Circular Saw Safety Tips

Image Gallery An example of dangerous sawing: pulling the saw (straight toward the operator) with no support under the plywood. BOB JOHNSTON

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Last year, more than 250,000 saw-related injuries required emergency room care. The circular saw is the most dangerous, misused and abused tool in a do-it-yourselfer’s tool shed. Here’s what I have learned about safety, proper techniques and maintenance from using a saw for 50 years.

Some History

When portable, electric circular saws were first made, the motor was on the right, the blade on the left and the handle was above the blade. When you got to the end of a cut, the weight of the motor would naturally make the saw fall off to the right and butcher the end of the cut.

Then someone came up with the bright idea of putting the motor on the left and the blade on the right. This shifted the main weight of the saw and the majority of the base to the stable side of the cut. But with the blade on the right, a right-handed person has to lean over the top of the saw to see the line of the cut.

A few years ago, Porter-Cable came out with two models (345 Saw Boss and the 423 Mag) with the blade on the left — and moved the handle so the saw is balanced. Craftsman also has a similar 5 1/2-inch saw. Now some other manufacturers are seeing the light.

If you use your right hand to run a saw, buy one with blade on the left; if you use your left hand, buy one with the blade on the right. You need to see where the blade is cutting to make an accurate cut; and working in a good position is important. The position of making a cut with an electric saw is the same as making a cut with a handsaw or hacksaw: The cut line, the blade, your forearm, elbow and shoulder should all be in one straight line.

Preparing to Cut

Now we come to one of the most overlooked, but most important procedures in using any power tool — plugging in the cord to a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) power cord. (See Image Gallery.)

Keep your finger off the trigger (switch) until you are ready to make a cut. When you plug a saw into a power cord, you have created a power supply for a tool that could easily kill you or maim you for life. If you plug a tool cord in backwards (and it can be done) you have created reverse polarity, and that can kill you.

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