MARCH 31, 2008
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff is participating in voluntary standard activities for Stationary and Fixed Electric Tools (ANSI/UL 987). This standard provides performance requirements for table saws that include specific performance requirements for safety features such as blade guards and riving knives.
Based on data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), the estimated number of emergency room treated injuries associated with table saws averaged 29,000 per year from 1991 to 2000. The injury trend remained stable during that time period and into 2002. As part of a special study on stationary saw-related injuries, follow-up interviews were conducted on NEISS cases treated between October 1, 2001 and December 31, 2001. The special study identified incidents associated with table saws that had been recorded under codes such as “saws, not specified” or “other power saws.” The identification of these additional incidents allowed more precise injury estimates to be computed for 2001 (38,000 injuries) and 2002 (38,980 injuries).
The CPSC staff is participating in the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Electric Tools Standards Technical Panel (STP) which covers UL 987 Standard for Stationary and Fixed Electric Tools. The STP for electric tools convened for the first time in February 2003 and was presented with a proposal that all table saws incorporate a system to detect contact between a person and a saw blade and that could react to reduce the severity of the blade contact injury. There was also a proposal for a requirement that all table saws have a riving knife similar to those required on European table saws to reduce the incidence of kickback; the standard was revised in January 31, 2005, to incorporate the riving knife requirement.
Additional Information
Incident Data:
- Injuries Associated with Stationary Power Saws
- Hazard Screening Report – Power Tools and Workshop Equipment
Voluntary Standard and Code Activities:
- Staff's comment to UL ballot for adoption of IEC 62841-3-1 and addition of AIMS requirements for table saws, March 11, 2016
- Staff Comments on the UL Proposal to Add Active Injury Mitigation System (AIMS) Technology to the Voluntary Standard for Table Saws, March 24, 2015
- Response Letter from PTI to CPSC Regarding Staff Analysis of 2007-2008 Special Study, August 22, 2014
- Comments on UL Ballot Regarding a Proposal of Changes to Table Saw Requirements, June 27, 2014
- UL 987, Standard for Stationary and Fixed Electric Tools, October 22, 2007
- Comments on UL Ballot Regarding Table Saws, May 29, 2007
- Table Saw Industry Meeting on Blade Contact Injuries, October 28, 2005
- UL Table Saw Guarding Working Group meeting, November 29, 2001
- Underwriters Laboratories Meeting on Education Video, June 15, 2000
- Underwriters Laboratories Meeting on Table Saw Injuries, December 8, 1999
CPSC Staff Reports, Memoranda and Contracts:
- Table Saw Blade Guard Survey, May 2016
- Survey of Injuries Involving Stationary Saws; Table and Bench Saws, 2007-2008, March 2011
- CPSC Staff Analysis of Table Saw Type Reported in 2008-2008 NEISS Special Study, June 2014
- Petition CP 03-2, Requesting a mandatory standard to address table saw blade contact injuries, June 28, 2006
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
- For further information concerning UL 987, Stationary and Fixed Electric Tools, please contact Joe Musso at Joseph.Musso@us.ul.com
Contact CPSC
- For additional information or to comment, please contact cpsc-os@cpsc.gov
- Join a voluntary standards Email Subscription List