and flail around and strike any part of your body. I love using them, when a friend or family member has a downed tree I jump at the chance to cut it, not only for free firewood but I get a rush from the power and noise of them ,,, But they do leave me a bit shaky and drained after a couple of hours just from being constantly on guard and alert to the danger inches away from you. A pro tree cutter I would not want to be.

You are right also about using the right blade for the right job [and avoiding cutting into knots] - Along with wood, I cut alot of metal on the job and of course there are specialty blades for that. At home I have a garage CNC racket [posted some of my work here http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/everything-else/515676-other-hobbies-passions.html] ... And I cut/rip alot of thick plexiglas and corian. That material demands a specialty [and expensive] triple chip finish blade, though I confess every now and then I get lazy and cut plexi with a ripping blade and sometimes cut wood with my plexi blade.
But the majority of times I'll take the couple minutes to swap blades, if I had enough room in my garage I would have 2 table saws just to avoid having to swap blades so much.
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[kcm]

You cut plexi with a RIPPING BLADE?!?!? Dang dude, you're a braver soul than I!!

Yes, chainsaw (I'm guessing) didn't make that list because it would be considered an outdoor tool, probably in the Lawn & Garden catagory. Chainsaws aren't "normally" used for woodworking or construction, but of course, exceptions "do" occur!

Someone else wrote earlier about people using miter saws without any guard. Well, they deserve what happens. That's all I got to say on the matter!

I also didn't mention about cutting smaller pieces - mostly because much depends on the factors involved - what saw, what blade, what type of material, what size being cut, straight cut or other, shape of material being cut, etc, etc, etc. Lots of variables. In many cases, a small board can be temporarily attached to another board for safety and better control/accuracy. sometimes it's just a matter of hot melt gluing a small piece, but sometimes I'll use wood glue. I've often planed lumber down to a thick veneer. But how, when very few planers will adjust that thin? I'll take a planed board and run it under my piece, but also with a stop block glued to the front of the thicker board. That keeps the thin piece from being thrown through the planer. Please, make sure there are ZERO knots when planing thin wood!! Many, many more tricks of the trade....but this really isn't a woodworking forum. Not to mention, I've been mostly out of woodworking since injuring my neck 2 decades ago. Have forgotten more than I care to admit!

...Had to look up for a moment to see just what thread this is. Ooops!! Supposed to be talking about injuries, and how can we do that if I'm going on and on about how to avoid them??

 

[Oregon Viking]

For table saws I use featherboards, splitters (riving knife) and blade guards, zero clearance inserts, push Sticks and push blocks.
My compound miter saws have great guards and they get a lot of use. So far I have been accident free (knock on wood).

 

[Xraywolf]

Well, the stats were for "saw related injuries", regardless of use a chainsaw qualifies as a saw.
The stats they have do add up to 100% and surely there were some chainsaw related injuries, so maybe the focus is on shop use I don't know.

We use them on the job every now and then, usually inside boilers where we have to adjust rebricking platforms on the fly in tapered chimneys and no AC is easily available.

 

[kcm]

There was a guy lived a few miles away when I was a kid - their house burnt down and they moved in a mobile home. But he had to remove a couple of trees to get it where he wanted. So the next time I drive by, there's this huge pine laying across a car. Next day it's gone....along with the car. A few days later, the next tree comes down. Takes out his well house. The tree and now-crushed well house stay there for a couple of weeks. If it were me, I'd want to get rid of the evidence as quick as I could! But no, not done yet. A couple months later the mobile home is in, but he takes down a tree in a different area. Seems there was a small storage shed in the way this time. About 3-4 months later there is a new storage shed - bigger and better. It's almost large enough to be a garage. ...Was actually nicer than the mobile home! ....Yes, you guess it. There was still ONE MORE TREE that he wanted gone. ....Say goodbye to the new storage shed.

I don't know what it was about this guy, and I never saw him (or his wife, if he had one) out in the yard. All I know is that after that last tree, there was NO activity there for several months. And when there was, I'm pretty sure he was cooking his own meals, as the flower bed died, the lawn became overgrown and, in short, it was like he just didn't care anymore.

Goes to show that there really is a viable argument for having people get a license and documented certification when buying a chainsaw!

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Ya if the tool has moving"teeth", treat it with respect! It can and will bite.
I've had a chain come off once, and miss. I always inspect it before i run it now.

 

[BigWaveDave]

So that sucked.
A needle real close to the spinal cord. There was a tracker dye along with the steroid and anti-inflammatory concoction....now racing through my left arm.
The herniated disc and bone spur are still there, but the pain management program has been working well....up to a point.
My left arm still falls asleep regularly, but the chronic pain is diminished. Hopefully this will expedite the recovery, along with continued traction and physical therapy.
I don't wish this on anyone.

 

[Oregon Viking]

I just can't "like" your post. I hope you get better! Traction works great.

 

[HobbyHuntress]

For my fellow tool lovers, I have one word for you: SAWSTOP.

Put it on your Christmas list! Luckily, I have not cut any digits off yet. My table saw is a bit wobbly, I need to fix it before I use it again otherwise I'll have a lot more to add to this thread than a lightning strike! I usually hold the table steady with my foot while I am running a board through. Brilliant, I know...

 

[Wscott]

I don't suffer any embarrassment from my accident just months of pain and loss of use. I was working on a ten foot or taller A frame ladder, when the ladder failed. I shattered my left elbow in more than ten pieces. After 18 month of therapy, three surgeries, three plates, more than 26 screws, I have functional use but not full range. I do not let this keep me from working or play, I'm just slower now. I should add I had a head injury is short term memory can be a problem from day to day.

 

[BigWaveDave]

Welcome to the forum Wscott....thanks for sharing your story.....sounds like you've been through alot..... a trashed elbow has gotta suck. I had elbow pain from a bone spur a few years ago, I thought that was bad!
And HHuntress.....howthehellareya!.... I still get "a charge" from your story!

 

[HobbyHuntress]

Welcome to the forum Wscott....thanks for sharing your story.....sounds like you've been through alot..... a trashed elbow has gotta suck. I had elbow pain from a bone spur a few years ago, I thought that was bad!
And HHuntress.....howthehellareya!.... I still get "a charge" from your story!

I'm doin' alright! I've been in Christmas mode!! I haven't broken anything yet! Just finished putting up about 10,000 lights outside and a little over 3000 inside. I'll have to post pictures soon. Thought I was going to slice my hand in half with guy wires while hanging snowflakes over my driveway, my gloves were on the ground so I had to abort mission and grab the gloves.

What in the world!?! Is that your neck? ? ?

 

[BigWaveDave]

Yup....see the needle?
So now my left arm feels like a stoned butterfly.....
Which is better than past two months of my shoulder feeling like it's gonna fall off, and my elbow exploding....all from my neck.

 

[HobbyHuntress]

Yeah - ouch! I can't even imagine! I have a pinched nerve in the C6/C7 area and sometimes a needle sounds like a dream. Hopefully that works for you.

Outdoor Christmas pics are up in my album!

 

[BigWaveDave]

Festive!....
That ladder looks like an injury waiting to happen!

 

[HobbyHuntress]

Festive!....
That ladder looks like an injury waiting to happen!

LOL! I was waiting for it to collapse! I had 2 other ladders up on trees too. Last year, I didn't have the extension ladder and I would put my knee on the side of the tree to keep my old ladder steady.

Two yrs ago I fell off the ladder twice and busted my right ankle during the first fall and my left ankle on the second fall. I fell off the first step both times. Oops.

 

[Oregon Viking]

Here you go....