Government regulation gone crazy: CPSC wants to stop amputations, industry says its too costly...

[rfranklin]

CPSC wants to stop
daily table saw
amputations

Updated 5d 23h ago |

By Jayne O'Donnell, USA TODAY

As pressure to address debilitating table-
saw injuries builds, the head of the
Consumer Product Safety Commission says
she will call in the power-tool industry and
the safety standards group to find out why
more hasn't been done to address the
problem.


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

"The safety of table saws needs to be
improved in a way that prevents school
children in shop class and woodworkers
from suffering these life-altering injuries,"
CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum told USA
TODAY. "All options are on the table for
CPSC at this time."

Stephen Gass, who invented technology that
stops blades when body parts are detected,
persuaded CPSC to grant his petition for
rulemaking during the Bush administration.
But CPSC never drafted rules, so a new vote
would now be required....

The Power Tool Institute (PTI) told CPSC in
2007 that it would prefer voluntary
rulemaking, but none is in the works on so-
called flesh-detection technology. PTI and
some amateur woodworkers told CPSC that
Gass' technology, known as SawStop, is too
costly and not foolproof.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/manufacturing/2011-02-02-saws02_ST_N.htm?csp=34money#

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Not to worry, the CPSC is on the GOP's chopping block to reduce the debt.

[yawnmaster]

2. sounds like the PTI is giving CPSC the finger. eom

[SidDithers]

3. Funny or Die SafetySaw needed...

note, very, very, very Not Safe For Work
(language and graphic content)

From The Funny or Die Network

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyMonRSf1lc

Sid

[cloudbase]

4. The technology already exists.

Very cool.

http://www.sawstop.com

[SidDithers]

6. Here's some very cool high-speed video of the technology...

including the inventor demonstrating the saw with his own finger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3mzhvMgrLE&NR=1

Sid

[RC]

5. How about teaching safe and proper tool use?

Think that would help? Maybe demonstrate cutting some fingers off a fake hand with blood spraying around for emphasis?