The Danger of circular saws-GORE WARNING!

[Terry B]

Dear All
The attached pic of a hand belongs to a guy we took to the operating theatre a few days ago. He was using a hand held circular saw and it kicked. He has paid the price by losing half of his left middle finger and severely damaging the ring finger. The tendon was missing a segment but has been reattached to the bone. The distal joint is non functional and will need fusing in the future.
Hefty price to pay for a bit of inattention.
Be careful with the sharp objects.

Note: the pic was taken with my palm pilot so is pretty crap but gives the message.

[Woodlee]

Nasty .

[specialist]

Nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wongdai]

[simon d]

I have a relative who tied back the guard on a big circular saw 'cause he wanted to work faster. He got a chip fly into his eye and he dropped the saw onto his front upper thigh. It then ran around his leg cutting to the bone all the way and then dropped out behind him. It then ran across the lawn until it pulled its own cord out of the plug. He nearly died of blood loss but was saved by a quick thinker using the cord as a tourniquet. His leg was saved but he has a scar that's an absolute BBQ stopper.

[Ad de Crom]

Now you all know why I don't have a circular saw, and don't wanted to have one.
I'm using elbow power.
Saw to much nasty accidents with circular saws.
Ad

[mikm]

Thanks for the heads-up, Terry B. Circ saws are used so often these days, its very easy to take them for granted. I suspect your patient decided to go with the 'hand held' wood option or something similarly silly for things to go wrong so catastrophically.

simon d, that story is worse than the photo of the missing finger . The scar must be a ripper, as you say.

[wheelinround]

a wake up call for us all

All powered tools are dangerous a moments distraction is all it takes.

Bandsaws do just as much damage thats why butchers ware steel gloves

[Lignin]

Errr,shouldn't the title to the accompanying photo read "UN attached thumbnail"??

Nasty injury, though, and a timely warning that electron burners cut much faster than those powered by elbow grease.

[bsrlee]

Simon D's relo is not the only one to trim his leg - I know a fellow who had a brain phart while using a circular saw and cut through his femur (thigh bone) - he was holding the guard back with one hand, the other was on the grip holding the button down as he cross cut some timber - he rested the saw against his leg when he was interrupted by someone. Ouch . Luckily they managed to bolt him back together, he now has a limp & a big scar.

[44Ronin]

I like using hand saws..

[Bluegum]

Scary stuff this and it has to make you stop and think about just how dangerous our hobby can be.

[AlexS]

Let me guess, Terry. He was cutting sheet material, holding the saw with his right hand and supporting the offcut with his left?

[Keith_W]

My Grandfather was a Cabinet Maker, a good Tradesman he was too. The way you knew who were Cabinet Makers was by the way they had lost parts of their fingers.
Safety was not a concideration for Workers back then.
Like all have said here and in the other Forums that deal with Safety, you can be never too carefull and Guards etc are there for a reason. Attention to the Job your doing and never take short cuts.

Regards,
Keith.

[glock40sw]

Nice shot Doc Terry.
You had me worried that it was your hand for a moment...