Brush with disaster!

[Hudson Carpentry]

My guard (EU) has a spring in the arm of the bracket (Axi AX160 I think) as I pass the work under the guard I then slide my hand onto the top of the guard so it then holds the work down through the guard.

 

[Jacob]

Unfortunately there's a strong anti HSE lobby. Big mistake IMHO. Saves more than fingers - saves lives.
And you should at least know what the rules are first, before you ignore them!
So next time you hear or read "elf n safety gorn mad" etc. object strongly, cancel the Daily Mail etc. etc.

 

[mailee]

Now that sounds a better idea Huds. I can't see why they don't make the guard with a roller under it and a strong spring to hold it down onto the table? That would be a much better/safer option. Until then I think the pork chop type is the safer option IMHO.

 

[Peter Sefton]

In the accident described I would say that the EU bridge guard would not have offered any more or less protection than the US guard. But the EU will generally give you better protection than an American swing away guard; it will do just that - swing away. This is their inherent problem if you fall on the machine they expose the cutter block.
Under our Regs the bridge guard should be long enough, wide enough strong enough and not easily deflected. Neither of the guards would offer much protection when hands are put under the guard into the cutters. Hands should always be lifted over the bridge guard and never left hovering over the block, if you get kick back as I did recently for the first time in almost 30 years the wood disappears and leaves the block exposed in a split second I am so pleased and lucky my hand dropped onto the outfeed table. I hope I am as lucky next time and I do have to agree with Jacob (only in the post above though).

Cheers Peter

 

[sparkymarky]

ouch now that is a nasty one alan, hope you recover soon.

 

[dance]

shrubby, thanks for your "link", I found the following text:

Adjusting the bridge guard to the edge of the timber may appear to be safer as the blade is completely covered while the timber is passing over it, compared to the over the top method where the portion of blade not covered by the workpiece appears to be only partially guarded and is visible under the bridge guard and theoretically accessible. However, accident investigations have identified that operators are far more likely to come into contact with the cutters close to the fence due to workpiece 'kickback', rather than under the guard beside the workpiece. Kickback ejects the workpiece violently and unpredictably, leaving the cutters fully exposed where the workpiece used to be. There is therefore a considerable risk that the operators hand will make contact with the cutters when they become unbalanced and reach out for support, or when the following feeding hand passes directly over the now exposed cutters.

Which I clarified things no end for me. Now I know why I do what I do.