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The riving knife and anti-kickback device are ineffective when cutting workpieces that are too short
to be engaged with the riving knife and anti-kickback device. Under these conditions a kickback
cannot be prevented by the riving knife and anti-kickback device.
g) Use the appropriate saw blade for the riving knife. For the riving knife to function properly, the saw
blade diameter must match the appropriate riving knife and the body of the saw blade must be
thinner than the thickness of the riving knife and the cutting width of the saw blade must be wider
than the thickness of the riving knife.
2) Cutting procedures warnings
a) DANGER: Never place your fingers or hands in the vicinity or in line with the saw blade. A
moment of inattention or a slip could direct your hand towards the saw blade and result in serious
personal injury.
b) Feed the workpiece into the saw blade or cutter only against the direction of rotation. Feeding the
workpiece in the same direction that the saw blade is rotating above the table may result in the
workpiece, and your hand, being pulled into the saw blade.
c) Never use the mitre gauge to feed the workpiece when ripping and do not use the rip fence as a
length stop when cross cutting with the mitre gauge. Guiding the workpiece with the rip fence and
the mitre gauge at the same time increases the likelihood of saw blade binding and kickback.
d) When ripping, always apply the workpiece feeding force between the fence and the saw blade.
Use a push stick when the distance between the fence and the saw blade is less than 150 mm,
and use a push block when this distance is less than 50 mm. ²Work helping
devices will keep
your hand at a safe distance from the saw blade.
e) Use only the push stick provided by the manufacturer or constructed in accordance with the
instructions. This push stick provides sufficient distance of the hand from the saw blade.
f) Never use a damaged or cut push stick. A damaged push stick may break causing your hand to slip
into the saw blade.
g) Do not perform any operation ²freehand². Always use either the rip fence or the mitre gauge to
position and guide the workpiece. ²Freehand
means using your hands to support or guide the
workpiece, in lieu of a rip fence or mitre gauge. Freehand sawing leads to misalignment, binding
and kickback.
h) Never reach around or over a rotating saw blade. Reaching for a workpiece may lead to accidental
contact with the moving saw blade.
i) Provide auxiliary workpiece support to the rear and/or sides of the saw table for long and/or wide
workpieces to keep them level. A long and/or wide workpiece has a tendency to pivot on the
table’s edge, causing loss of control, saw blade binding and kickback.
j) Feed workpiece at an even pace. Do not bend or twist the workpiece. If jamming occurs, turn the
tool off immediately, unplug the tool then clear the jam. Jamming the saw blade by the workpiece
can cause kickback or stall the motor.
k) Do not remove pieces of cut-off material while the saw is running. The material may become
trapped between the fence or inside the saw blade guard and the saw blade pulling your fingers
into the saw blade. Turn the saw off and wait until the saw blade stops before removing material.
l) Use an auxiliary fence in contact with the table top when ripping workpieces less than 2 mm thick. A
thin workpiece may wedge under the rip fence and create a kickback.
3) Kickback causes and related warnings
Kickback is a sudden reaction of the workpiece due to a pinched, jammed saw blade or misaligned
