Reducing the Risk of Injury from Table Saw Use: The Potential Benefits and Costs of Automatic Protection

Abstract

The use of table saws in the United States is associated with approximately 28,000 emergency department (ED) visits and 2,000 cases of finger amputation per year. This article provides a quantitative estimate of the economic benefits of automatic protection systems that could be designed into new table saw products. Benefits are defined as reduced health-care costs, enhanced production at work, and diminished pain and suffering. The present value of the benefits of automatic protection over the life of the table saw are interpreted as the switch-point cost value, the maximum investment in automatic protection that can be justified by benefit-cost comparison. Using two alternative methods for monetizing pain and suffering, the study finds switch-point cost values of $753 and $561 per saw. These point estimates are sensitive to the values of inputs, especially the average cost of injury. The various switch-point cost values are substantially higher than rough estimates of the incremental cost of automatic protection systems. Uncertainties and future research needs are discussed.

Trends in Pediatric Traumatic Upper Extremity Amputations

“…Fewer amputations were caused by lawn mower injuries, machinery, and being caught between objects, potentially due to automatic protections on power tools, more widely available safeguards to childproof doors, and increased awareness. 15,16 However, motor vehicle accidents became an increasingly common cause for amputation. It is unclear in this database whether children in motor vehicle accidents were passengers or adolescent drivers, and the cause for this increase is unknown.…”

An unusual case of suicide: Near decapitation by a modified table saw

“…The fingers are the most commonly injured body parts (85.9%) while amputations occur in 10% of cases [9]. Accidental neck or head injuries account for only 3.1% of all injuries [9], mostly due to the kickback mechanism that occurs when the rotating blade throws the wood back at the user [1]. If the rotating blade hits a piece of metal located in the timber (e.g., a nail), it can also create fast‐moving metal objects that may cause severe injuries [10].…”

“…There are several types of safety equipment (e.g., riving knife, blade guard, antikickback device) that reduce the chance of injuries. Modern proximity sensing technology or flesh (contact) detection systems available in the market since the early 2010s can also be used to avoid severe injuries by stopping the blade or dropping it below the table in milliseconds when flesh is detected [1]. The proximity sensing technology uses a passive infrared sensor to detect the finger, while the flesh contact detection system uses electricity: the operator is standing on a copper‐coated mat, and when the finger touches the blade, it closes an electrical circuit thus detecting the contact.…”

“…Accidental table saw injuries are common and approximately 30,000–40,000 injuries by table saw occur in the United States annually [1]. While 85% of injuries are caused by unwanted contact with the blade, the remainder of injuries are caused by kickback [1]. However, table saw‐inflicted accidental injuries are rarely fatal [2].…”

Penetrating abdominal trauma from table saw use

“…1 Table saw use is associated with approximately 28,000 emergency room visits and 2000 finger amputations each year, with medical costs estimated at more than $2 billion annually. 2,3 The frequency and severity of these injuries are understandable, given that a typical 10 inch, 40 tooth table saw blade rotates at approximately 4000 revolutions per minute (r/min), making 2700 cuts per second and travelling at 120 miles per hour (mile/h). 4 Also as expected, the vast majority of injuries result from contacting the blade directly; the Consumer Product Safety Commission notes that 88% of table saw-related injuries for 2007–2008 were due to direct blade contact.…”