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Power saws, such as circular, reciprocating, scroll, band and table, can
cause injury to you if used incorrectly. You can be badly cut or burned.
You can get sprains and strains and lose your hearing. You can hurt your eyes
from grit and dust kicked up from saw operations. Dust can hurt your lungs. If
you dry-cut masonry or stone that has silica in it, you can get silicosis,
which can cause illness and eventually kill you. An electric saw can
electrocute you. A gas-powered saw can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which
can also cause illness and death. Basically, this means that improper use of a
saw can be very dangerous to your health.
Recommendations to help both the experienced and apprentice carpenter work
safer:
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Read the owner's manual before you first use a saw.
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Keep blades sharp, clean and oiled, and inspect for cracks before use.
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Wear goggles, safety glasses with side shields, or a face shield.
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Do not wear jewelry, such as chains or large rings.
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Do not wear loose clothing.
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Tie long hair inside your hard hat.
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Wear hearing protection.
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Do not cut unless you have a clear work area and solid footing.
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Do not use a power saw when you are on a scaffold.
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Use electric saws that are either double insulated or provided with a 3-prong
plug that is plugged into a grounded outlet.
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Connect an electric saw to a circuit that is protected with a ground-fault
circuit interrupter (GFCI).
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Do not allow the saw blade to be touching anything, even a piece of lumber,
before you turn on the saw.
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Only use circular saws that have a blade guard that rotates above
and below the base plate.
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When using a circular saw, hold your forearm arm straight and do not cut above
chest height to prevent kickback.
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Do not drop-start a gas chainsaw.
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Do not use electrical saws in damp, wet or very hot locations unless they are
connected to a GFCI-protected circuit.
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Unplug a saw before you change a blade.
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Hold a portable saw away from you until the blade stops turning.
COPYRIGHT ©2002, ISO Services Properties, Inc.
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