This lawsuit is so important and could have a huge impact on woodworking and future availability of tools, particularly table saws, we are doing our best to keep you informed. Ive reached out to our Ryobi contact numerous times to get Ryobis reaction and see what the companys next move might be. Today I got this reply:
We have been advised of the verdict in the Osario case. We are evaluating the results with our lawyers, and evaluating how to proceed. We remain confident that the saw, which was the subject in this lawsuit, was well-designed and manufactured with due regard for safety and the needs of the consumer.
While investigating the case, we found a copy the Petition For Performance Standards For Table Saws submitted to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Inside the document, the Power Tool Institute states, the costs associated with the proposal could potentially eliminate some of the least expensive table saws from the market. Although it is obvious, you might not have thought of this. Also, we gained access to a copy of the Journal of Trauma report referred to in The Oregonian article. We learned some interesting facts while reading the report. I thought I’d share them with you.
These statistics were drawn from 12,051 actual cases.
52 years is the average age of people who are injured in accidents at tables saws.
A mere 7 percent of cases in which the accident was caused by kickback were identified. However, I believe that many of those cases could have been avoided if they had been riving knives.
From 2004 to 2007, the number of table saw injuries fell each year (the last year in the study).
95 percent of the children injured were between the ages of 14 17 (high school ages), but the study found kids as young as 6 were injured.
