Another Table Saw Recall Shows Woodworkers Still at Risk

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced a Black & Decker Portable Table Saw recall. These saws were sold exclusively at Walmart and were manufactured by Rexon Industrial Corp., Ltd., of Taiwan.

So far, no injuries have been reported with the saws, but approximately 400 table saws are being recalled from the market because of injury hazards.

Table Saw Stand Can Collapse Unexpectedly

This table saw comes with a metal foldable saw stand that according to the CPSC, can collapse unexpectedly. Should this happen while the operator is working with the saw, it could potentially cause lacerations and impact injuries.

The recall applies to model number JT2504BD Black & Decker brand 10-inch table saws. The logo and the model number are printed on the front right side of the table saw. Walmart stores and Walmart online websites sold the saws between February 2016 and August 2016 for about $190.

Consumers are advised to stop using the saws immediately and to contact Rexon for a free replacement stand.

Similar Recall Announced Weeks Earlier

The CPSC announced a similar recall only a few weeks before this one. Again, the 10-inch table saws were manufactured by Rexon, but they were sold exclusively at Sears rather than Walmart, and they were labeled as Craftsman brand tools.

The problem was the same—the metal foldable stand could collapse unexpectedly. In this case, there were reports of incidents, including some injuries. Rexon received 11 reports of the table saws collapsing, including nine reports of injuries to fingers and hands. Types of injuries included:

• Broken bones
• Lacerations
• Shoulder strain
• Partial fingernail amputation

Sears sold the saws nationwide and online between April 2014 and October 2016 for about $200.

The recall involved about 46,000 units. Consumers were advised again to stop using the saws and contact Rexon for a free replacement stand. Both of these recalls involved essentially the same product, just sold under different brands.

Table Saws Remain Unusually Dangerous

Table saws remain one of the most dangerous tools on the market. Though “flesh-sensing” technology, which can stop a blade before it injures an operator, was introduced to the market many years ago, most manufacturers have refused to implement it. This fact remains largely unchanged outside of the SawStop brand and Bosch.

The CSPC conducted a survey of injuries in 2007-2008 and found that the estimated total number of hospital emergency department-treated injuries related to table/bench saws in the U.S. during that time was nearly 79,500. Injuries were due to the operator contacting the blade in 88 percent of the cases. Common injuries included lacerations, fractures, and amputations.

In a 2014 study on table saw injuries, researchers found that over 30,000 table saw injuries occur annually, with medical costs estimated at over $2 billion per year. They recommended the application of SawStop, a technology that “stops the saw blade when contact with skin is made, resulting in a small cut, rather than a more complicated laceration or amputation. The application of this novel technology in saw designs can prevent serious injuries that deleteriously affect lives at the personal and societal levels.”