Table Saws

Table saws cause tens of thousands of serious injuries every year, including many amputations. Most come from hand contact with the blade and from kickback.

• Construction
• General Industry

Set-up

• Blade guard and riving knife (or splitter) installed and aligned
• Anti-kickback pawls in place
• Blade height set just above the material (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch above, or per the manual)
• Fence parallel to the blade and locked
• Saw stable and level; outfeed support for long boards
• Push sticks and push blocks within reach

Ripping and crosscutting

• Rip cuts (along the grain) use the fence. Crosscuts use the miter gauge or a sled, never the fence alone.
• Use a push stick whenever your hand would come within about 6 inches of the blade.
• Stand slightly to the side of the blade, out of the kickback path.
• Feed steadily all the way through the cut. Don’t stop halfway.
• Turn the saw off and wait for the blade to stop before clearing scraps.

• Don’t reach over or behind a spinning blade.
• Don’t use the fence and the miter gauge at the same time (the piece can bind and kick back).
• Don’t cut freehand.
• Don’t wear gloves, loose sleeves or jewelry near the blade.
• Don’t cut warped or twisted boards on the fence.

Last updated: October 1, 2026