- Always wear safety glasses when operating a table saw. Be patient when pushing the board through the blade, as pushing too fast can cause kick-backs or other dangerous situations. Always assume an accident could happen and work to avoid it. Make sure the work area is clear of hazards, such as power cords that could cause tripping, before using the table saw.
- Always use a push stick or handle when feeding a board through the blade. Make sure the table saw has a blade guard to prevent splinters from flying out as it cuts. Use feather boards before the blade to hold the wood steady as you push it through. Fences are useful devices to help get the cut right, but are also important safety devices, so use them whenever possible.
- Keep your table saw clean and in good working order. At a minimum, clean the table and the blade after each use. Set the blade properly for each cut you make. The bottom of the teeth of the blade should just clear the thickness of the wood.
- Most new table saws have all of the potential dangers clearly labeled. The area around the blade, for instance, is sometimes painted bright red. Know where these areas are and, if necessary, create labels or markings to make them clearly visible.
- When cutting dadoes or rabbets, the blade is not visible as you are pushing the wood. Always use push devices, and always be expecting a kick-back since you cannot see the interaction between the blades and the wood.
