Update: CPSC Opens Comment period on Tablesaw Safety ANPRM

[CDPeters]

Update: As of today Oct 25, there are 190 posted comments on the ANPR - 90%+ opposed to the proposed regulation. Thanks to all who have posted and a reminder to those who have not, this is your opportunity to put your opinion on record.

Comment submission deadline is Dec 12th.

C.

Friends,

The CPSC has posted the ANPRM (Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making) for the tablesaw blade contact proceedings. Use this link to access the text of the ANPR and submit comments electronically.

No matter which side of this issue you come down on, please take the opportunity to submit your well thought out and reasoned comments on this proposed federal regulation.

The comment period is 60 days and ends December 12, 2011.

C.

 

[rex1927]

Re: CPSC Opens Comment period on Tablesaw Safety ANPRM

:thumbs_upI posted and asked that they be left as is.
Come on everyone, post a comment on that site.
Maybe we can help prevent a disaster.
thanks,rex

 

[blazeman45]

Re: CPSC Opens Comment period on Tablesaw Safety ANPRM

I guess if they are so committed then chainsaws and the like will be next on their list. Heck why not cars since people are careless driving them!! Their stats even show that 66% of the injuries were a result of the guard being removed.

 

[froglips]

Re: CPSC Opens Comment period on Tablesaw Safety ANPRM

Thanks for sharing the link. I sent in my comments.

It took me some work to craft something coherent

I kept struggling with contradictions.

"I'm opposed to expanded safety regulations, but I support safety"

Jim

 

[CDPeters]

Re: CPSC Opens Comment period on Tablesaw Safety ANPRM

I know what you mean Jim. I'm holding off on mine, writing down thoughts as I think of them - to be organized into a coherent stream of thought - once I think of everything :rotflm:
C.

 

[b4man]

Re: CPSC Opens Comment period on Tablesaw Safety ANPRM

I rank this up there with one of the most important issues of our industry. I personally will write and strongly encourage everyone here to do the same.:XXcompute

 

[CDPeters]

Bump.

Irregardless of your position, don't forget to put your opinion on record, if you are so inclined to do so.

C.

 

[Pop Golden]

Knowing what I already Know about the CSPC and what they've done to the handmade toy folks It's time to quote Dante "abandon all hope" .

I want a new saw and with this mess looming I'm trying to buy it as fast as I can.

I'm so tired of the government protecting me from myself. When I was a kid we rode out bicycles cross country, through gulleys. Helmets! We didn't need no stinking helmets. In school shop there weren't guards on our saws. We just kept our fingers out of the dag gum blade. BUT! don't feel like the Lone Ranger. This stuff is going on all over. In Europe they've out lawed dado blade sets. That's probably the next thing the CSPC will come up with. :no:

 

[mckenziedrums]

Ok... part of this might bring out the pitchforks but...

Why not?

Setting aside the fact that I read that as the SawStop folks were the ones petitioning for the safety measure... (Which I DO have some issues with):

What's wrong with incorporating a Saw Stop like system into table saws? Other than the potential for an increase in price I can't really see any harm in it. No one MEANS to accidentally saw off their finger but how many woodworkers do you know that have had close calls or actual contact with a blade? Heck, would it be so bad if similar safety features could be introduced in other tools?

Now... I'm the first guy to take the factory installed safety features off a table saw, but that's because they get in the way. I can say the first new table saw I buy will most likely have SawStop written on the side of it because of the safety features and great reviews of the tool in general. Show me three saws that are in the same price range, have the same functional features, all cut well, and then one of them has a safety feature that could save me thousands if an accident happens and it's a no brainer to me. I'm careful around anything sharp and spinning but mistakes and accidents happen and I use my hands too much to risk permanently damaging them.

Now as far as blade guards go... Hey if they came up with a decent one that didn't get in the way that'd be great. Looks like a major concern is that getting them back on is a pain and that's the truth. As long as I retain the option to remove it, I'm good. I might even put it back on if they came up with a good method and I'm just running boards through.

Oh and yea I wear a helmet when I ride my bike, a seatbelt when I drive my car, and sometimes I look both ways before crossing the street. Of course, a helmet probably saved my life in a nasty bike accident and I enjoy driving cars on race tracks at speeds you guys will most likely never travel at.

 

[Pop Golden]

Heck Tim,
If want a SawStop buy a SawStop. I sold these things and I don't want a SawStop. The bottom line here is The CSPC dictates what we can & can not buy. I would like the choice to buy a saw with a safety break system or without this kind of system. The SawStop system has its problems. Cost of replacing a good saw blade when the thing activates by mistake. Another goodie is the lock out system. In order to cut wet or treated wood the safety system must be shut off. If you forget to turn it off cram in some treated wood. Woops! You just bought a new blade and break cartridge. If you turn it off, don't stop and restart the saw you have no safety system and the super safe SawStop will cut your fingers off just like that old Grizzly, Delta or Powermatic. Last but not least is the problem of shoddy saftey practices around a saw that can't cut you. A couple of years ago a shop teacher joined this on=going argument with a letter to WOOD Shop News. He replaced his Delta Unisaw with a SawStop. He stated in over twenty years he had one minor accident with the Delta. The SawStop ? He had six incidents the first year. The kids were trying to see if the break really worked.

About bike or motorcycle helmets. They can be as dangerous to wear as not to wear. As a EMT with a son paramedic we know of situations were the helmet was the cause of broken neck and death. But, again if you wish to wear a helmet wear it. I do not. What again is the problem is choice.

No pitch forks. I just want to make up my own mind without CPSC dictating what I must do.

Bill "Pop" Golden

 

[striker]

Ok, is there a trick to it??....I wrote a comment 3 times and 3 times it failed to save.

 

[JimD]

It didn't accept my comment either.

The issue I tried to point out is that Mr. Gass set an unusally high license fee and when manufacturers declined he started his own company to build table saws including his device (no problem with that) and simultaneously started legal and regulatory action to force us all to pay his high fees. That is inappropriate. Mr. Gass either needs to sell us directly the device if we want it (in his line of saws) or reduce his license fee to something the manufacturers can afford, or wait for a competing technology so it would be reasonable for the goverment to act. Governmental action while Mr. Gass's patents are the only way to meet the regulation turns the goverment into his marketing force. Clearly inappropriate.

Jim

 

[tryingtokeepmyfingers]

I cannot believe it I just saw a TV ad on WGN from a law firm trying to find people injured with table saws so that they can sue the manufactures.... you know one of thoose did you have this hip replacement or did you take this drug and now they have you hurt yourself on the table saw..... seriously america has gone crazy allowing all of this

 

[mckenziedrums]

Jim,

That part I agree with whole heartedly. As I mentioned, I noticed the reference to the fact that the request came from them but I don't know the back ground behind it. The ethics behind that sort of bother me. While I don't see anything wrong with equipping saws with the safety equipment they'd also be creating a monopoly with the current patents I'm sure. IF they were to require this kind of feature on a saw they'd have to open it up to other manufacturers in order to avoid that situation.

Thanks for the clarification.

Oh and Bill: As an EMT I'm sure you have to admit that helmets and seat belts save more lives than they take. I've had to give CPR to a kid that thought he didn't need a seat belt and was ejected and that still haunts me.

 

[JackLeg]

If we think a step or two beyond this, what's next? :dontknow: Band saws, routers, drills, claw hammers? For sure, guns will be! Personally, I fear the "Regulators" more than the lawmakers. They are unrestrained in their efforts many times! :wsmile:
M2CW!

 

[rbradford]

Please take the time to read through the background materials in this rule making. Don't be dismayed by the 200+ pages b/c most of it is repetitive. When you get to the tables of injuries and stats on when, where, who, machine age, etc., don't be surprised if some of the numbers appear odd. Also, look up the current rule in the code of federal regulations. Personally, I'm impressed with the technology of the braking system SawStop uses; but I'm far more distressed that the tenor of the CPSC proceeding appears to support a single patented technology rather than letting the marketplace drive change.

 

[MarkE]

Please take the time to read through the background materials in this rule making. Don't be dismayed by the 200+ pages b/c most of it is repetitive. When you get to the tables of injuries and stats on when, where, who, machine age, etc., don't be surprised if some of the numbers appear odd. Also, look up the current rule in the code of federal regulations. Personally, I'm impressed with the technology of the braking system SawStop uses; but I'm far more distressed that the tenor of the CPSC proceeding appears to support a single patented technology rather than letting the marketplace drive change.

Well said. Please read all of the documentation before making a decision.

I once heard:
Figures don't lie, but liars sure can figure.