Hand injuries may force CPSC to act

Safety in the shop

CPSC is the Consumer Product Safety Commission. From an article today, in USA Today:

…CPSC estimates there are an average of about 10 finger amputations a day, just from table saws used by consumers…

From the article, the battle lines of a large argument and possibly a larger lawsuit are setting up. The CPSC side is pushing for legislation to make table saws safer, by incorporating existing flesh-detecting technology. Another group, including the Power Tool Institute and amateur woodworkers, claim the technology “…is too costly and not foolproof…”

Stay tuned for further developments!

On a separate note: We were on the North edge of yesterday’s blizzard. It is very hard to estimate accurately – total snowfall was less than 8-10 inches.  But 24-inch and deeper snow drifts are now on the 390-foot driveway to the the four-lane highway that runs in front of the property. It will be a day or two before it is cleared by equipment much larger than our tiny and ancient 13-HP tractor.

— Al Navas