SACRAMENTO, CA - Table saws sold in California after Jan. 1, 2015 would need to include flesh-detecting technology integrated to an electronic saw blade brake, under proposed legislation.
California Assemblan Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) has introduced legislation requiring table saw safety brakes. California's State Assemblyman Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) introduced a bill Feb. 24, 2012, AB 2218 Table Saw Safety Act, that would require saw blade safety technology, using a description similar to the technology sold by SawStop.
A number of table saw manufacturers, many of them members the Power Tool Institute - an advocacy and trade group - have taken a position against the legislation, and against similar table saw safety rules being considered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The saw makers fear that the California legislation, if passed, would become a defacto standard for the rest of the U.S., as was the case with CARB requirements in wood panel production, or automobile safety and pollution control standards.
Woodworking equipment and table saw manufacturer Delta Machinery issued a statement on the California legislation:
Many of you have heard about and voiced your opinion in various forums and postings regarding the potential requirement for “Flesh Detecting Technology” on every table saw. Recently,a bill that would REQUIRE this technology on every table saw sold in California (AB 2218 Table Saw Safety Act) was introduced in the California Assembly by Assemblyman Das Williams (D- Santa Barbara).
If you are not in favor of this movement to control your table saw choices, now is the time to voice your concerns to Assemblyman Williams (http://asmdc.org/members/a35/) and the other members of the California Assembly (http://192.234.213.69/amapsearch/). As you have seen in many cases before, California legislative decisions quickly pass to other states, and most products are designed for national distribution, so if this law passes, it may affect the design of products sold in every state.
Separately, the comment period for the CPSC Table Saw safety rules ends March 16.
Many of you have heard about and voiced your opinion in various forums and postings regarding the potential requirement for “Flesh Detecting Technology” on every table saw. Recently,a bill that would REQUIRE this technology on every table saw sold in California (AB 2218 Table Saw Safety Act) was introduced in the California Assembly by Assemblyman Das Williams (D- Santa Barbara).
If you are not in favor of this movement to control your table saw choices, now is the time to voice your concerns to Assemblyman Williams(http://asmdc.org/members/a35/) and the other members of the California Assembly (http://192.234.213.69/amapsearch/). As you have seen in many cases before, California legislative decisions quickly pass to other states, and most products are designed for national distribution, so if this law passes, it may affect the design of products sold in every state.
Even if you aren’t in California, California needs to hear from you!
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Information regarding a similar proposed CPSC Rule can be found onthe Power Tool Institute’s website at http://www.powertoolinstitute.info/ which is in addition to this proposed California action and being raised in Washington. This site allows you to voice your opinion regarding the CPSC rulebut it is not connected to the proposed California action. The deadline for submitting comments about the CPSC rule is March 16, 2012.
Bill Esler, Associate Publisher/ Editor in Chief, Woodworking Network Bill is responsible for editing Custom Woodworking Business and coordinating all content for Wood & Wood Products , CLOSETS , Woodworkingnetwork.com and Closetsdaily.com, along with related newsletters. Bill’s expertise includes using innovative print manufacturing techniques to grow audience engagement, using textured offset, digital printing, purls, QR codes; and lead-generating webcasts, custom websites, and custom digital and print content.
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